Samtec Showcases Cutting-Edge Interconnects at OFC 2024
The Optical Fiber Communications Conference (OFC) is a premier event highlighting advancements in optical networking. This year, Samtec stole the show with their impressive display of next-generation copper and optical interconnect solutions.
Future-Proofing with Halo™
Samtec unveiled the Halo™ system, a revolutionary optical interconnect solution designed for future scalability. Halo™ offers unparalleled adaptability, supporting both copper and optical configurations and accommodating data rates up to 112 Gbps PAM4 per lane (up to 16 channels, 8 channels bidirectional). This two-piece system boasts a low profile (< 6.5 mm) and exceptional resilience against shock and vibration. Halo™ is also optically pluggable for effortless field replacements, making it ideal for diverse applications across data centers, HPC environments, and FPGA protocols, including 10/40/100/400/800 GbE Ethernet, InfiniBand™, Fibre Channel, PCIe®, CXL®, and Aurora.
Achieving 224 Gbps with Bulls Eye®
Samtec's demonstration showcased a remarkable feat - transmitting 224 Gbps PAM4 data through their Bulls Eye® high-performance test assembly. The data originated from a Cadence 224G-LR SerDes PHY and traveled via a Samtec block chain board with variable insertion loss before returning for analysis through another Bulls Eye connector. Notably, the system maintained a Bit Error Rate (BER) of e-7 at this high speed.
112 Gbps PAM4 with OSFP and Flyover® Technology
Another impressive demonstration involved transmitting 112 Gbps PAM4 signals. These signals originated from an Alphawave Ethernet PHY, traversed a Samtec NovaRay® mid-board connector and Samtec Eye Speed® Ultra Low Skew twinax cable, before reaching a Samtec Flyover® OSFP front panel connector. This innovative combination delivers exceptional thermal performance and supports an aggregate data rate of up to 1.6 Tbps thanks to Samtec's Flyover Cable Technology. Notably, the system exhibited a consistently stable BER of e-7.
CXL Interconnection with PCUO Series
The PCUO Series by Samtec shines in CXL interconnect applications. The live demo featured an AMD Genoa platform equipped with a Samtec FireFly™ add-in card. This card communicated with an NVMe and a Rambus CXL endpoint on another Samtec add-in card, connected via 100 meters of OM4 multi-mode optical fiber. The PCUO FireFly, a PCIe-over-fiber active optical cable assembly available in x4, x8, and x16 configurations, served as the central interconnect for both cards, seamlessly supporting PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 specifications with PCIe 5.0 options under development.
Linear Direct Drive: A Glimpse into the Future
Samtec presented a compelling proof-of-concept for a linear direct drive electrical channel, designed for on-package or near-package integration. This innovative solution enables 112 Gbps data transmission over a 100-meter link. Potential applications include mid-board optical and copper designs utilizing Samtec Flyover cable assemblies or high-speed mezzanine connector sets, alongside full-channel front-panel and back-panel cable applications. The system achieved an impressive BER of e-7.
112 Gbps Demonstrator: A Showcase of Versatility
Samtec's 112 Gbps PAM4 Demonstrator highlighted their extensive portfolio of board-to-board connector sets and Flyover® cable systems. These cable solutions encompass various configurations, including mid-board to cable backplane and mid-board to front-panel, mimicking real-world data center architectures. The demonstration showcased the exceptional performance of each connector set, with all six Device Under Test (DUT) systems achieving BERs ranging from e-7 to e-9.
BonChip Electronics - Your Trusted Partner for Samtec Solutions
BonChip Electronics is your one-stop shop for the entire spectrum of cutting-edge Samtec interconnect solutions, including the innovative products showcased at OFC 2024. We are committed to providing exceptional service, fast delivery times, and expert technical support to empower your next project.
Contact BonChip Electronics today to explore how Samtec's industry-leading interconnects can elevate your system's performance and reliability!
