Samtec FireFly™ Mid-Board Optical Transceiver Solutions
Samtec offers mid-board optical transceiver solutions. This growing and comprehensive family of products delivers reliable signal integrity over an extended distance in chip-to-chip, board-to-board, system-to-system, and onboard connectivity. The designs take data connection "off the board" for up to 28Gbps per lane, with a path to 112Gbps PAM4 via optical cable at greater distances or copper for cost optimization. FireFly™ Micro Flyover System™ is an interconnect system that enables designers to use micro-footprint high-performance optical and cost-effective copper interconnects interchangeably with the same connector system.
High Density
The miniature footprint of FireFly enables greater density and closer proximity to the IC, simplifying board layout and enhancing signal integrity. Performance from 14Gbps to 28Gbps can be reached in the same footprint covering an area of only 0.63in2 for an aggregate 265Gbps/in2.
Ease of Routing
The two-piece, board-level interconnect system features a micro high-speed edge card connector and a positive-latch connector for power and control signal communications. Isolating the signal and power in this technique helps ease trace routing compared to array systems.
• UEC5 - high-speed edge card connector
○ Gen 1: up to 20Gbps
○ Gen 2: 20+Gbps
• UCC8 - positive latch connector
Ease of Assembly
The rugged two-piece edge card socket system features weld tabs, a latch locking mechanism, and loading guides. This design provides simplified mating and unmating of the cable assembly compared to compression systems, which use mechanical screw-downs and hardware.
Unlike existing optical engine-based solutions, thermal operating conditions are addressed by including an integral heat sink. The heat sink also simplifies the assembly process. Standard heat sinks are available in a range of designs, including finned, flat, and fiber-groove for multi-row configurations, for conduction or convection cooling.
Signal Integrity
By taking the data connections off the board with Samtec Flyover® cables, the signal integrity design is made considerably easier, and the electrical performance refined. Routing data above lossy board materials and other signal-degrading components negates the necessity for the layout complexities to design for high-speed signaling.
