BY PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
Experiencing strong drivers of growth from virtually all sectors, the backplane connectivity market is growing, in more ways than one.
In addition to-or perhaps in response to-the overall growing demand for this type of connectivity, a new backplane and midplane connector family has been brought to market by Amphenol TCS (www.amphenol-tcs.com). The company recently launched the Crossbow connector platform, which features Crossbow Matrix technology for orthogonal midplane architectures, and Crossbow 2mm+ for standard backplane configurations.
“Crossbow Matrix is the first differential connector optimized for orthogonal midplane configurations, and the fastest platform on the market today-enabling data rates up to 25 Gbits/sec,” the company said when announcing the product line.
The introduction of the Crossbow product line comes at a time when demand for backplane connection technology is rising. Amphenol reports strong demand for the devices across virtually all market segments, including wireless, data communications, transmission, switching, servers, and storage.
 Amphenol TCS’ Crossbow Matrix connector is optimized for orthogonal midplane configurations and, according to the manufacturer, enables data rates up to 25 Gbits/sec. |
A recent independent research report reinforces that notion. Bishop & Associates’ (www.bishopinc.com) Connector Types and Technologies Poised for Growth, published earlier this year, devotes an entire chapter to high-speed backplane connectors. The study also cites mobile computing and communication devices as significant market trends driving demand. Additionally, the report lists orthogonal midplane architecture and mezzanine architecture as key interconnect technologies.
Crossbow connections
Designed so the differential pairs on each side of the midplane share vias, the Crossbow Matrix lets designers take advantage of the benefits associated with orthogonal midplane architectures. This direct path approach, the company says, and the connectors’ unique footprint, eliminate most electrical problems associated with the traditional backplane via stub, including elimination of crosstalk in the footprint, reflections, and impedance mismatches. Furthermore, Amphenol says, the product’s design reduces board layer count by as much as 50% and eliminates the need for backdrilling.
Tom Pitten, manager of product development engineering for Amphenol TCS, says the introduction of the Crossbow product family is “another example of the importance of an architecture-based solution for today’s system designers. Our engineers work closely with customers during the design process,” he explains, “incorporating existing components or innovating new component technologies to create an optimized system solution.”
The Crossbow 2mm+ connector supports 12.5-Gbits/sec data rates in a high-density (63 pair/inch) configuration, and demonstrates crosstalk less than 1.5% at 50 ps. The product is designed to complement the Crossbow Matrix. Both versions of the Crossbow platform fit on the same rear-organizing stiffener, letting designers configure a single connector to support orthogonal midplane connections and route high-speed signal lines across the backplane in hybrid architectures.
The Crossbow Matrix platform includes a 6×6 (differential pairs) and 4×4 Matrix version. The Crossbow 2mm+ features five differential pairs per column. Both connectors include power and guidance.
Online tools
Another indication that backplane connectivity is a market stalwart comes in the form of online design tools for backplane configuration, including one from Amphenol TCS as well as one from Molex (www.molex.com). Molex’s Backplane Products Configurator is an online tool that enables registered users to create custom daughtercard proposal drawings and bills of materials by selecting from a list of available components. The configurator is available for Molex’s VHDM, VHDM-HDS, VHDM RAM, and GbX backplane connectors.
DesignLink, Amphenol TCS’s online design tool, lets OEM system designers determine trade-off analysis and “what-if” scenarios, as well as reduce the time required for major decisions, identify cost reduction opportunities, receive product updates, and obtain instant access to technical information.
Mezzanine level
In addition to backplane connectivity, parallel board-to-board connectivity shows signs of good market health, as the Bishop & Associates study mentions. In that vein, FCI (www.fciconnect.com) recently expanded its Gig-Array high-speed, high-density product line with new 12-mm plug connectors. These mezzanine connectors provide either 200 or 296 signal contacts and add the capability for 17-mm or 27-mm board-to-board spacing when used in combination with the company’s existing 5-mm or 15-mm receptacles.
“Blade server, storage, communications, and networking equipment are among the applications that can benefit from the high-speed electrical performance provided by the Gig-Array connector system,” says Grace Showers, FCI global product manager.
Through this new addition, Showers adds, FCI now offers nine stack-height options to enable equipment designers to address component clearance, airflow, or slot spacing requirements that are unique to their chassis design.
The market upswing for applications such as wireless, storage, and switching suggests that these recent introductions in the backplane and mezzanine connectivity realm will not be the last, and that the connector industry’s major vendors will continue to roll out both products and services to meet demand.
