Yamaichi unveils OSFP-VLC connector for vertical line card connectivity
Yamaichi Electronics has announced development of the OSFP-VLC connector, which it plans to display at DesignCon 2023 late this month in San Diego. The connector is a vertical version of the OSFP connector and is designed to be compatible to the Vertical Line Card (VLC) platform startup Nubis Communications described at ECOC 2022.
The VLC architecture features a vertical line card with vertical I/O connectors such as the OSFP-VLC and ASICs mounted side by side. This approach shortens the signal trace distance to within 3 to 4 inches while leveraging existing module, board assembly processes, and signal transmission technology. The design enables high-speed connectivity such as 112G at lower cost than conventional horizontal line card architectures while decreasing board count and offering improved cooling efficiency, according to Yamaichi.
Target applications for the OSFP-VLC include data center servers, routers, and switches; supercomputers; and optical transceivers.
Nubis Communications, founded by industry veteran Peter Winzer and headquartered in New Providence, NJ, is in stealth mode. It describes itself as "creating the most advanced interconnect technologies in the world to support the next generation of AI and machine learning breakthroughs." According to the site JUSTIA Patents, the company has received patents for optical fiber-to-chip interconnection, an optical fiber cable and raceway design, and a communication system employing optical frame templates.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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