Amphenol Ardent Concepts, PHY-SI LLC collaborate for 800G QSFP-DD and OSFP host compliance test fixtures
Amphenol Ardent Concepts says it now offers a pair of host compliance test fixtures (HCTFs) for 800G applications. The HCTFs include one for QSFP-DD 800G (the PHI-SI-QSFP-DD-HCB-A4-32-2) and the other for OSFP 800G (the PHI-SI-OSFP-HCB-A4-32-2). The company says it collaborated with PHY-SI LLC on the fixtures, who also will be a channel partner.
The 800G HCTFs leverage Amphenol Ardent’s patented TR Multicoax interface technology to help engineers develop and characterize systems and devices using such high-speed ports and connectors. The HCTFs enable users can characterize all high-speed lines in a simple to use form factor, says Amphenol Ardent.
“The HCTF brings to market a new option for testing eight-lane Medium Dependent Interfaces (MDIs), like OSFP and QSFP DD, with a single test fixture,” commented Sam Kocsis, director of standards and technology, Amphenol ICC. “The thoughtful design uses a custom implementation of Ardent’s patented interface while leveraging the deep experience of Amphenol’s copper cable products to create a mechanically robust solution. Each lane is carefully matched through a combination of both coax and PCB structures to ensure that the insertion loss and skew are constant for the entire unit. The consistency of the electrical performance across every single lane of the port really sets this product apart from the alternatives.”
The test fixtures are designed to meet IEEE 802.3ck and OIF CEI-112G-VSR test fixture specifications that require extremely low insertion loss on all 16 differential pairs. Such performance is not practically achievable in PCB structures, even with the latest PCB materials, asserts the company.
“As the race for developers to bring 800G systems to market intensifies, it has become evident that traditional host/module compliance printed circuit boards are struggling to meet the loss specifications laid out by standards organizations,” added said Amphenol Ardent Product Manager Stephen Cristaldi. “Our ganged TR Multicoax interface and cable solution provided a natural fit to solve the signal integrity roadblocks of these existing legacy products. By mounting directly to PCB without solder in a dense form-factor, we’ve been able to eliminate much of the loss inherent in host compliance boards of pluggable products. Pair that with an extremely dense form factor that lets users access all lanes of a QSFP-DD 800G or OSFP 800G, and we knew we had a unique offering.”
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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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