High-Performance Digital Connectors For Analog

Samtec continues to grow its line of signal integrity connectors and cable systems, many rated at 28, 56 and 112 Gbps.

These high-performance interconnects, typically used in digital applications, are finding new homes in the analog world.

Small Form Factor

A primary benefit of considering “digital connectors for analog applications” is the potential for a higher-density of RF channels in a more compact footprint, while maintaining return loss and isolation requirements. This is in addition to the opportunity for routing power and signal lines through this same interconnect, a strategy that designers have used with Samtec interconnects for years.

This approach allows for incredible space savings without sacrificing performance, which is ideal for frequencies less than 10 GHz.

For example, up to 200 I/Os in a single housing can greatly reduce the overall size of a system, compared to a traditional RF solution, while still meeting isolation and reflection expectations.

Inventory and costs are also more easily managed with a high-speed, high-density, card edge solution.

RFSoC Modules

An RF System on Chip (RFSoC) provides multi-channel analog / digital conversions and processing on a single chip, often at ~2.5 GHz frequencies. Pairing Samtec’s NovaRay® extreme density, surface mount cabling solution with an RFSoC can increase channel throughput, maintain signal integrity and offer an outlet for power.

Using Samtec’s LP Array™ low profile arrays for analog / digital connection offers 80X more channels verses a standard RF connector in the same relative space.

For example, the new Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ZCU111 Evaluation Kit offers a comprehensive RF signal chain protoyping platform. In addition to the RFSoC, it contains expansion connectors for 5G modular system design.

An Update On Precision, Millimeter/Wave Products

Samtec’s line of Precision RF, millimeter/wave products continues to grow. New and soon-to-be-released products include:

• high-frequency, precision RF, 50 Ω micro SMP (SMPM) connectors and cable assemblies
• new high-frequency cables are paired with our new microwave/millimeter wave, precision RF interconnects
• a new BullsEye high-performance test system, rated to 70 GHz

Click here for a more complete update on these precision, millimeter wave products.

Digital Connectors For Analog Discussed In This Blog

Here’s a list of the digital connectors referenced above:

• NovaRay Extreme Density Arrays
• LP Array™ Low Profile Arrays
• HSEC8-DP, 0.80 mm Pitch Edge Card Socket