Sundance 16-Channel ADC FMC Includes Samtec High-Performance Interconnect
Oh great, it’s another FMC-related blog from Samtec. I get why many Samtec blog readers may think that. VITA 57.1 FMC and VITA 57.4 FMC+ are not new or necessarily “newsworthy,” per se.
On the other hand, that’s the beauty of FMC and FMC+. Both have stood the test of time. Nearly every FPGA/RFSoC evaluation board includes an FMC or FMC+ expansion slot. Plus, any number of FMC or FMC+ module vendors introduce new solutions on a continuous basis.
Take Sundance as an example. The UK-based company is an electronic “COTS” board manufacturer and early adopter of the VITA 57.1 FMC modules. They have an ever expanding portfolio from FMC and FMC+ modules.
What’s new from them?
New Sundance SMT-FMC116 ADC FMC Module
The new SMT-FMC116 is a High-Pin-Count (HPC) FMC module that offers up to 16 channels, each with up to a 125 MSPS conversation rate and 12-bit or 14-bit high-resolution.
The SMT-FMC116 incorporates up to four of Analog Devices’ LTC217x quad-channel ADC converters semiconductors with LVDS interfaces and a single 1.8V power supply. The benefit of LVDS is the lower latency and less cost than now more common JESD204B interfaces. The SMT-FMC116 will interface with leading FPGA vendor solutions without implementing a specific device-dependent IP-Core.
The advancement in PCB technology and the integration of more features in monolithic power semiconductors enabled the SMT-FMC116 to go from an initial 4-channel FMC module in 2010 to a 16-channel ADC converter integrated into the small FMC form factor.
SMT-FMC116 Features Samtec AcceleRate® Interconnects
The AcceleRate® product family includes 0.635 mm pitch board-to-board and cable assemblies with incredible density in small form factors to achieve next gen speeds. AcceleRate® is the industry’s slimmest cable system with direct attach technology and ultra low skew twinax cable for 64 Gbps PAM4 (32 Gbps NRZ) speeds and PCIe® 6.0/CXL® 3.1 capable.
Samtec’s ARF6-RA series found on the SMT-FMC116 connects analog signals to the board. The ARF6-RA connectors and the mating ARC6 series cable assemblies provide sufficient analog performance. The selection of break-out boards offered by Sundance allows easy integration with any user application/system.
The biggest obstacle for any higher-channel data acquisition module is the physical interface to the outside world. The small size of the FMC module front panel calls for high-density, slim, right-angle interconnect solutions. The ARF6-RA series connectors and the ARC6 series cable assemblies are the ideal solution for this application.
So there you go: FMC and FMC+ are still evolving. Stay tuned to the Samtec blog for more information on all things FMC and FMC+.
