Product category:
PCB Connectors
News Release from: FCI | Subject: AirMax VS
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 15 November 2005
Backplane connectors boast more options
The AirMax VS backplane connector system is billed as the broadest line of high-speed backplane connectors available.
FCI has expanded the AirMax VS backplane connector system to include mezzanine, coplanar, high-power, I/O and vertical header right-angle receptacle versions, making it the broadest line of high-speed backplane connectors available The revolutionary system offers scaleability, flexibility, high density and headroom in performance through its use of air as the dielectric and its unique insert moulded leadframe assembly (IMLA), making it ideal for data, industrial and communications applications
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 14 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Backplane connector crams in the contacts
The AirMax VS backplane connector system offers designers a pin density providing up to 50 differential pair or 150 single ended connections per 25mm daughtercard slot spacing.
Novel backplane connector gains second source
FCI has signed a second source licence agreement granting Amphenol the right to manufacture, market, and sell the four- and five-pair AirMax VS (Virtual Shield) connector worldwide.
The AirMax VS system uses edge-coupling technology and an air dielectric between adjacent conductors, delivering high signal density with the industry's lowest insertion loss and lowest crosstalk, all without the use of costly and space-consuming metal shields.
The benefits of AirMax VS are further enhanced by the reliability inherent in its dual-beam receptacle contact.
Most next generation backplane connectors offer only single-beam receptacle contacts, so contact is only made on one side of the header pin, leaving the connector vulnerable to loss of contact when experiencing shock or vibration.
Further reading
Connector rationalises backplane design
The AirMax VS backplane connector allows designers to reduce the number of layers in high speed backplanes and daughtercards while improving the electrical performance of interconnections.
Receptacle enables coplanar interconnect solution
FCI has added a right angled receptacle to its AirMax VS connector range that combined with the existing right angled header creates a complete coplanar interconnect solution for AdvancedTCA Zone 3.
In contrast, the AirMax VS dual-beam receptacle provides two points of contact, one on each side of the header blade, greatly increasing reliability and durability.
In addition to the robust contact structure, the vertical header features a more robust housing providing generous "lead in" and comes with a protective cover that also serves as press-in block during connector installation.
The AirMax VS family comprises a full set of building blocks allowing for backplane, coplanar, mezzanine and cable-to-board applications.
The connectors offer designers ultimate flexibility as all the products are scaleable to the number of columns, and are available with housings in various IMLA counts, so a number of module sizes can be offered.
In addition to superior electrical performance, the AirMax VS family offers design versatility because products can be scaled by varying the number of columns of contacts, the number of contacts per column (three, four or five differential pairs) and column spacing (2 or 3mm).
Most importantly, AirMax VS connectors allow for custom pin assignments (differential or single-ended signals as well as power), so system datarates can grow from 2.5Gbit/s to beyond 12Gbit/s without requiring redesign of the basic platform.
In fact, in a demonstration earlier this year with Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs of a Bell Labs-developed signalling architecture utilising the AirMax VS connector system, designers were able to transmit at 25Gbit/s over an electrical backplane.
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