Backplane connectors enhance signal interface, lower insertion loss

Molex showcased backplane connectors for high-density datacenter applications at the DesignCon show held in February 2017 in Santa Clara, California. The orthogonal direct connectors support data rates of 56 Gbps NRZ and 112 Gbps PAM4.

The Impulse Orthogonal Direct Backplane Connector System provides high-speed connectivity in a compact size boasting a 2-mm column-to-column pitch. At the same time, to address issues like insertion loss and ICR margin, common in datacenter hardware, the backplane connector enhances signal interface by improving airflow, channel impedance, and signal integrity.

The signal contacts are pre-loaded, positioned, and protected in individual slots to ensure appropriate connector alignment and mating. Moreover, the connectors bring cost savings by eliminating the need for chassis mid-plane.

These backplane connectors minimize future infrastructure investments by offering forward compatibility with higher data rates.

The Impulse backplane connectors are part of an effort to provide scalable solutions for the rapidly evolving datacenter environment. Apart from Impulse (56/112 Gbps), the Molex OD portfolio of backplane connectors includes the Impact connectors offering sub-25-Gbps speeds and Impact zX2 connectors providing a data transmission rate of 28 Gbps.