Cable assemblies support PAM4 in less space

Samtec, Inc. has announced the availability of its NovaRay cable assemblies that deliver PAM4 signals in dense designs. Offering “extreme” density by using 40% less space than traditional arrays to support 112-Gbits/s PAM4 per channel, these cable assemblies target applications in datacom, AI/ML, HPC, computer and semiconductor, medical, test and measurement, military/aerospace and mobile networks.

(Source: Samtec, Inc.)

The fully-shielded differential pair design of the cable assemblies enable extremely low crosstalk and tight impedance control, Samtec said. In addition, the combination of the differential pair design with two reliable points of contact contributes to the 4.0 Tbits/s aggregate data rate.

The cable assemblies provide low <30-dB (FEXT and NEXT) crosstalk out to 40 GHz. They operate across a temperature range of -40 ˚C to 125˚C and are PCIe 6.0/CXL 3.1 capable.

Configurations include one or two banks, with two, three or four rows. The cable assemblies offer eight to 32 differential pairs. Up to 72 pairs (six rows, three banks) is in development.

The NovaRay cable assemblies include two connectors and are available with optional shielding and latching systems. End 1 of the cable assembly includes a NovaRay connector, while a variety of End 2 options are available, including FQSFP, NovaRay I/O, ExaMAX backplane and the upcoming NovaRay backplane, depending on the application.

The cable assemblies are available with 34 AWG EyeSpeed ultra-low-skew twinax cable (<3.5 ps/meter). Options include 34 AWG/100 Ω, 34 AWG/92 Ω and 34 AWG Thinax/92-Ω ultra-performance cable (with a 40% smaller cross-sectional area). The 92-Ω solutions address both 85-Ω and 100-Ω applications.

The NovaRay cable assemblies are in stock. They are available directly from Samtec or through authorized distributors.