Mezzanine connectors support higher data rates for military electronics

TE Connectivity (TE) has enhanced its family of rugged, high-speed Mezalok mezzanine connectors to support the demand for higher data rates and improved processing power in military electronics. The connectors offer increased data rates up to 32+ Gbits/s, driven by the demand for more powerful embedded computing in applications such as signal intelligence, radar, communications, and surveillance, said the company.

Mezzanine cards are often used to provide additional functionality and processing capability within a small form factor, said TE. Typical applications include application-specific high-speed input/output (I/O) protocols, graphics, memory and digital-signal processing.

The Mezalok mezzanine connectors more than double the speed and durability of competing technology, and provide excellent signal integrity up to 32+ Gbits/s, according to the company, making it well suited for today’s military and commercial aerospace applications.

The Mezalok connector family, designed for mezzanine cards in rugged applications, is standardized as the interconnect for XMC 2.0 (VITA 61). At 5 GHz+,  the surface-mount mezzanine connectors incorporate a redundant “mini-box” four-point contact system for a separable interface.

The mezzanine connectors come in 60, 114, and 320 (114-position is the XMC 2.0 standard) positions and stack heights of 10, 12, 15, 17, and 18-mm. They offer thermal stability up to 2,000 thermal shock cycles and are shock and vibration resistant per VITA 47 and 72 HALT test requirements.

The connectors are constructed of LCP plastic housings that provide thermal stability and low-outgassing. The BGA board attachment supports standard surface-mount processing. It also offers a protected socked end for blind mateability. Low extraction force product lines are expected to launch in summer 2021.