Bench Talk

(Source: Amphenol ICC)

I am not a cat lover. I prefer dogs.

I own a female Golden Retriever named Aspen (Figure 1). Aspen is getting up there in age. She is approaching 13 years of age.

Figure 1: Aspen, the author’s Golden Retriever. (Source: Jessie Kilbane)

I generally do my best to keep all forms of cats away from me. Their natural bent is not in alignment with characteristics that would make for a good and lasting friendship with me.

From time to time, I like to explore the wilds of Texas on weekends. On occasions, I have spotted bobcats. I have to admit it is quite exciting to see a bobcat in the wild. Although here in Texas, we call them bobcats, these cats are known as lynx to the rest of the world and are nimble, adaptable, and intelligent hunters. (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Image of a bobcat, which is also called a lynx. (Source: Tomas Hulik ARTpoint/Shutterstock.com)

The lynx name reminds me of another interesting thing, except this time it is not out in the wilds of my state, but in the normality of my office. It calls to my mind the mezzanine connector products made by Amphenol ICC.

Amphenol ICC, a division of Amphenol, is a proven market leader in providing interconnect solutions for information, communications, and commercial electronics. Amphenol ICC designs and manufactures an extensive range of innovative connectors as well as cable assemblies for diverse applications, including data center, server, storage, networking, industrial, automotive, and business equipment. The company places heavy emphasis on research and development for both new product and technology development, focusing on the advancement of the next generation of high-speed interconnects and power distribution solutions as well as innovative manufacturing solutions.

Lynx^™ Board-to-Board and Mezzanine Connectors

The lynx one sees in the wild exhibits a level of adaptability, speed, and intelligence that few on the competitive landscape can match—as do the Lynx connectors from Amphenol ICC. Lynx^™ is a family of low-profile connectors with a 4-row product that doubles the density in a narrow 2-row footprint. The connectors feature flexible stacking heights and 40 to 240 pin counts for single-ended or differential applications. A robust contact design tolerant of misalignment enables a reliable connection and supports blind mating.

The Amphenol ICC Lynx Board-to-Board and Mezzanine Connectors are ideal for board-to-board applications requiring high speed (25Gb/s @4mm–7mm and 10Gb/s @8mm and @10mm) and high density for single-ended or differential signaling (Figure 3). This readily available 85Ω solution meets a wide variety of application needs, including PCI. Designers can also use Lynx as a micro-cable interface for flexible circuits or micro-coax assemblies.

Figure 3: Amphenol Lynx™ Board-to-Board and Mezzanine Connectors are ideal for board-to-board applications requiring high density and high speed for single-ended or differential signaling. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

Lynx^™ Quad Differential (QD) Interconnect

Amphenol ICC Lynx^™ Quad Differential (QD) Interconnect provides a compact, highly nimble, high-performance solution optimized for differential pair signaling, quick turn designs, and superior signal integrity (Figure 4). The device supports 56Gb/s PAM4 data rates, as well as PCIe Gen 5 to ensure the fast transmission of data intelligence. The Lynx QD is available in right-angle, coplanar, and vertical-stacker form factors with a four-row differential signaling structure, in a compact two-row footprint, four module sizes (20, 40, 60, and 80 differential pair positions), and stack heights spanning 4mm to 10 mm, with options up to 15mm in development. This high-density connector also features 24 differential pairs per centimeter squared, an integrated shielding design that provides both flexible routing options and sustained signal integrity across all module sizes. With wide ground contacts offset within the contact array, the Lynx QD interconnect provides easy routing from the inner rows of the connector. Rated at 92Ω and 1.5A per pin, it is ideal and highly adaptable for telecom, datacom, consumer, medical, and automotive applications, including 5G infrastructure, switches, routers, servers, data centers, PCs, gaming systems, test and imaging equipment, and navigation systems.

Figure 4: Amphenol Lynx QD Quad Differential Interconnects are optimized for differential pair signaling to support PCIe Gen and 56Gb/s PAM4 data rates. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

Whether I am at home with my dog Aspen or out exploring the wilds of Texas, two things are certain. I love my dog Aspen, and I look forward to seeing more bobcats. Maybe now that you have learned about the Lynx, you will be on the lookout to spot them, whether you are out exploring the wilds around your home or busy designing your way through your next innovative board-to-board connector solution.