March 18, 2003--Xanoptix and Molex today announced completion of a licensing agreement for the use of Xanoptix's high fiber count MT-based ferrule in Molex's fiber-optic cable asemblies. This agreement will allow the companies to meet the demand for denser cabling schemes for parallel optic transceiver applications and interconnect systems. Molex joins the list of Xanoptix's licensing partners for MT connector technology.
MT-style connectors address the increasing demand for parallel optical data transmission by providing a high fiber count in a dense package via a two-dimensional arrayed configuration of fiber holes. Xanoptix (Merrimack, NH) and Molex (Lisle, IL) are extending the capabilities of MT-style connectors beyond 12 and 24 fibers, making configurations up to 72 fibers and higher possible. This significant increase in fibers per single connector results in considerable space savings, reduced installation time, and cost. Xanoptix's higher density version of the MT ferrule is at the heart of these connectors.
Cabling based on Xanoptix's ferrule has received a great deal of interest. The ferrule's very high density means reduced space requirements and installation times, while costs are significantly reduced on a per channel basis. Applications include: parallel optic transceiver interconnection, parallel optical interconnect between circuit boards, patch panel interconnects, miniature interconnection for optoelectronic modules, trunk cable applications, optical switch interconnections, optical back planes, fiber aggregation for storage area networks, SONET, and very short reach applications.