SEPTEMBER 13, 2006 -- Pulse, a Technitrol Company, today unveiled a new line of small form factor pluggable (SFP) connectors and cages for use in Ethernet networking applications, such as blade servers, routers, and add/drop multiplexers.
According to the company, the SFP cages are uniquely constructed so as not to deform during press fitting. They are available in through-hole or press-fit configurations. The E81 SFP series is versatile and can handle optical transceiver links as well as transceivers configured to operate as traditional copper RJ45 connectors, which enables the series to be configured to each company's internal networking requirements for balancing load and bandwidth.
The cages handle speeds up to 5 gigabits and improve connectivity in high-density printed circuit board (PCB) environments, says the company. They reduce the operating temperature of the transceiver, prevent the transceiver from emitting electromagnetic interference (EMI), and provide mechanical stability. The connector allows easy plug-in of the transceiver, claims Pulse. The cage is made of copper alloy with nickel-plating, which prevents oxidation. Holes in the cage allow air circulation and heat transfer, ensuring that the transceiver temperature stays at less than 70 degrees Celsius.
The cages come in three sizes: a 2x1 which measures 25.50-mm height x 63.25-mm depth x 14.50-mm width; a 1x1 which measures 9.45-mm x 48.80-mm x 14.75-mm; and a 1x4 which measures 9.20-mm x 48.97-mm x 57.25-mm. All connections are press fit, with a 1x1 available in a through-hole configuration. Pulse says it will customize the SFP to match the customer's required footprint. Pulse's cages have a sturdy construction that can withstand the force of press fitting. They have tight tolerances so they can stack and mate for good transceiver connections and fit on the printed circuit board. The SFP system has a side entry mount and is RoHS compliant.
The cage and connector are available separately or as a set, except in the 2x1 series, in which the connector is built in. Prices for the set are $2.00 per SFP port for 1x4 and 1x1 solutions and $8.00 for the combined 2x1 SFP cage and connector solution for quantities of 10,000.