The Lightpass-EOB 100G from I-Pex shortens PCB traces, thus improving BER.

Datacenters and cellular networks must pass large quantities of data at all times. That requires fiber-optic connections among servers and switches. Fibers can easily carry 100 Gb/s data rates. While 112 Gb/sec electrical connections are emerging, anywhere that fiber can replace copper will improve signal integrity and thus data rates. The shorter the copper — even PCB traces — the less signal degradation and improve bit-error rate.

The Lightpass-EOB 100G from I-PEX connects an optical module that performs electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical with a board-edge connector through a 12-core multimode tape fiber. That let’s the module get closer to the host processor than mounting it on the board’s edge. The fiber can jump over other board components.

With a height of 2.3 mm, the optical module contains its own microprocessor and can send data over four25 Gb/sec lanes to the edge connector. It can mount under a microprocessor heatsink. Its overall length (including cable) is 100 mm. The module attaches to the host board through an I-PEX Cabline-CA connector.