Applications include board-to-board, rack-to-rack, and bay-to-bay links in optical cross connect switches, terabit routers, VSR equipment, and high-speed computers.
The ParaLink family is a twelve channel parallel fiber transmitter and receiver pair. The transmitter is based on an 850 nm VCSEL array and the receiver uses a PIN photodiode array. There are two standard device classes in the family, one operating at 1.6 Gbps per channel with the other operating at 2.5 Gbps. The 2.5 Gbps product allows a total data throughput of 30 Gbps.
The optical interface is an MT ferrule based SMC connector. The link is completed by connecting a multimode 12-fiber ribbon cable. Molex offers a complete solution with its SMC cable assemblies as well as the FlexPlane(TM) optical flex circuit.
ParaLink devices operate on a 3.3V power supply, supporting both LVDS and CML electrical interfaces. They feature a 72-pin SMD footprint in a compact 58 x 17.9 mm package. An integral heat sink is included on standard ParaLink modules.
ParaLink technology was acquired by Molex through a licensing agreement with Infineon Technologies AG. This arrangement provides the rapidly growing parallel fiber market with a complete drop-in interoperateable second source to the industry leading Infineon **PAROLI parallel optical link devices.
In February 2001, Molex opened a new facility dedicated to manufacturing ParaLink modules. ParaLink devices will begin shipping in the second quarter of 2001. For more information on the Molex ParaLink, or other fiber optic products, please call (800) A1-FIBER or (630) 512-8787 or email fiberoptics@molex.com.
