Samtec Cable Assemblies Test 224 Gbps PAM4

Samtec, Inc., the service leader in the connector industry, announces the release of the BE71A Bulls Eye^® Phase & Amplitude Stable Test Assembly. Optimized for use out to 71 GHz in support of 224 Gbps PAM4 SerDes testing, this new product combines the popular Bulls Eye assembly’s space-saving compression-mount design with Samtec’s distinctive orange Nitrowave^TM high-performance microwave cables.

Why Phase Stability Matters

As frequencies increase, phase matching between cable assemblies becomes more important. This is because precise signal timing is critical when assessing performance or detecting faults in a measurement. The BE71A test assembly offers industry-leading 0.5 ps phase matching. This matters for signal integrity, reliability of transmission, and error reduction. The 71 GHz Nitrowave cables in the BE71A assembly were specifically designed to maintain phase stability while test fixtures and cables are tweaked and adjusted.

Designed for Test

Optimized to address real estate, cost, and flexible use case issues, the Samtec BE71A Test Assembly has a standard 1.85 mm connection to instrumentation, eliminating the need to upgrade to the 1.00 mm test equipment that is often required for 224 Gbps PAM4 testing.

Configured in a double row, which supports microstrip/co-planar waveguide or stripline PCB transmissions with 50 ohm impedance, Samtec’s BE71A Bulls Eye Phase & Amplitude Test Assembly compression mounts to the board for high-speed digital test, SerDes characterization, and ATE. It is also well suited for high-density multi-port panel & I/O connections.

Some Samtec customers who are already using BE71A test assemblies are integrating them directly into the front panel of 224 Gbps test equipment, such as bit error rate testers (BERTs). Outside the box, the BE71A test assembly enables smaller evaluation boards and shorter trace lengths in test and measurement applications. The assembly compression-mounts directly to the board for placement adjacent to the SerDes under characterization, reducing trace length and associated loss.

Configurations Available Now

BE71A test assemblies can be configured with 4 and 8 positions per row. Operating temperature is specified at -65 °C to +125 °C. To learn more, visit: Samtec.com/BullsEye.

Bulls Eye Family

Samtec released its first Bulls Eye test point system in 2011 for 20 GHz connections, and since then, the family has rapidly expanded to include 40 GHz, 50 GHz, 70 GHz, 71 GHz, 90 GHz, and 130 GHz (for 448 Gbps testing).