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Available Is Not In Control: Balancing Output, Quality, and Risk in High-Volume Fabs
At DesignCon 26, Samtec showcased its path to achieving 224/448 Gbps data rates, crucial for next-generation AI, HPC, and switching systems. These rates represent lane-rate inflection points that determine system bandwidth per SerDes lane, connector pin, or cable path, enabling 1.6T and 3.2T systems without exploding lane count, reducing I/O bottlenecks, and lowering power per bit. Samtec demonstrated three key innovations. First, the new BE130 Bulls Eye® test point system delivers 130 GHz coaxial test bandwidth for boards and packages, critical for characterizing emerging 224/448 Gbps devices. Its high-density design enables smaller evaluation boards and shorter trace lengths. Second, Samtec partnered with Keysight to combine its BE130 with Keysight’s new 250 GHz Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), reaching beyond 130 GHz. This validated test platform provides 150-micron time-domain resolution for analyzing co-packaged optics, IC packages, and BGA packages—essential for 448 Gbps copper or optical channels. Third, Samtec developed a prototype co-packaged copper (CPC) system running at 448 Gbps. In a live demo, a 448 Gbps signal passed through a Samtec Nitrowave® LL130 cable, 1 mm compression-mount RF connectors, 13 mm PCB routing, and a Si-Fly® HD 448 Gbps connector system linked by 400 mm of EyeSpeed® Hyper Low Skew cables, measured by a Keysight VNA up to 125 GHz. These demonstrations highlight Samtec’s leadership in high-speed interconnect technology, bringing 224/448 Gbps channel performance closer to reality for future AI, HPC, and data center systems.