High-Performance Socket for Optical Devices

Ironwood Electronics’ NEW opto-electronic sockets can be customized very easily for various devices such as fiber optic cables, sensors, optical transceivers, switches or splitters. The socket can be designed with low force short spring pins or high-performance elastomer contacts that support up to 110GHz bandwidth. With customization, impedance can be matched for the highest electrical performance. The socket design enables clean exit of cables on one side or multiple sides without strain. Operating temperature range of the socket is -55°C to 150°C.

Fiber optic technology is favored for its high bandwidth, low attenuation, and resistance to electromagnetic interference, making it essential in modern communication and sensing applications including medical imaging, data centers, etc. Sockets make it simple to disconnect and reconnect fiber optic modules for maintenance, testing, or reconfiguration without damaging the fibers. Devices can be easily moved or reconfigured, which is particularly useful in dynamic environments like data centers or network infrastructure.

The socket lid can be configured to have an opening on the top side for a camera lens or other optical transmitters/receivers. To use, socket body is mounted to target footprint with supplied hardware, and device contacts are aligned using precise alignment mechanism. Simply close the lid, apply downward pressure with integrated springs, and the system is ready for test.