Fibre optic electronic packaging gets ruggedised

3rd January 2018

Alice Matthews

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Connectivity and sensor company, TE Connectivity (TE), has released its newly developed optical flex circuit cable assemblies. These compact, robust fibre optic circuits offer a multifibre management solution for high-speed electronic packaging. Fully customisable for both card-to-card and backplane applications, TE’s new optical flex circuits are ruggedised for the harsh environments of aerospace, commercial and military aircraft, and defense systems.

Optical flex circuits are made up of thousands of individual fibres precisely positioned on a single rugged substrate that employs crossovers to minimise stress while maximising opportunities for complex routing arrangements.

A thin film encapsulating each fibre helps provide enhanced protection from harsh environments and allows for high-density packaging that saves valuable space. Added durability and low insertion loss are achieved through controlled optical circuit routing using a computer numerical control (CNC) machine.

“These new multipurpose fibre optic circuits are designed for a variety of aerospace and defense applications,” said Christophe Prel, Product Manager, Aerospace, Defense & Marine at TE Connectivity. “Multiple options in cable assembly design, connectorisation, and routing give designers the flexibility to help maximise performance and design a solution tailored to their needs.”

Optical flex circuits manage high fibre counts in small spaces to simplify routing. They can accommodate up to 12 layers stacked and up to six fibre crossings.