Recent advances in fiber-optic backplane connectors

Fiber continues to play an increasing role in connecting both telecommunications and computer networks. Once the fiber reaches an electronic box, however, it enters into the realm of package interconnections. The norm here is a backplane or motherboard with several daughtercards connected at right angles. To keep step with increasing signal and data rates, manufacturers are placing active optical devices, such as transceivers, on the daughtercard. These devices then require an optical path to the backplane, between daughtercards, or to the cabinet. But while electrical interconnection of backplanes is a relatively well-developed art, the optical counterparts of these connectors are embryonic by comparison.