PCIe 4.0 supporting optical cable assemblies by Samtec

Samtec has collaborated with PLDA in developing a optical cable assembly to connect PLDA developed PCIe Gen4 links of up to 100 m. The Samtec’s PCUO PCIe Optical Flyover Cable Assembly.

PLDA is offering a product called "PCIe 4.0 Platform Development Kit (PDK)" based on its PLDA’s PCIe compliant XpressSWITCH IP and XpressRICH4 controller IP for PCIe Gen4 technology running on a Xilinx Virtex UltraScale FPGA. This new product provides the first PCIe Gen3 x8 (upstream) to PCIe Gen 4 (downstream) Integration Backplane.

PCIe 4.0 technology developers can test PCIe Gen4 architecture for Endpoint/PHY/boards with their own software, designs and boards in a real system by working with PLDA Gen4SWITCH.

Samtec’s PCUO FireFly PCIe Optical Micro Flyover Cable Assembly uses MMF technology to support the PCIe Gen4 links of up to 100 m. PCUO series features a x4 optical engine enabling aggregation for x8 and x16 PCIe links. The PCUO also offers support for bidirectional reset and cable present sidebands for both transparent and NTB applications.

Key features of the combined solution include:

Gen4SWITCH is based on a Xilinx Virtex UltraScale XCVU065-2FFVC1517E FPGA and features:
One PCIe Gen3 x8 electrical Upstream
One PCIe Gen4 x4 electrical Downstream
Gen4SWITCH FPGA includes PLDA XpressSWITCH IP configured with:
1 PCIe Gen3 x8 US port connected to Gen3 capable computer
1 PCIe Gen4 x4 DS port connected to external DUT
1 PCIe Gen4 x4 DS port connected to PLDA PCIe Gen4 IP as PCIe Gen4 x4 embedded EP
Gen4 DUT is connected to Gen4SWITCH via Samtec PCUO FireFly PCIe Optical Flyover Cable Assembly

“Samtec’s PCUO FireFly PCIe Optical Micro Flyover Cable Assembly provides key optical connectivity for PCIe over Fiber applications,” said Matt Burns, Technical Marketing Manager at Samtec. “The PCUO series offers designers the flexibility to achieve higher data rates and greater distances as evidenced by two x4 PCIe 4.0 optical links supported in the PLDA PCIe 4.0 PDK.”

“PLDA is proud to be at the forefront of PCIe 4.0 development with our Gen4SWITCH product,” said Roman Tourneau, Marketing Manager at PLDA. “The collaboration between PLDA and Samtec was one of the keys to delivering the PCIe 4.0 throughput required by designers to test their PCIe 4.0 solutions and reduce their time to market.”

To learn more about the Samtec PCUO PCIe Optical Flyover Cable Assembly visit www.samtec.com/firefly.

TTo learn more about the PLDA PCIe 4.0 PDK featuring the Gen4SWITCH platform visit https://www.plda.com/products/pcie-solutions-asicsoc/pciefpga-prototyping/gen4switch.
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