November 27, 2024
Moog is introducing a new Product Platform of Secure Parallel Optical Transceivers, or SPOT™. Operating with four Tx and Rx channels for use with multimode fiber cabling, SPOT supports 1, 10, and bonded 40Gbps data rates meeting IEEE specifications at all three speeds. The engine driving the eight lanes includes laser and receiver drivers and a fixed use processor for excellent performance over temperature and time. Optical link budgets exceed industry standards while still launching at Class 1 eye safe output. Notably, SPOT’s electrical connector is a tight tolerance industry standard QSFP electrical card edge connector. SPOT can be mounted mid-board, and have a separate cable run to a box level connector such as a MIL DTL 38999. SPOT also features several novel and exciting new technologies:
- An MT-R™ clamp securely retains an industry standard IEC 61754 fiber optic ferrule within the body of the transceiver. The transceiver body has a receptacle for the ferrule, so no pins are protruding from the body of the transceiver, and it doesn’t require a pigtailed fiber cable. Notably, both configurations have known issues with reliability and usability in the rugged optical networking industry.
- A Ferrule Detection Sensor™ (FDS) detects the presence of the MT ferrule and indicates its status in a vendor defined field of the Serial ID of the transceiver. The position of the MT-R clamp is also recorded in the Serial ID. This exciting feature enables network administrators to potentially login to the computing box that SPOT is operating in on a PCBA and determine if a connection fault is due to cable and connector continuity within the computing box or if it’s outside the box within the network itself.
SPOT also comes in a Card Edge version called SPOT-CE. It is also secured to the PCBA with two screws and the same QSFP electrical connector. SPOT-CE also includes the FDS. An EMI shield is available for use with cards in chassis. SPOT-CE also features an exciting new technology:
- MT-T™ is an industry first top-tabbed enclosure around the MT ferrule. The MT-T plugs into SPOT-CE securely with an all-metal body and the tab can vary in length and position so it can be used with connectors such as a MIL-DTL 38999 or EN4165.
The initial versions of SPOT and SPOT-CE will operate at 1/10/40Gbps with a 10/28Gbps – 100G or 4x25Gbps coming later in 2025. Additional novel features are yet to be released throughout 2025 enabling and accelerating the demand for computing at the Edge in Mil/Aero networks.
Look for the SPOTlight on the website here