Molex utilizes proprietary Plateau Technology (a plated gold housing) to create a high-speed docking connector system for differential and single-ended applications. These fully shielded connectors have a contact design that allows four levels of mating (first-mate/last-break) with a compliant pin for the printed circuit board (PCB) interface.

With a low-mating force, guide features, various offset heights, and the ability to mate in a standard coplanar or inverted coplanar position, this high-speed docking connector system is ideal for PCB-blade (option card) to PCB-midplane (host) applications.

Plateau HS Dock+ connectors have other performance-improving features such as a smaller press-fit pin on the PCB terminal and shorter terminal stub in mating interface to tighten impedance. In addition, slots and ribs added to the shroud and the plug housing improve insertion and return loss by 50% at 10GHZ, while additional ground pins and standoffs on lower housing reduce cross-talk and return loss by 30% at 10GHz.

“The new connectors address the need for fast, electrically clean and flexible connectors in high-performance systems while providing a backward-compatible solution with legacy connectors,” said John Holba, product manager, Molex.

The connectors—designed for customers in markets including data, telecom, aerospace and defense, and industrial—achieve up to 25 Gbps data rates. “

That represents a 150% data rate improvement over the existing Plateau HS Dock Connector, which provides data rates to 10 Gbps,” said Holba.

Features:

－ Gold or phosphorus-nickel-plated plastic housings

－ Multiple circuit sizes available: Plateau HS Dock+ connectors — 108 and 144; Plateau HS Dock connectors — 72, 108, 120 and 144

－ Insert-molded terminals

－ Press-fit compliant pin

－ Four levels of mating

－ Robust guide modules

－ Power-blade module

－ Multiple center-line options available: Plateau HS Dock+ connectors — 4.74mm; Plateau HS Dock connectors: 5.74, 6.09, and 8.74mm

－ Additional ground pins and standoffs on lower housing

－ Plateau HS Dock+

－ Data-speeds up to 25 Gbps

－ Plateau HS Dock

－ Data-rates speeds up to 10 Gpbs

－ Interposer assembly