EVOLUTION OF THE NANORF INTERCONNECT

With the growth of OpenVPX system architecture for rugged embedded computing came requirements for RF (radio frequency) signaling in VPX-based products such as tuners, software defined radios, and RF switches. TE Connectivity (TE) developed the original modular multi-position coaxial contact solution defined in VITA 67 standards.

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The VPX RF standards and products have evolved significantly within the last 10 years to support new defense systems and technologies for electronic warfare, radar, communications, and SIG-INT (Signals Intelligence). TE has worked closely with leading systems developers and the standards bodies VITA Standards Organization (VSO) and Sensors Open Systems Architecture™ (SOSA) to bring advanced RF interconnect technology to our warfighters.

What You'll Learn

The Evolution of VITA 67 Standards: The VITA 67.1 and 67.2 standards were released in 2012, and defined RF modules populated with contacts based on the SMPM interface in blocks of 4 and 8 contacts for half modules and full modules respectively. TE developed the NanoRF interconnect system to support higher density VPX applications with a new, very small high frequency contact interface, a robust contact retention design in the multi-position module, and alignment features that assure reliable mating and consistent performance under extreme environments.
Design Challenges with Extremely High Density Coax: The need for smaller, higher density coaxial contacts with the ability to support higher frequencies and RF performance presents new design and manufacturing challenges in multi-position solutions that require blind-mating such as VPX.
The Future of the NanoRF Interconnect: The NanoRF interconnect system has been developed for VPX systems to provide excellent RF performance, achieve extremely high density, survive harsh environments, and build in flexibility for use in multiple RF and IF (intermediate frequency) applications. Look to TE as the NanoRF technology expands into other RF interconnect solutions.