What is CMF® (Ceramic Multifiber Ferrule)? A new optical connectivity solution.

What are the features of CMF® (Ceramic Multifiber Ferrule)?
Three essential characteristics for a Chief Product Officer (CPO)

CMF® (Ceramic Multifiber Ferrule) is a revolutionary technology playing a key role in optical communication networks for data centers and AI clusters. In particular, it stands out from other ferrules with its three key features: heat resistance, miniaturization, and high-precision connectivity, especially in environments requiring Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and high-density optical connectivity.

What are the demands on optical connectors due to the introduction of CPO (Co-Packaged Optics)?

Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) is a technology that places an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and an optical module on the same board in network equipment. This technology can reduce signal transmission delays and power consumption. However, to realize CPO, an optical connector that can withstand high temperatures of over 260°C when mounted on the board is required.

Conventional plastic ferrules could not withstand the high temperatures of the reflow process, which caused deformation and fiber pistoning, resulting in poor connection quality. To address this issue, we are developing CMF® in addition to the "Reflowable MT Ferrule–MTHR ".

Three characteristics required of a CPO

CMF®'s high heat resistance: The reason it can withstand high temperatures of up to 260°C.

Conventional Multifiber ferrules made of thermoplastic resin (MT Ferrule) have difficulty withstanding temperatures of 260°C or higher during the reflow process (the high-temperature heating process used to mount components on a circuit board), which can cause deformation of the ferrule and fluctuations in the amount of optical fiber protrusion, a phenomenon known as "fiber pistoning." However, CMF overcomes these problems by using a ceramic material. It has been proven that there is no change in shape even at high temperatures, and no degradation in performance.

The appeal of CMF® for miniaturization: High performance even in confined spaces.

CMF® offers the same connection interface as conventional MT Ferrule, but with a compact design that can be customized from 0.5mm to 1.2mm in thickness to suit various applications such as flat polishing and angled polishing. In particular, it enables efficient fiber optic connections even in the confined spaces of data centers where CPO and high-density cabling are required. By achieving both miniaturization and high density, it maximizes space efficiency in data centers and contributes to cost reduction. Customization of height and width is also possible.

CMF's technological capabilities provide stable optical communications with high-precision connection performance

CMF® employs a design that minimizes optical fiber misalignment. While misalignment is a major cause of optical communication loss (insertion loss, IL), CMF® can maintain IL (Insertion Loss) below 0.7 dB (standard Single-mode level). It has been confirmed to provide stable optical communication quality.

CMF® Verification Results

Proven by heat resistance tests! The reason why CMF® fiber pore position variation is minimal.

In demonstration experiments with CMF®, even after being exposed to a high-temperature environment of 260°C for 3 hours, the positional shift of the fiber optic holes was extremely small, and no deformation of the ferrule was observed at all. This also demonstrated that stable optical fiber connections are possible even in high-temperature environments.

CMF® design to prevent fiber pistoning: How it differs from MT Ferrule

Fiber pistoning is a phenomenon in which the optical fiber retracts during the reflow process, resulting in a loss of physical contact. This is particularly noticeable with MT Ferrule, leading to increased Insertion Loss and connection failures. However, with CMF®, the fiber height from the connection end face remains within the specified range (1000nm to 3500nm), and it has been confirmed that fiber pistoning does not occur.

Summary: Strengthen your optical communication networks with CMF® (Ceramic Multifiber Ferrule)!

CMF® (Ceramic Multifiber Ferrule) is an innovative technology that achieves all the requirements of "heat resistance," "miniaturization," and "high-precision connection" needed in next-generation optical communication systems. In particular, CMF offers a significant advantage over other options in data centers and AI clusters where Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) is being implemented.

Furthermore, CMF® is expected to be applied to optical communication applications in aerospace and other fields where high temperatures and long-term reliability are required. Although CMF® is still under development, samples are available.
Please feel free to contact us for any inquiries regarding implementation or customization!