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Connectors

03/25/2025

Active Optical Connectors for Measuring Equipment (Application Examples)

Introducing the role and product information of Active Optical Connectors, focusing on measuring equipment applications.

This article introduces the Active Optical Connector application case series "Active Optical Connector for Measuring Equipment".
Active Optical Connector (AOC) is important communication device suitable for measuring equipment because it is small and lightweight, capable of long-distance high-speed communication of large amounts of data and less susceptible to external noise.

 This article contains useful information for signal transmission, noise control, and control engineers of measuring equipment. If you have problems with high-speed signal transmission, noise control, or electrical isolation  of measuring equipment, please use this article.
(You can read this article in about five minutes.) 


Contents

What is an Active Optical Connector?

AOC used in Measuring Equipment

  1. Use in High Voltage Measuring Equipment
  2. Use in Semiconductor Testers

AOC Solves Transmission Problems in Measuring Equipment

Advice from AOC Development Engineer

User Comments on AOC

Learn more about AOC


What is an Active Optical Connector?

Active Optical Connector (AOC) is electrical connector that converts electrical signals (differential signals) into optical signals for transmission over optical fiber cables. It is an optical transmission device that is less affected by external noise even in long-distance communication between devices over tens of meters, and enables stable, high-speed transmission of large-volume data. It also enables electrical isolation between devices.
 Active Optical Connector V series (AOC) Transmission Image (Configuration): Standard type 1 channel-Bi-direction


AOC used in Measuring Equipment

AOC is used to control noise and to prevent electrical isolation in measuring equipment.
Let's take a look at where AOC is used in measuring equipment.
 


1.  Use in High Voltage Measuring Equipment

Common mode noise is generated in high voltage measuring equipment (power meters), especially when measuring high voltage such as electric vehicles and inverter circuits. To protect the equipment and suppress common mode noise, it is necessary to provide electrical isolation between the measuring circuit and the signal processing circuit.
AOC supports high-speed data communication (8Gbps/ch) with one channel-bi-direction, enabling high-speed sampling time and electrical isolation by optical communication. Multiple sets of AOC is sometimes used for isolation between the measuring circuit and the signal processing circuit of power meters.
Optical active connectors (AOC) used in measuring equipment power meters



2. Use in Semiconductor Testers

Demand for optical transmission in semiconductor testers is increasing as semiconductor device testers become faster and more multi-channel. Noise control measures are becoming an issue as inspection devices become more sophisticated.
AOC, which is less susceptible to external noise and can be electrically isolated, is used for inter- and intra-substrate connections of sensor testers and memory testers. Optical transmission improves the noise resistance of device inspection probes and signal processing circuits.

Optical Active Connector (AOC) used in semiconductor testers
 


AOC Solves Transmission Problems in Measuring Equipment

When digital data signals are transmitted by measuring equipment, the following problems may arise.
・Electrical isolation between the input unit and the data processing circuit is essential to protect the data processing circuit. However, when isolation is done with conventional isolation devices such as pulse transformers, the number of devices installed is large to support high sampling.
・Synchronization of multiple devices is required.
・High voltage measuring of power devices is increasing, and high voltage resistance is required.
・Performance enhancement of equipment by improvement of sampling rate is required.
・It is necessary to miniaturize circuit elements and modules for miniaturization of measuring equipment.

Can AOC solve these problems?
Of course, the Active Optical Connector V series can solve all your problems!

AOC achieves high-speed transmission of large amounts of data due to their high noise tolerance through optical transmission. It also contributes to slimming down measuring equipment with small and lightweight devices. High-speed transmission, wiring saving, and weight reduction can be achieved at the same time. Compared to SFP (optical transceiver), AOC is smaller and lighter, and can be placed in any position, which contributes to the degree of flexibility in the design and miniaturization of substrates. In addition, it is an ideal device for measuring equipment because high-voltage electrical isolation is possible for transmission between substrates such as the main substrate and multi-channel sub-substrates.
 Compact and lightweight active optical connector (AOC)

Since the layout can be made in the limited space inside measuring equipment, layout flexibility is high, and the size of the internal circuit board can be reduced. Since AOC has low power consumption and low heat generation, there is no need for heat dissipation design. Panasonic Industry's AOC lineup includes 2ch-uni-direction or 1ch-bi-direction (8Gbps/ch) line-up.

 

Optical Active Connector V-Series (AOC) transmission image (configuration): Standard type 1ch-bi-direction, 2ch-uni-direction



Advice from AOC Development Engineer

・AOC is a transmission device with a wide transmission bandwidth. The input signals are transmitted and output in the same bandwidth. However, the input signal must be DC-balanced with 8B10B code conversion.
・Optical signals are resistant to electromagnetic noise, but the opto-electrical converter is affected by noise. Panasonic Industry's AOC has a metal shell protecting the opto-electrical converter and the GND connection to prevent noise.
・Are you thinking, "I have never dealt with optical transmission and it seems difficult"? AOC is an electrical interface with an electrical connector. It can be completed with a normal electrical design.
・The optical connection type is a device that can replace SFP, so if you have trouble with SFP, please consider replacing it.

 

User Comments on AOC

"It is good that it can handle noise and is small enough to be installed in narrow spaces."
"We had a problem with noise immunity, so we considered optical transmission devices."
"Since switching to optical transmission, bit errors that sometimes occur in electrical transmission have disappeared."
"AOC provides both excellent high-speed sampling and high isolation characteristics."
 

Learn more about AOC

Did you understand the important role of AOC in measuring equipment?
We hope this article helps you understand AOC better.

Learn more about AOC! If you want to use AOC in your applications, please check out our feature page.

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