(Molex: Lisle, IL) – Molex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator, has launched its Impress co-packaged copper solutions to meet the needs of next-generation data centers and AI workflows by delivering ultrahigh-speed data transmission and exceptional signal integrity.

Building on the proven on-substrate and near-ASIC expertise of Molex, Impress provides a compression-based, substrate connector and mating cable assembly that supports data rates up to 224 Gbps PAM-4 and beyond.

Jairo Guerrero, vice president and general manager at Copper Solutions, Molex, says, “As AI workloads push data centers to their physical limits, we are focused on maximizing efficiency without sacrificing signal integrity. Impress is our latest innovation built to help scale infrastructures without exponential increases in power consumption or cost. By enabling high performance at the rack level, Molex is making next-generation compute more technically and economically viable.”

Extending a legacy of innovation

Impress extends the company’s success with NearStack on-the-substrate (OTS) connectors, which paved the way for scalable, next-generation systems with a direct-to-chip solution that moved high-speed paths off the board. With more than a million NearStack units delivered, Molex has a proven track record of reducing latency and improving space efficiency in mission-critical server architectures.

Impress co-packaged copper represents the next leap in architectural evolution by placing the connection point directly onto the ASIC package substrate. This versatile, two-piece connector system is backed by unparalleled engineering insights and extensive expertise to further shrink the distance signals must travel through the printed circuit board (PCB). The result is a finely tuned, full-channel solution with complete isolation from the substrate to the interconnect, reducing signal loss and crosstalk.

Enabling future-proof AI architectures

As the latest Molex copper interconnect solution to help future-proof data center architectures, Impress streamlines scalability and upgradability. The Impress socket is compression-attached to the substrate, preventing damage to this delicate and expensive layer while simplifying rework, maintenance, and upgrades. As with all Molex connectivity solutions, Impress ensures rugged and reliable performance, featuring over-molded cable strain relief and a mechanical contact wipe feature to reinforce long-term mating durability and operational life cycles.

Molex’s Impress co-packaged copper solutions ensure scalable density, efficient power distribution, and robust performance in a compact form factor designed to improve signal reliability, reduce downtime, and enhance overall system flexibility.

Engineering the 224 G ecosystem

With the introduction of Impress, Molex reinforces its strength in navigating the 224 G inflection point. Impress joins the company’s 224 G product portfolio, including Mirror Mezz Enhanced, Inception, and CX2 Dual Speed, to meet explosive growth in high-speed data transmissions caused by the rise in hyperscale data centers, generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and cloud computing, along with the jump from 1.6 T to 3.2 T networking.

Product availability

Molex Impress co-packaged copper solutions are available now for applications requiring data rates up to 224 Gbps PAM-4. Development work is underway to validate Impress co-packaged copper solutions for use with 336 G and 448 G applications.

For more information, visit www.molex.com.

Impress co-packaged copper solutions from Molex deliver near-ASIC, on-substrate connectivity designed to support 224 Gbps PAM-4 and beyond for next-generation AI and hyperscale data centers.