Active Optical Cables (AOCs) are advanced cabling solutions that utilize optical fibers to transmit data. They convert electrical signals to optical signals at the transmitter end and back to electrical signals at the receiver end. This design helps achieve high-speed data transfer while maintaining compatibility with traditional copper-based systems.

Key Features and Advantages:

1. High Speed and Bandwidth: AOCs support high data rates, commonly 10Gb/s, 25Gb/s, 40Gb/s, 100Gb/s, and even up to 120Gb/s. This makes them suitable for modern high-performance computing, data centers, and high-speed network connections.

2. Longer Reach: Unlike Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cables, AOCs can cover greater distances, typically up to 100 meters. This is beneficial in large data centers where long-distance connectivity is required.

3. Lightweight and Flexible: AOCs are much lighter and more flexible than their copper counterparts. This reduces the physical strain on connectors and makes cable management easier in dense environments.

4. Reduced Electromagnetic Interference (EMI): Optical fibers are immune to electromagnetic interference, which can be a significant issue in environments with numerous electronic devices.

5. Integrated Design: The transceivers are integrated into the cable, which simplifies installation and reduces the potential for failure points compared to separate transceiver modules and fiber cables.

Applications:

– Data Centers: Used extensively for connecting switches, servers, and storage systems. They are particularly useful for top-of-rack (ToR) and end-of-row (EoR) configurations.
– High-Performance Computing (HPC): Employed in supercomputing environments where high data transfer rates and long-distance connections are critical.
– Consumer Electronics: Also used in HDMI and USB connections where high bandwidth and long-distance signal integrity are required.