GORE™ Microminiature Flat Cable

GORE™ Microminiature Flat Cable is the smallest pitch, lowest profile ribbon cable suited for cost effective high volume, parallel termination. With a wire pitch of 100 µm or less and wire gauges of AWG 44, 46 or 48, a signal density of up to 100 signals / mm2 can be achieved.

Product standard design

• Up to 20 wires, AWG 44, 46, or 48
• Various wire materials available, including tin-plated copper and gold-plated copper
• Pitch 100 µm at +/- 10 µm tolerances non accumulative
• High-strength polyimide substrate (50 µm thick)
• Termination windows for easy access to wires

Electrical properties

Applications

The major applications are in the medical catheter field (typically 9 .. 12 fr.), where either an ultrasound transducer head or a specific sensor, such as pressure, flow or others, has to be connected to the outer world within tight space limitations. In those applications, a cable typically carries 16 to 18 signals and the number of cables stacked onto each other, varies between 4 and 10 pieces per catheter. The length of the cable is usually within the range of 4 to 8 feet.

Advantages

Due to the round cross section of the pre-insulated wires, the cable shows much better DC resistance values than any interconnect with rectangular conductors and similar packing density such as typical flexboards. The very tight and non accumulative (over number of wires) pitch tolerance guarantees that the electrical properties are maintained throughout the entire length of the cable. This again differentiates Gore's Microminiature ribbon cable from any other planar interconnect.

Additionally, due to the accurate pitch stability,this cable is designed to be used together with mass termination processes such as wire bonding, reflow soldering or anisotropic conductive film technologies.