Electrical Connector System

A wafer assembly comprising:

• a first array of electrical contacts;
• a second array of electrical contacts;
• a center frame defining a first conductive surface that defines a plurality of first channels and a second conductive surface that defines a plurality of second channels;
• and
• a plurality of ground tabs positioned on the center frame at a mating end of the wafer assembly, each ground tab electrically connected to at least one of the first and second conductive surfaces;
• wherein the first array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of first channels and the second array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of second channels;
• wherein a first ground tab of the plurality of ground tabs is positioned above an electrical contact pair at the mating end of the wafer assembly, the electrical contact pair comprising an electrical contact of the first array and an electrical contact of the second array;
• and
• wherein a second ground tab of the plurality of ground tabs is positioned below the electrical contact pair at the mating end of the wafer assembly.

A wafer assembly comprising:

• a center frame defining a conductive shield that is capable of being electrically grounded, a first side, and a second side positioned opposite to the first side, wherein each of the first and second sides defines at least one channel;
• an electrical contact positioned within a channel of one of the first and second faces, the electrical contact defining a mating end and a mounting end, the mating end comprising a substantially rounded cross-section;
• and
• a ground tab attached to the conductive shield, the ground tab extending away from the center frame and operable to at least partially electrically shield the mating end of the electrical contact.

A wafer assembly comprising:

• a center frame defining a mating end and a mounting end, the center frame comprising a conductive element and a plurality of electrically insulated channels, the channels positioned to define an array of electrically insulated channels;
• a plurality of first electrical contacts, each first electrical contact positioned at least partially within an electrically insulated channel of the array of electrically insulated channels for a substantial length of the electrical contact, each first electrical contact defining a mating end that extends beyond an end of the mating end of the center frame;
• and
• a second electrical contact engaging the conductive element of the center frame, the second electrical contact defining a mating end and positioned to extend beyond the end of the mating end of the center frame.

An electrical connector system for mounting a substrate, the system comprising:

• at least two wafer assemblies, each wafer assembly comprising:
• a first array of electrical contacts;
• a second array of electrical contacts;
• a center frame defining a first side and a second side positioned opposite to the first side;
• wherein the first side defines a plurality of first channels, a first plurality of mating ridges, and a first plurality of mating recesses, and wherein at least one mating ridge of the first plurality of mating ridges and at least one mating recess of the first plurality of mating recesses are positioned between two adjacent channels of the plurality of first channels;
• wherein the second side defines a plurality of second channels, a second plurality of mating ridges, and a second plurality of mating recesses, and wherein at least one mating ridge of the second plurality of mating ridges and at lest one mating recess of the second plurality of mating recesses are positioned between two adjacent channels of the plurality of second channels;
• wherein the first array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of first channels;
• and
• wherein the second array of electrical contacts is positioned substantially within the plurality of second channels;
• wherein a first wafer assembly and a second wafer assembly of the at least two wafer assemblies are positioned adjacent to one another in the electrical connector system such that the plurality of second channels of the first wafer assembly and the plurality of first channels of the second wafer assembly define a plurality of air gaps, each air gap at least partially surrounding an electrical contact of the second array of electrical contacts of the first wafer assembly and an electrical contact of the first array of electrical contacts of the second wafer;
• and
• wherein the second plurality of mating ridges of the first wafer assembly engage and mate with the first plurality of mating recesses of the second wafer assembly, and the first plurality of mating ridges of the second wafer assembly engage and mate with the second plurality of mating recesses of the first wafer assembly.

An electrical connector system for mounting a substrate, the electrical connector system comprising:

• a plurality of wafer assemblies positioned adjacent to one another in the electrical connector system, each wafer assembly comprising:
• a first array of electrical contacts;
• and
• a second array of electrical contacts positioned adjacent to the first array of electrical contacts in the wafer assembly to form a plurality of electrical contact pairs;
• wherein a first wafer assembly of the plurality of wafer assemblies and a second wafer assembly of the plurality of wafer assemblies that is adjacent to the first wafer assembly in the electrical connector system define a plurality of air gaps;
• wherein at least one air gap of the plurality of air gaps electrically isolates an electrical contact of one of the first and second arrays of electrical contacts of the first wafer assembly and electrically isolates an electrical contact of one of the first and second arrays of electrical contacts of the second wafer assembly;
• and
• wherein the plurality of wafer assemblies are sized and positioned in the electrical connector system to provide a substantially uniform impedance profile to electrical signals carried on the electrical contacts of the first and second arrays of electrical contacts of the plurality of wafer assemblies at speeds of up to at least 25 Gbps, and wherein a density of electrical contacts at a mating end of the plurality of wafer assemblies is greater than 100 electrical contacts per square inch.