3M's 7700 series cable is intended for internal high-speed wiring applications where the crucial design consideration is controlled impedance. At gigabit rates, cables can no longer be considered as simple wires, but rather should be thought of as transmission lines. In these high frequency links, the impedance of the signal travelling from the transmitter to the receiver must match to avoid degradation to the signal. 3M cable 7700 series is a controlled impedance cable rated at 95 Ohms (±5). Additionally, the construction of the cable means wiring harnesses can be folded (to route them through narrow spaces inside equipment and reduce the restriction to air flow) with minimal impact to impedance.

The 0.025" cable is constructed using 30 AWG solid conductors and polyolefin (PO) insulators laid in parallel. The outer insulation is laminated with a flexible foil covering, giving the cable a distinct shiny silver, ribbed appearance. Solid wire means it can be soldered directly to a PCB. The cable delivers up to 5 Gbps over 1 meter with connectors. It is available in 10, 14, 16, 20, 30, 50, or 100 conductors, all stocking at Digi-Key and cut to value lengths in 5’, 25’, and 50’. Digi-Key is stocking the standard versions as well as the splice-free versions in 100’ spools.

The 3M cable 7700 series is suitable for high frequency applications, such as low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), as well as in many low frequency systems. These may be found in a wide range of internal devices: automated test equipment, evaluation kits, communication networking equipment, data centers, industrial, semiconductor production equipment, and retail (kiosks, ticketing, and vending machines). The 7700 series draws on a legacy of over 50 years of making ribbon cables. With the introduction of 3M's cable 7700 series, 3M now offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of ribbon cables for internal wire-to-board applications in the industry with solutions for low-, mid-, and high-frequency signal transmission.