Microwave Product Roundup for August 3, 2016
We reached out to top RF/microwave suppliers to find out about their latest and greatest product launches for this microwave product roundup.
Molex’s new Temp-Flex Foam-Core Ultra-Low-Loss Coaxial Microwave Cable combines space savings with an effective dielectric that eliminates “phase knee” and provides ease of termination. It also achieves 80% velocity of propagation (VOP) loss characteristics, which produces more reliable signal performance and lower-loss characteristics than air-enhanced PTFE cable. With its thermally and mechanically stable dielectric, Temp-Flex Foam-Core Cable can withstand soldering temperatures to provide ease of termination. It is available in shielding ODs down to 1.194mm (0.047″), which allows it to be used in space-constrained applications. It also offers a shielding effectiveness better than 100dB at high frequency, providing high RF noise immunity and low EMI.
Samtec’s Bulls Eye, a high-performance test point and microwave cable adaptor system, allows rapid and simple connectivity of multiple signal channels to the PCB. This system provides SMA-level performance in a ganged array connector that is significantly less expensive and up to 400% more dense than traditional SMA layouts. Bulls Eye’s bayonet cable adaptors are built from low-loss microwave coax cable and feature a compression-based board interface with quick press-and-twist locking. Cables connect directly to existing instrumentation via SMA, SMA 2.92, or SMP terminations on end 2. The system is rated at 20Ghz, 50 ohms, VSWR 1.3 max, and available with 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 picosecond phase matching. A 40GHz system is in development.
Mouser Electronics now stocks 4.3/10 series adapters from Amphenol RF. This low-passive intermodulation (PIM), highly stable connector family is offered in both between-series and in-series configurations and is ideally suited for space-restricted, high-density, and weight-sensitive applications targeting the wireless communications industry. The 4.3/10 adapter interface is 40% smaller and 60% lighter than the 7/16 DIN, which allows designers to expand the total number of connections within a smaller space, increasing panel capacity and reducing overall panel load. The adapters feature an excellent return loss from DC to 6GHz and are sealed to meet IP67 specifications when mated. With a PIM rating of ‑166dBc and an improved contact design, these highly stable connectors nearly eliminate PIM concerns and significantly reduce mating torque requirements over traditional 7/16 DIN products. The adapter bodies are machined from brass and plated with a nickel-free white bronze alloy to prevent unwanted intermodulation distortion. The adapters’ center contacts are machined from brass, while socket contacts are machined from beryllium copper – both finished with silver plating.
Schleuniger’s SemiRigid 1050 is a highly specialized machine for stripping aluminum- or copper-jacketed semi-rigid coaxial cable. It can process cables with outer diameters ranging from 0.86mm (.034″) to 4.5mm (.177″). The machine can be programmed to perform a one- or two-step strip, with or without pointing of the center conductor, and can also strip and point the inner conductor on cables with the soldered connector already in place. The machine is very easy to use, featuring a color touchscreen user interface. The predefined stripping templates show a graphic representation of the cable and allow simple dimensional data entry to ensure that cable programs can be created, saved, and recalled very quickly. The SR 1050 has a compact design and offers excellent access to the work area.
PA&E’s hermetic RF/microwave connectors are designed to perform flawlessly and retain their original properties at microwave frequencies well into the GHz range. These 50-ohm connectors are designed for integration into titanium or aluminum housings (via laser welding) due to some unique materials. PA&E uses explosive metal welding technology to create unique metal combinations like Kovar/aluminum or Kovar/titanium. This construction enables the ability to seal (with low-loss Corning 7070 glass) a Kovar pin into the Kovar section of the RF connector body and use the aluminum or titanium section of the connector body as a weld transition into the electronic housing. PA&E’s 50-ohm hermetic RF/microwave connectors are designed for use in military and commercial applications where environmental conditions require an extremely rugged and reliable hermetic seal. They are available in several formats including thread-in (SMA), push-on (LWP laser-weld or SMP solder-mount), and flange-mount. PA&E also produces custom RF/microwave connectors and assemblies using the same proven technologies and processes.
Hirose expanded its offering of high-speed compression-mounted coaxial connectors with the H2.4 Series, a 2.4mm coaxial connector that supports up to 50GHz, and the 2.92mm HK Series coaxial connector that supports up to 40GHz. Both connectors offer support for high transmission speeds and meet the MIL-STD348B standard. These connectors are ideal for a wide range of applications including lab equipment, test equipment, characterization boards, and high-speed backplanes for data/computing and network analyzers. Both series feature a stub-less design with screw mounting to the PCB, where the center contact is mounted flush with the PCB. This eliminates the stub, and signal reflection is significantly reduced. The coaxial connectors also optimize design flexibility as they can be used with PCB boards of various thicknesses. In addition, the connectors are reusable and can be attached and removed to boards for multiple uses, saving time and costs. The H2.4 Series and HK Series plugs are manufactured with a 0.085-inch semi-flexible cable with terminated plugs on each end, and the receptacle features a gold-plated ground ring for stabilizing grounding on the PCB. They have a contact resistance of 4 milliohms max in the center and 2 milliohms max in the outer section. They are rated for 500 mating cycles with a characteristic impedance of 50 ohms.
I-PEX MHF Series Micro RF connectors are used to connect radio cards to antenna modules. These connectors have high-frequency performance up to 15GHz with mated heights as low as 1mm. The MHF RF connectors accommodate a cable range from 2.0mm (AWG 26) to 0.34mm (AWG 42) outer diameter.
Standard Jonhon SMB connectors are subminiature 50-ohm connectors that have widespread application in telecommunications, GPS, PC/LAN, and military applications. The SMB series features snap-on mating while the SMC’s threaded coupling provides higher reliability in vibration-prone environments. Mini-SMB 75-ohm connectors as well as mating printed wiring board connectors are available for 75-ohm miniature cables such as RG179 and RG187. These connectors are the same size as standard 50-ohm connectors and are intermateable with them. To specify a 75-ohm SMB, add suffix -75 to a 50-ohm part number.
Southwest Microwave introduced its SuperMini Board-to-Board DC-to-67GHz connectors. These RF/millimeter-wave blind-mate connectors optimize interconnect performance for board-to-board stacking applications. Based on Southwest Microwave’s coax platform, SuperMini Board-to-Board connectors maximize electrical performance of the transmission path between connector and circuit while accommodating axial misalignment of up to .010″ and radial misalignment of +/- 5 degrees via unique bullet and PCB receptacle (jack) designs. With an array of available bullets that enable board-to-board spacing as close as 3mm, this solution ensures RF/millimeter wave transmission-line dependability for tightly stacked PCBs. Designed to optimize match to circuit for surface and through-hole PCB mounting applications, SuperMini Board-to-Board connectors are available in smooth-bore- or detent-style vertical and end-launch jack configurations for microstrip and grounded co-planar circuit launch transitions. Additionally, smooth-bore- and detent-style four-hole flange SuperMini Board-to-Board jack-to-2.92mm-jack adapters are available. Southwest Microwave can also supply complete direct-solder cable assemblies supporting connectors of varying frequencies to simplify high-performance, push-on test connection to SuperMini Board-to-Board vertical and end-launch receptacles.
Signal Microwave added 2.4mm-interface edge-launch connectors to its edge-launch connector line. These are solderless, high-frequency (50GHz) RF connectors that conform to IEEE-287 and Mil-STD-348 specifications. Designed for use as test connectors, they offer many advantages over commonly used test connectors that require soldering. Individual connectors can be re-used or moved from test point to test point to reduce measurement uncertainty that can occur when each test point has a different connector and variations in solder joints. The housings are stainless steel and more rugged than brass connectors. With a test-equipment-supported interface, they can be measured directly without the need of an adapter. The smaller-profile version of these connectors, pioneered by Signal Microwave, offers increased connector density specifically for 100-ohm differential line applications. All of the models in the series have the same RF launch geometry and internal construction, which allows them to be interchangeable from board to board. 40GHz and 70GHz test boards are available along with a library of launch designs for common RF board materials.
evissaP Inc. released a new class of highly bendable, high-performance cable assemblies to address the issue of installation and positioning of formable coaxial cables into tight spaces. The new MAX Bend cables, through a novel assembly technique, can reliably bend at the connector-to-cable interface and, in certain applications, can eliminate the need for costly 18 or 26GHz right-angle connectors. Max Bend cables are available in two frequency bands; the eP5901R-LL.L operates DC-18GHz and the eP5903R-LL.L operates DC-26.5GHz. Both models feature an exceptional VSWR of 1.35 across the band.
HUBER+SUHNER’s recently launched SUCOFLEX 126 is a multi-functional cable assembly that uses a revolutionary and patented swaging technology. This enhanced cable design provides highest-phase stability combined with low loss and excellent return loss up to 26.5 GHz. The SUCOFLEX 126 has many advantages over the company’s SUCOFLEX 104 P, including 30% lower loss, 20% higher power, an improved return loss, and an optimized inner-conductor construction. The high-performance microwave cable assembly allows for extremely precise measurements and reduced downtime due to increased intervals between calibrations. It has excellent reliability with ruggedization that withstands flexure and crushing.
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