As signal speeds increase, each part of the signal path getting to and from the device needs to work to higher frequencies. Strategies that worked in the past no longer suffice and cheaper connectors no longer make the cut. Cable lengths and trace lengths need to become shorter to reduce losses. This makes intuitive sense.
However, what needs to be done with connectors to get them to perform better is not as straightforward. The selection and implementation of RF PCB connectors need to consider several factors.
An analogy can be used to explain this best. When shining light through a sheet of glass, part of the light is reflected and part of it is transmitted. The dirtier the glass, the less light is transmitted.
An RF connector and its PCB launch work in much the same way. The connector launch refers to the physical structure that allows the signal and GND structure of the connector to mate to the trace in the PCB. Good launches allow most of the signal energy entering the connector to be transmitted without distortion. As more and more applications migrate toward needing bandwidths of 100 GHz, the design of the launch becomes quite involved.
A compression mount connector is a PCB connector that does not require soldering. The connector is “compressed” onto landing pads on the PCB and can be disassembled and reused more than once if needed.
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