DESIGNING HIGH-SPEED SIGNAL INTERCONNECTS FOR CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS RICHARD FIACCO, MANAGER-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NORTH AMERICA, IMS CONNECTOR SYSTEMS CHRISTOPHER GIEBEL, RF ENGINEERING LOEFFINGEN, GERMANY, IMS CONNECTOR SYSTEMS
can make small adjustments to improve the performance of a design even within tight parameters. Software such as CST Studio Suite or Ansys HFSS simulation can be used to evaluate the RF performance of a connector within a design. Material (insulators and
If you are up to a challenge, try designing a connector targeted to handle high-speed signals, while minimizing crosstalk and passive intermodulation, keeping impedance consistent, and ensuring that insertion loss/return loss
is under control while working at millimeter wave frequencies. Then add in the need to address materials, housing, and contacts for use in challenging environmental conditions. The first step is to define the market/industry and environment the connector will be used in. Are any industry standards required
THE FIRST STEP IS TO DEFINE THE
contact materials) selections can improve performance, along with plating materials and thicknesses, which
MARKET/INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH THE CONNECTOR WILL BE USED.
will vary due to frequency requirements. Once materials are chosen, a stress and strength analysis must be performed to ensure the components will hold up to the expected mating cycles.
for the components or the final product? These factors will determine specification and influence final system performance, but designers
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