RF COAXIAL CONNECTORS
In this section we will discuss about a kind of connector which is specifically designed to couple signal only, and the signal referred to the connector is nothing but the RF signals. The coaxial connectors are one of the
important components of a RF system. The coaxial connectors are specially designed component for connecting and disconnecting RF transmission line to the device. The coaxial connectors are extensively used to couple RF energy from device to device since 1940s. The first coaxial connector developed was the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) connector designed by Amphenol. The coaxial connector is always cylindrical in shape and the inner metallic connector and outer metallic connector share a common axis and hence it is called coaxial connector.
The coaxial connector always found at the end of a coaxial cable. The coaxial cable is invented during 1880s and is still the best design for carrying RF energy. It has an inner copper core separated by the outer metallic shield by an insulator.
The structure of a coaxial cable
The coaxial connector is actually an extension of the coaxial cable maintaining the same coaxial geometry. There are wide variety of coaxial standard exist differ by their specifications. Each of them is specifically designed for particular frequency of operation, attenuation, insertion loss, environmental conditions, power handling capabilities, size, shape, strength, weight, cost etc.
A coaxial connector at the end of coaxial cable
For the efficient operation of a RF system the designer should have a good understanding about the electrical specifications of the connector, since the RF energy enters or leaves the system through the coaxial connector and hence the performance strongly depends on the connector specifications. Before we move on to the discussion about different RF connectors, let us go through some of the specifications which are very significant for the RF coaxial connectors.
