News and New Products

RF connector links boards, uses no cable

By Bill Schweber -- EDN, 9/15/2005

Getting dc power or digital signals from one board to an adjacent one is a challenge, but getting RF signals to make the leap is even more difficult. A compression coaxial connector from Tyco Electronics can make the task easier. The Blindmate board-to-board connector has one side that you solder onto the base pc board, and the other side mates by pressing against a tin- or gold-plated target pad on the adjacent target board, using internal spring pressure. The one-piece connector is far simpler than cable-based interfaces or two separate board connectors with a spacer wedged between them.

The connector provides a 50Ω path and operates to 6 GHz with return loss of at least 20 dB to speeds as high as 2.1 GHz. Tyco offers models for 6.65-, 10-, and 14-mm board spacing, and the connector tolerates both axial (interboard) and radial misalignments: ±1 mm for the axial misalignment for the 10- and 14-mm versions, and ±0.3 mm for the shortest version. The tolerance for radial misalignment is ±0.8 mm for all three versions. The Blindmate connector sells for $5.80 (10,000).

Tyco Electronics, www.tycoelectronics.com.