Page 17 - 2020 Interconnect Innovations eBook

One of the key drivers of the growth in RF board-to-board interconnect solutions is customers who are replacing bulky RF cable assemblies inside the box with smaller board-to-board RF solutions. These solutions provide a vast number of benefits over cable assemblies. But before designing RF board-to-board interconnects for your next-gen application, be sure to consider these five things to ensure high performance, reliability, and durability.
1. Size: Board real estate is a prime example of a restricted commodity when it comes to connectors. Utilizing the full size of a board-to-board connector requires proper planning and management. Additionally, as packaging requirements become smaller and more compact for next-generation applications, it is increasingly important to choose a connector that helps you get the most out of a limited space. Smaller connectors should not require you to sacrifice performance.
2. Density: Another main factor to consider is the number of connections required in the application. Before you choose a connector, it’s important to know how to align those connections in a way that ensures the most effective and efficient use of PCB real estate. For example, next-gen radar array applications require a lot of connections and their performance is critical. So, it’s crucial to choose an RF board-to-board connector solution that is specifically designed for these types of applications.
3: RF Performance: RF performance is subject to the design and size of the interconnects, but there are a few key parameters to consider based on the importance of several characteristics within your design, particularly frequency range, power handling capabilities, VSWR performance, and RF leakage requirements.
4. Board-to-Board Dimensions: When it comes to the dimensions of RF board-to-board connectors, there are two main, must-know factors to consider: minimum board-to-board distance and density as it relates to the minimum PCB surface required. In small-size, next-gen applications like some UAV applications, tight dimensions can be extremely important.
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» Misalignment tolerance is a key factor to consider before choosing an RF board-to-board connector. Radiall offers solutions with minimum board-to-board tolerances from 1.41mm to 97mm.
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