Filter
Top Products
85054B 1-7
General Information
Precision Slotless Connectors
Precision Slotless Connectors
The female type-N connectors in this calibration kit are metrology-grade, precision slotless
connectors (PSC). A characteristic of metrology-grade connectors is direct traceability to
national measurement standards through their well-defined mechanical dimensions.
Conventional female center conductors are slotted. When mated, the female center
conductor is flared by the male pin. Because physical dimensions determine connector
impedance, electrical characteristics of the female connector (and connection pair) are
dependent upon the mechanical dimensions of the male pin. While connectors are used in
pairs, their male and female halves are always specified separately as part of a standard,
instrument, or device under test. Because of these facts, making precision measurements
with the conventional slotted connector is very difficult, and establishing a direct
traceability path to primary dimensional standards is nearly impossible.
The precision slotless connector was developed to eliminate these problems. All PSCs are
female. A PSC incorporates a center conductor with a solid cylindrical shell that defines
the outside diameter of the female center pin. Its outside diameter and, therefore, the
impedance in its region does not change. The inner part provides an internal contact that
flexes to accept the allowed range of male pin diameters.
The calibration of a network analyzer having a conventional slotted female connector on
the test port remains valid only when the device under test and all calibration standards
have identical male pin diameters. For this reason, PSC test-port adapters are supplied in
most calibration kits.
Precision slotless connectors have the following characteristics:
• there is no loss of traceable calibration on test ports when the male pin diameter of the
connector on the device under test is different from the male pin diameter of the
calibration standard.
• The female PSC and its mating male connector can be measured and specified
separately as part of the device either is attached to.
• All female connectors can have a known, stable impedance based only on the diameters
of their inner and outer conductors.
• Female calibration standards can be fully specified. Their specifications and traceability
are unaffected by the diameter of the male mating pin.
• A fully traceable performance verification is made using a precision 50 ohm airline
having a PSC.
• Measurement repeatability is enhanced due to non-changing connector characteristics
with various pin diameters.
With PSCs on test ports and standards, the percentage of accuracy achieved when
measuring at 50 dB return loss levels is comparable to using conventional slotted
connectors measuring devices having only 30 dB return loss. This represents an accuracy
improvement of about 10 times.