RF & Microwave Connectors, Adapters and Cables

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Coaxial RF Adapters

Flexible RF Cables

Semi-rigid RF Cables

Semi-flexible RF Cables

Coaxial RF Launchers

Coaxial RF Panel Adapters

Support

Coaxial RF Adapters

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
KPC100MF KPC100MM KPC100FF	1.0 mm	male male female	1.0 mm	female male female	110 GHz
KPC135F100F KPC135F100M KPC135M100F KPC135M100M	1.35 mm (V)	female female male male	1.0 mm	female male female male	90 GHz
KPC185F100F KPC185F100M KPC185M100F KPC185M100M	1.85 mm (V)	female female male male	1.0 mm	female male female male	67 GHz
KPC185MF KPC185MM KPC185FF	1.85 mm (V)	male male female	1.85 mm (V)	female male female	65 GHz
KPC185M-SMPM-FD KPC185M-SMPM-SB KPC185M-SMPM KPC185F-SMPM-FD KPC185F-SMPM-SB KPC185F-SMPM	1.85 mm (V)	male male male female female female	SMPM	male (fd) male (sb) female male (fd) male (sb) female	65 GHz
KPC240MF KPC240MM KPC240FF	2.4 mm	male male female	2.4 mm	female male female	50 GHz
KPC240F185F KPC240F185M KPC240M185F KPC240M185M	2.4 mm	female female male male	1.85 mm (V)	female male female male	50 GHz
KPC292MF KPC292MM KPC292FF	2.92 mm (K)	male male female	2.92 mm (K)	female male female	40 GHz
KPC292F185F KPC292F185M KPC292M185F KPC292M185M	2.92 mm (K)	female female male male	1.85 mm (V)	female male female male	40 GHz
KPC292F240F KPC292F240M KPC292M240F KPC292M240M	2.92 mm (K)	female female male male	2.4 mm	female male female male	40 GHz
KPC350MF KPC350MM KPC350FF	3.5 mm	male male female	3.5 mm	female male female	26.5 GHz
KPC350F240F KPC350F240M KPC350M240F KPC350M240M	3.5 mm	female female male male	2.4 mm	female male female male	26.5 GHz

Flexible RF Cables

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
TCF107ZPZP TCF107ZPZJ TCF107ZJZJ	0.8 mm	male male female	0.8 mm	male female female	145 GHz
TCF119ZP1.0J	0.8 mm	male	1.0 mm	female	125 GHz
TCF119XX120G TCF119XY120G TCF119YY120G	1.0 mm	male male female	1.0 mm	male female female	120 GHz
TCF119XX TCF119XY TCF119YY	1.0 mm	male male female	1.0 mm	male female female	110 GHz
TCF119TX TCF119TY TCF119UX TCF119UY	1.85 mm (V)	male male female female	1.0 mm	male female male female	67 GHz
TCF219TT70G TCF219TU70G TCF219UU70G	1.85 mm (V)	male male female	1.85 mm (V)	male female female	70 GHz
TCF219TT TCF219TU TCF219UU	1.85mm (V)	male male female	1.85 mm (V)	male female female	67 GHz
TCF219QT TCF219QU TCF219RT TCF219RU	2.4 mm	male male female female	1.85 mm (V)	male female male female	50 GHz
TCF280QQ TCF280QR TCF280RR	2.4 mm	male male female	2.4 mm	male female female	50 GHz
TCF280KQ TCF280KR TCF280MQ TCF280MR	2.92 mm (K)	male male female female	2.4 mm	male female male female	40 GHz
TCF358KK TCF358KM TCF358MM	2.92 mm (K)	male male female	2.92 mm (K)	male female female	40 GHz
TCF358FK TCF358FM TCF358GK TCF358GM	3.5 mm	male male female female	2.92 mm (K)	male female male female	26.5 GHz
TCF358FF TCF358FG TCF358GG	3.5 mm	male male female	3.5 mm	male female female	26.5 GHz
TCF500AA TCF500AB TCF500BB	SMA	male male female	SMA	male female female	20 GHz
TCF500AD TCF500AE TCF500BD TCF500BE	SMA	male male female female	N	male female male female	18 GHz
TCF500DD TCF500DE TCF500EE	N	male male female	N	male female female	18 GHz

Semi-rigid RF Cables

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
CA100MF CA100MM CA100FF	1.0 mm	male male female	1.0 mm	female male female	110 GHz
CA185M119SMPM CA185F119SMPM	1.85 mm (V)	male female	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		65 GHz
CA185MF CA185MM CA185FF	1.85 mm (V)	male male female	1.85 mm (V)	female male female	60 GHz
CA240MF CA240MM CA240FF	2.4 mm	male male female	2.4 mm	female male female	50 GHz
CA240F185F CA240F185M CA240M185F CA240M185M	2.4 mm	female female male male	1.85 mm (V)	female male female male	50 GHz
CA240M119SMPM CA240F119SMPM	2.4 mm	male female	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		50 GHz
CA292MF CA292MM CA292FF	2.92 mm (K)	male male female	2.92 mm (K)	female male female	40 GHz
CA292F185F CA292F185M CA292M185F CA292M185M	2.92 mm (K)	female female male male	1.85 mm (V)	female male female male	40 GHz
CA292F240F CA292F240M CA292M240F CA292M240M	2.92 mm (K)	female female male male	2.4 mm	female male female male	40 GHz
CA292M119SMPM CA292F119SMPM	2.92 mm (K)	male female	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		40 GHz

Semi-flexible RF Cables

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
SFCA100MF SFCA100MM SFCA100FF	1.0 mm	male male female	1.0 mm	female male female	110 GHz
SFCA185119MF SFCA185119MM SFCA185119FF	1.85 mm (V)	male male female	1.85 mm (V)	female male female	65 GHz
SFCA119SMPM	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		65 GHz
SFCA185M119SMPM SFCA185F119SMPM	1.85 mm (V)	male female	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		65 GHz
SFCA292119MF SFCA292119MM SFCA292119FF	2.92 mm (K)	male male female	2.92 mm (K)	female male female	40 GHz
SFCA292M119SMPM SFCA292F119SMPM	2.92 mm (K)	male female	SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)		40 GHz

Coaxial RF Flange & Sparkplug Launchers

Flange Launcher

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2	Bandwidth
KPC100M311 KPC100F311	1.0 mm	male female	Connector Pin	110 GHz
KPC185M302 KPC185F302	1.85 mm (V)	male female	Glass Bead GB185	65 GHz
KPC292M302 KPC292F302	2.92 mm (K)	male female	Glass Bead GB292	40 GHz

Sparkplug Launcher

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
KPC185M301 KPC185F301	1.85 mm (V)	male female	Glass Bead GB185		65 GHz
KPC292M301 KPC292F301	2.92 mm (K)	male female	Glass Bead GB292		40 GHz

Coaxial RF Panel Adapters

Panel Adapter

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
KPC185MF PA KPC185MM PA KPC185FM PA KPC185FF PA	1.85 mm (V)	male male female female	1.85 mm (V)	female male male female	65 GHz
KPC292MF PA KPC292MM PA KPC292FM PA KPC292FF PA	2.92 mm (K)	male male female female	2.92 mm (K)	female male male female	40 GHz
KPC185FSMPMFDPA	1.85 mm (V)	female	SMPM	male (fd)	65 GHz
KPC292FSMPMFDPA	2.92 mm (K)	female	SMPM	male (fd)	40 GHz
SMAFF PA	SMA	female	SMA	female	20 GHz

Front Panel Adapter

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
KPC185MF FPA	1.85 mm (V)	male	1.85 mm (V)	female	65 GHz
KPC292MF FPA	2.92 mm (K)	male	2.92 mm (K)	female	40 GHz

Hermetically Sealed Panel Adapter

P/N	Connector 1		Connector 2		Bandwidth
KPC185FF HA	1.85 mm (V)	female	1.85 mm (V)	female	65 GHz
KPC292FF HA	2.92 mm (K)	female	2.92 mm (K)	female	40 GHz

Support – RF Connectors & Cables

Literature

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General Info

All interfaces you need (1.00 mm, 1.85 mm (V), 2.40 mm, 2.92 mm (K), 3.5 mm, SMA and SMPM (Mini-SMP, GPPO™)
RF adapters, microwave cable assemblies and high frequency connectors up to 110 GHz can be supplied by SHF. Our partners KMCO and Totoku are located in Japan and provide excellent product quality, competitive pricing and fast delivery.

Tailored to Your Needs
All parts will be manufactured on customer request. This enables us to provide all cables exactly tailored to the customers demand (any user specified length and bend is available) while keeping the delivery time at 3 weeks.

Phase & Lengths Matching
Optionally we offer phase or delay matched versions of any cable. These extremely accurate manufactured cables are the ideal tool for transmitting complementary data streams or achieving a well defined bit delay, e.g. for decorrelation of data streams in DQPSK applications. The phase matching is possible to any reference value (e.g. bit delay, reference cable or transmission time).

Cryogenic Applications
Some of our coaxial components are designed and approved for cryogenic and vacuum environments. An example for custom designed semi-rigid cables for cryogenic applications can be found here.

Brochures

Brochure: Passive RF Components

Application and Tutorial Notes

Tutorial Note 2 – Microwave Connectors
Types of connectors, compatibility, specifications, care and cleaning.

Cables for Cryogenic Applications

An example for custom designed semi-rigid cables for cryogenic applications can be found here.

FAQ

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Which connectors are compatible?

Below you will find the interface mating dimensions of different KMCO RF connectors. Whether a high quality male and female connector can mate together without any mechanical harm depends on the dimensions c, d, e, f, g and the thread type.

The table below shows IEEE-std-287 RF connector standards. The combinations with a check mark share the same specifications for the dimensions c, d, e, f, g and the thread type. Thus, these are mechanically compatible.

SMA: SMA, 3.50 mm, 2.92 mm

3.50 mm: SMA, 3.50 mm, 2.92 mm

2.92 mm: SMA, 3.50 mm, 2.92 mm

2.40 mm: 2.40 mm, 1.85 mm, 1.00 mm

1.85 mm: 2.40 mm, 1.85 mm, 1.00 mm

1.00 mm: 1.00 mm

Although mechanically compatible, the different interfaces still have different dimensions of the inner and outer connector (the dimensions a and b). Mechanically, this means that a conductor with a larger diameter connects with a smaller diameter conductor. The junction is not as smooth as if two connectors of the same type would mate. This “impurity” does influence the electrical performance. However, practically this influence is very small. In particular for data signals it is not noticeable.

IEEE-std-287 defines the interface names according to the inner diameter of the outer conductor (dimension b). Some manufactures, however, designate parts with their own names. These are not different connector standards; just different names. Thus they mate perfectly. The list below shows which designations are essentially referring to the same interface.

2.92 mm = K

1.85 mm = V

1.00 mm = W1

SMPM = Mini-SMP = GPPO™ = SSMP

Can I work beyond the specified bandwidth or even cut-off frequency?

The term cut-off frequency originally comes from wave guides. A wave guide structure has a low frequency cut-off, guiding the wave at frequencies above the cut-off with minimal loss. The waveguide doesn’t need an inner conductor.

The basic performance of an RF and microwave coaxial cable is determined by the connector diameters.

At low frequencies, electrical signals propagate in coaxial lines in the TEM (Transversal Electro Magnetic) mode. If the frequency of a signal into a coaxial line is chosen too high waveguide modes of the electromagnetic field (such as the H₁₁) may exist. To ensure that only the TEM mode propagates, thus keeping the signal clean, the frequency needs to stay below the cut-off frequency fc.

The cut-off frequency is not exactly the same as the specified upper frequency limit. In fact, the standards leave some margin as shown below.

3.50 mm:
Upper Frequency Specification: 26.5 GHz
Cut-Off Frequency fc: 34 GHz

2.92 mm:
Upper Frequency Specification: 40 GHz
Cut-Off Frequency fc: 45 GHz

2.40 mm:
Upper Frequency Specification:50 GHz
Cut-Off Frequency fc: 55 GHz

1.85 mm:
Upper Frequency Specification: 65 GHz
Cut-Off Frequency fc: 71 GHz

1.00 mm:
Upper Frequency Specification: 110 GHz
Cut-Off Frequency fc: 133 GHz

The characteristic for the onset of the 1^st moding frequency is the occurrence of a null (a drop in signal) in the frequency transfer characteristic. If the application is for broadband communication signals (i.e. PRBS or similar type of data) the impact of this first frequency null might be negligible. In fact, in case a cable with a lower cut-off frequency is chosen, one may not suffer from the potential moding, but benefit from less attenuation due to the bigger diameter.

However, the first mode is potentially damaging the signal if the system is supposed to transmit narrowband RF signals at or around the moding regime.

Is it always the best to use the cable with the highest cut-off frequency?

At first sight, one may think the “additional bandwidth can do no harm”. However, higher the cut-off, smaller is the diameter of the conductors. In practical applications, there are two important reasons that do not encourage smaller connector and cable geometries:

Cost: very small connectors are difficult to manufacture and therefore tended to be more costly
Loss: smaller the connector geometry, higher the over-all cable loss caused by skin effect

Attenuation of the TCF flexible cable assemblies series (click/touch to enlarge)

So, in particular for longer cables one might consider sacrificing bandwidth to minimize over-all loss of the transmission path. For example, SHF delivers its 64 Gbps Bit Pattern Generators with 2.40 mm cable assemblies although a cable with 1.85 mm connectors might provide more bandwidths.

Some connectors are available with different cables. Which cable shall I choose?

In a nutshell, if there are different cables which can be equipped with the same connector: always choose the cable with the bigger diameter (simply because the bigger diameter results in less attenuation).

The Totoku cable line up below shows that some connectors can be attached to different cables. If above rule always applies, why would one do that?

1.
Because a cable can be equipped with two different connectors (like an adapter). The TCF280, for example, can be equipped with a 2.92 mm on one end and a 2.40 mm on the other end. Bearing in mind that such a combination results in the attenuation of a 2.40 mm cable while providing only the bandwidth of a 2.92 mm connector, such a cable can perfectly be used to omit an adapter.

2.
Because mechanical restrictions in the setup restrict the use of a bigger diameter cable.

Other than that, there is no reason to choose the thinner cable.

Totoku cable line up (click/touch to enlarge)