Traditionally, board-to-board RF connections have been achieved by using either two cable connectors — or two board connectors with a third, spacer or bullet between them. Both of these options add significant cost and lengthen assembly time. Tyco Electronics' new compression coax board-to-board Blindmate product eliminates the need for multiple connectors — and their cost — offering instead a single connector assembly with a spring-loaded contact. The connector is soldered to the base circuit board surface which, using applied spring pressure, mates directly with a target on the adjoining circuit board. This one-piece design offers an easy connection, while tolerating relatively large radial and axial misalignments and eliminates the risk of damaging soldered connections when connecting and disconnecting.

This product will be supplied initially in three different lengths for board spacings of 6.65 mm, 10 mm and 14 mm. The connector exhibits a nominal impedance of 50 Ohms, and will operate effectively at frequencies up to 6 GHz. Return loss is specified as –20 dB minimum at frequencies up to 2.1 GHz. Axial-misalignment tolerance is specified as ±1.0 mm for the 10 mm and 14 mm versions and ±0.3 mm for the 6.65 mm version. Radial-misalignment tolerance is specified as ±0.8 mm from the connector axis for all three versions. The target pads, typically contacting a gold-plated PCB target, can be tin-plated — or a gold-plated disc can be attached to the mating PCB for a lower contact resistance.