Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may be addressed by the features. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed. Alternatively or additionally, a housing may include openings around tie bar locations such that a punch may be used to sever the tie bars. These openings may be filled to avoid performance-affecting artifacts.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion and edge coupled end portions. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation, while edge coupling provides a high density interconnection system at low cost. Each module has separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The shielding is shaped to avoid or suppress undesirable propagation modes within an enclosure formed by shielding per module. Lossy material may be selectively placed within and outside the shielding per module to likewise avoid or suppress unwanted signal propagation.

Abstract: An improved electrical connector is provided by compensating for skew in signal conductors of a differential pair while ensuring a uniform impedance along the differential pair. Skew is equalized by regions of lower dielectric constant preferentially positioned adjacent the longer conductor of each pair. Impedance along the length of the signal conductor is equalized by a compensation portion in the first conductor that offsets for a change in impedance associated with the change in dielectric constant adjacent the longer conductor. The compensation portion may be a widening in the first conductive element relative to a nominal width of the conductive element. The skew compensation portion may be along a longer edge of the longer conductor and the impedance compensation portion may be along the shorter edge of the longer conductor.

Abstract: Embodiments related to electrical connectors including superelastic components are described. The high elastic limit of superelastic materials compared to conventional connector materials may allow for designs which provide reliable connections and high frequency operation. Superelastic components also may enable connector designs with higher densities of connections. In some embodiments, a connector includes one or more superelastic elongated members forming the mating contacts of the connector. The superelastic elongated members deform within one or more conductive receptacles to generate a suitable contact force. The conductive receptacles may include a plurality of protrusions arranged to deflect the superelastic elongated members during mating. A superelastic component may also be provided in a receiving portion of a connector, and may form a portion of a conductive receptacle.

Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may degrade electrical performance. However, that degradation may be avoided by features that compensate for the artifacts. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns comprising: dual diameter first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias being configured to accept contact tails of signal conductors of a connector; dual diameter ground shadow vias adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the dual diameter shadow ground vias have a reversed diameter configuration with respect to the dual diameter first and second signal vias; and ground vias configured to accept contact tails of ground conductors of the connector.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through the attachment layers and connecting to respective signal traces on a breakout layer of the routing layers; an antipad of a first type around and between the first and second signal vias in one or more of the attachment layers; and antipads of a second type around the first and second signal vias in at least one routing layer adjacent to the breakout layer.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. The modules may have projecting portions, of conductive and/or dielectric material, that are shaped and positioned to reduce changes in impedance along the signal paths as a function of separation of conductive elements, when the connectors are separated by less than the functional mating range.

Abstract: An RF connector module and associated printed circuit board providing high isolation and controlled impedance at RF frequencies. The connector module may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, insert molding, multi-shot molding and interference fit between components, to provide low cost. A connector module constructed with these techniques may implement a co-planar waveguide structure, with conductive shields for isolation and lossy material to enforce co-planar propagation modes. The printed circuit board may similarly be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, including drilling to form vias. As a result, an interconnection system may be manufactured with low cost. These techniques may be applied to provide performance, including in the form of isolation between RF signals, comparable to that provided by more expensive components.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The connector may be assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. Modules of different sizes may be assembled into wafers, which are then assembled into a connector. Wafers may include lossy material. In some embodiments, shielding members of two mating connectors may each have compliant members along their distal portions, such that, the shielding members engage at points of contact at multiple locations, some of which are adjacent the mating edge of each of the mating shielding members.

Abstract: An RF connector module and associated printed circuit board providing high isolation and controlled impedance at RF frequencies. The connector module may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, insert molding, multi-shot molding and interference fit between components, to provide low cost. A connector module constructed with these techniques may implement a co-planar waveguide structure, with conductive shields for isolation and lossy material to enforce co-planar propagation modes. The printed circuit board may similarly be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, including drilling to form vias. As a result, an interconnection system may be manufactured with low cost. These techniques may be applied to provide performance, including in the form of isolation between RF signals, comparable to that provided by more expensive components.

Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may be addressed by the features. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed. Alternatively or additionally, a housing may include openings around tie bar locations such that a punch may be used to sever the tie bars. These openings may be filled to avoid performance-affecting artifacts.

Abstract: An electrical connector designed for high speed signals. The connector includes one or more features that, when used alone or in combination, extend performance to higher speeds. These features may include compensation for tie bars that are used to hold conductive members in place for molding a housing around the conductive members. Removal of the tie bars during manufacture of the connector may leave artifacts in the conductive members and/or housing, which may degrade electrical performance. However, that degradation may be avoided by features that compensate for the artifacts. The conductive members, for example, may include regions, adjacent tie bar locations, that compensate for portions of the tie bar that are not fully removed.

Abstract: An improved electrical connector is provided by compensating for skew in signal conductors of a differential pair while ensuring a uniform impedance along the differential pair. Skew is equalized by regions of lower dielectric constant preferentially positioned adjacent the longer conductor of each pair. Impedance along the length of the signal conductor is equalized by a compensation portion in the first conductor that offsets for a change in impedance associated with the change in dielectric constant adjacent the longer conductor. The compensation portion may be a widening in the first conductive element relative to a nominal width of the conductive element. The skew compensation portion may be along a longer edge of the longer conductor and the impedance compensation portion may be along the shorter edge of the longer conductor.

Abstract: A broadside coupled connector assembly has two sets of conductors, each separate planes. By providing the same path lengths, there is no skew between the conductors of the differential pair and the impedance of those conductors is identical. The conductor sets are formed by embedding the first set of conductors in an insulated housing having a top surface with channels. The second set of conductors is placed within the channels so that no air gaps form between the two sets of conductors. A second insulated housing is filled over the second set of conductors and into the channels to form a completed wafer. The ends of the first and second sets of conductors and the blades are jogged in both an x- and y-coordinate to reduce crosstalk and improve electrical performance.

Abstract: An RF connector module and associated printed circuit board providing high isolation and controlled impedance at RF frequencies. The connector module may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, insert molding, multi-shot molding and interference fit between components, to provide low cost. A connector module constructed with these techniques may implement a co-planar waveguide structure, with conductive shields for isolation and lossy material to enforce co-planar propagation modes. The printed circuit board may similarly be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, including drilling to form vias. As a result, an interconnection system may be manufactured with low cost. These techniques may be applied to provide performance, including in the form of isolation between RF signals, comparable to that provided by more expensive components.