Measurement and Analysis of Passive Intermodulation Induced by Additional Impedance in Loose Contact Coaxial Connector

The mechanism of the passive intermodulation (PIM) distortion caused by the loose contact in coaxial connectors is of great importance in wireless communication systems. This paper focuses on the effect of the additional impedance on PIM levels in coaxial connectors. First, the additional impedance and PIM levels of the loose contact coaxial connectors are measured. Then, the S-parameters and the additional impedance with three different loose contact cases are simulated. Finally, a modified coaxial connector with different values of conductive tapes is designed to verify the additional impedance impacts on the PIM level. It is shown that the increase of the additional impedance of the metal-metal loose contact will lead to the deterioration of PIM levels in the coaxial connector.