Study on the Effects of RF Coaxial Connector Degradation on Signal Integrity using S Parameters

RF coaxial connectors are essential components in radio frequency and microwave systems. The electrical contacts degradation of RF connectors significantly affects the signal integrity and is one of the major causes of system failure. In the present work, the effects of electrical contacts degradation on signal communication were studied. Different levels of degraded connectors were analyzed using both theoretical analysis and experimental testing. Scattering parameters obtained from simulation models are in good agreement with the measurement results. 3D results were also examined to show how the electromagnetic field characteristics of connectors changes with degradation. The outcomes of this paper are helpful to comprehend the effects of electrical contacts degradation on signal communication and in finding the causes of failure in fault diagnosis analysis.