The Impact of Connector Degradation on Signal Transmission in Humid Environment

Radio frequency connectors are widely used in microwave equipment and radio frequency circuits. Connector degradation in harsh environment may lead to the deterioration of signal integrity and communication quality. In this paper, the effects of connector dielectric degradation on signal transmission in humid environment were presented by the way of experimental tests and theoretical analysis. The equivalent dielectric constant of the degraded dielectric was calculated and a circuit model was developed to explain these effects. The simulation results of the circuit model were in good agreements with the measurement results. In addition, the impacts of dielectric degradation on digital signal waveform and eye diagram were predicted using the model. The results of this research provided a better understanding of the influence of connector dielectric degradation on signal transmission in humid environment.