CATCAT - Calculable Adapters for Traceable Cable Testing

• Forschungsstelle: METAS
• Projektnummer: F-5217.30146

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

data transmission cables, radio frequency, RF-compatible adapter, S-parameters, twinax connectorless cables, twisted-pair cables

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Cables for data transmission must be characterized at increasingly higher frequencies. Since this characterization has to be carried out without connectors (directly on the bare cable), parasitic effects at the transition from cable to measurement system are increasing. Up to now, simple open structures with a clamping device have been used for the transition to defined coaxial structures. At low frequencies, this type of adaptation can be easily eliminated. At high frequencies this no longer works. In this project, a calculable, closed RF-compatible adapter is being developed with the company AESA Cortaillod (manufacturer of cable testers) for the transition from cable to the measurement system. METAS will be responsible for the design, modelling and characterization of the adapter.   

Projektziele (Englisch)

The aim of this project is to develop traceable measurement of the S-parameters of connectorless twinax and twisted-pair cables up to 30 GHz using characterized and verified adapters.

Abstract (Englisch)

METAS has achieved the goal of producing a prototype of a calculable adapter for cable testing. The industry partner AESA is satisfied with the result. The new solution allows them to introduce new cable test systems capable of reliably measuring cable properties up to at least 30 GHz. Previously the systems were limited to 5 GHz, although with questionable results above approximately 2 GHz.

Umsetzung und Anwendungen (Englisch)

AESA will be able to sell the new adapter together with their cable test systems, allowing measurements up to 30 GHz for their customers.

For METAS, the exercise in developing the adapter was very educational in terms of understanding the limits of numerical modelling and obtaining a compromise between ease of handling, mechanical feasibility and measurement quality. The knowledge can be used for other real world problems.