Many advanced industries require high power for operating electrical systems and communications
High Power
Radio frequency (RF) technology is used in military, telecom, healthcare, and many other advanced industries to enable communications and deliver the high power required to operate a broad range of electronics systems. Applications include MRI machines, RF ablation, electronic warfare, particle accelerators, radar, semiconductor manufacturing, broadcast, industrial laser, test chambers, and more.
Most common high power applications involve high level of continuous wave (CW) energy. When power is transmitted through a cable assembly, insertion loss becomes heat that dissipates from the cable and connector, resulting in inefficiency and higher system operating temperature.
In applications involving high CW power, coaxial cable assemblies can have thermal management implications. High power applications require coaxial cables and interconnects to balance thermal properties and limitations of power delivery. A sudden rise in device temperature must be mitigated to prevent catastrophic breakdown or shortened lifespan.
Low Loss Impacts High Power
Low loss is another critical performance parameter for RF interconnects transmitting high power. Insertion loss is predominantly a square root function of frequency Transmission at 2 GHz over the same cable length would incur about 50% more loss than 1 GHz.
This presents a cabling challenge as power handling becomes an issue when the cable size is limited, as it is in ablation and many other applications. Tradeoffs must be made to balance power, heat, flexibility, and ergonomics. High power handling must also be balanced with other mechanical and electrical constraints in real-world applications. For example, larger low-loss interconnects may not be suitable for high-density systems. Selecting the right RF interconnect components for high-power applications can be the difference between ideal performance and failure.
The best solution often requires a specialized RF interconnect system and component design to minimize loss, maximize power delivery, and optimize safety, ease of use and installation. It is critical to use a coaxial cable and connector solution designed specifically for a high-power application to ensure components mate together and the overall system performs correctly.
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At Times Microwave Systems, we understand the issues high-power RF interconnect solutions must address. We offer a broad portfolio of specialty cables with different loss characteristics and flexibility at a given size and more efficient options to help mitigate these issues. Customized design is crucial, so the specific cables, connectors, and cable assemblies can be matched for optimal performance in any application and custom fit its needs. Customers can take advantage of our full suite of high-power interconnects – with cable assemblies, connectors, and adapters available to complete your high-power setup.
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