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PCBConnectors

RF connector at antenna feed point

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Description

Use PCBConnectors object to specify RF connectors used for antenna printed circuit board (PCB) feed points. The result is generally a set of modifications to the PCB design files. The changes to the PCB include new copper landing pads and traces, and changes to solder mask, silk screen, and solder paste files.

Creation

Syntax

c = PCBConnectors.connectortype

Description

c = PCBConnectors.connectortype creates Gerber files based on the type of connector to use at antenna feedpoint specified in connectortype.

example

Input Arguments

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Type of connector from PCB connector catalog, specified as one of the following:

  • Coax Connectors - Coax RG11, RG174, RG58, and RG59 connectors directly soldered to PCB pads.

  • IPX Connectors - LightHorse IPX SMT jack or plug surface mount RF connector.

  • MMCX Connectors - MMCX Cinch or Samtec surface mount RF connectors.

  • SMA Connectors - Generic 5-pad SMA surface mount RF connectors, with four corner rectangular pads, one round center pin. Cinch and Multicomp SMA RF connectors.

  • SMAEdge Connectors- Generic SMA edge-launch surface mount RF connector. Cinch and Samtec SMA edge-launch RF connectors.

  • SMB Connectors - Johnson/Emerson and Pasternack SMB surface mount RF connectors.

  • SMC Connectors - Pasternack SMC and SMC edge-launch surface mount RF connectors.

  • Coaxial Cable Connectors - Semi-rigid 0.020 inch, 0.034 inch, 0.047 inch, and 0.118 inch coaxial cable soldered to PCB pads.

For list of connectors, see PCB Connectors Catalog.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Semi_020 creates Gerber files configured to use semi-rigid 0.020 inch coaxial cables.

Output Arguments

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PCB connector, returned as an object.

Properties

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Common Properties for All Connectors

This property is read-only.

Type of connector, specified as a character vector.

Example: 'Coax_RG11'

Data Types: char | string

This property is read-only.

Name of component manufacturer, specified as a character vector.

Example: 'Belden'

Data Types: char | string

This property is read-only.

Manufacturer part number, specified as a character vector or string.

Example: 'RG11'

Data Types: char | string

This property is read-only.

Text added to PCB to identify component, specified as a character vector.

Example: 'RG59U'

Data Types: char | string

This property is read-only.

Connector impedance, specified as a positive scalar in ohms.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.MMCX_Cinch; c.Impedance = 70;

Data Types: double

This property is read-only.

URL for component specifications, specified as a character vector. Data sheets are typically PDF files.

Data Types: char | string

This property is read-only.

URL for purchasing connector, specified as a character vector.

Data Types: char | string

Common Properties for All Coax Connectors

Circular pad diameter connecting the signal wire of the coax to the feedpoint, specified as a positive scalar in meters. The pin diameter is greater than the diameter of the signal wire.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.PinDiameter = 1.0000e-03;

Data Types: double

Dielectric diameter (white material around signal wire), specified as a positive scalar in meters. Dielectric diameter specifies the size of the non-conductive isolation ring on the PCB between the signal wire and the ground plane.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.DielectricDiameter = 0.0073;

Data Types: double

Ground ring diameters used to solder coax shield, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.ShieldDiameter = 0.0085;

Data Types: double

Thermal relief around coaxial shield connection, specified as 0 or 1. Thermal relief reduces the heat needed to solder the coax shield to the ground.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.AddThermals = 0;

Data Types: logical

Arc-shaped gaps outer diameter in the ground plane, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.ThermalsDiameter = 0.0100;

Data Types: double

Width of four conductive bridges created across thermal gap, specified as a positive scalar in meters. The bridges are established during electrical grounding.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG59; c.ThermalBridgeWidth = 0.0015;

Data Types: double

Common Properties for All 5-Pad Symmetric Surface Mount Connectors

Total length of each side of rectangular connector footprint, specified as a two-element vector with each element unit in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.TotalSize = [0.0063 0.0063];

Data Types: double

Length of each side of ground pad, specified as a two-element vector with each element unit in meters. The pads are located in each of the four corners of the connector footprint.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.GroundPadSize = [0.0016 0.0016];

Data Types: double

Circular pad diameter connecting the signal pin of the coax connector, specified as a positive scalar in meters. The pad is at the center of the connector footprint.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.SignalPadDiameter = 0.0012;

Data Types: double

Via pin diameter, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.ViaPinDiameter = 0.0012;

Data Types: double

Diameter of isolation ring that removes semicircle of copper from inner corner of ground pads, specified as a scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.IsoltationRing =0.0012;

Data Types:

Vertical ground strips between upper and lower ground pads, specified as a scalar.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMA_Multicomp; c.VerticalGroundStrips = 1;

Data Types: double

Common Properties for All Edge-Launch Surface Mount Connectors

Ground pad size, specified as a two-element vector with each element unit in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.GroundPadSize = [0.0014 0.0042];

Data Types: double

Space between ground pads on the ground side of the board, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.GroundSeparation = 0.0043;

Data Types: double

Width of copper removed around top layer ground pads, specified as a positive scalar in meters. This property isolates the ground pads from any signal traces or structures.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.GroundPadIsolation = 2.5000e-04;

Data Types: double

Signal pad size, specified as a two-element vector with each element unit in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.SignalPadSize = [0.0013 0.0036];

Data Types: double

Gap between PCB edge and start of signal pad copper, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.SignalGap = 1.0000e-04;

Data Types: double

Width of signal trace extending from the signal pad to the feedpoint location, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.SignalLineWidth = 8.0000e-04;

Data Types: double

PCB side that receives edge connector, specified as 'north', 'south', 'east', 'west'.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.EdgeLocation = 'south';

Data Types: char

Extend PCB to add connector beyond design area, specified as 0 or 1

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.ExtendBoardProfile = 1;

Data Types: logical

Fill connector region on ground side of the board with copper, specified as 0 or 1

Example: c = PCBConnectors.SMAEdge; c.FillGroundSide = 1;

Data Types: logical

Common Properties for All Staggered Surface Mount Connectors

Ground pad size, specified as a two-element vector with each element unit in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.IPX_Plug_Lighthorse; c.GroundPadSize = [0.0010 0.0022];

Data Types: double

Distance between pair of ground pads along X-axis, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.IPX_Plug_Lighthorse; c.GroundPadXSeparation = 0.0019;

Data Types: double

Y-offset from signal pad to signal pad center line, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.IPX_Plug_Lighthorse; c.GroundPadYOffset = 0.0015;

Data Types: double

Signal pad size, specified as a 2-element vector with each element unit in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.IPX_Plug_Lighthorse; c.SignalPadSize = [1.0000e-03 1.0000e-03];

Data Types: double

Minimum separation from ground at bottom or top for signal pad, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: c = PCBConnectors.IPX_Plug_Lighthorse; c.SignalMinYSeparation = 1.0000e-03;

Data Types: double

Examples

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Open Live Script

Create a coplanar inverted F antenna.

fco = invertedFcoplanar(Height=14e-3, GroundPlaneLength=100e-3,  ...
                  GroundPlaneWidth=100e-3);

Use this antenna to create a pcbStack object.

p = pcbStack(fco);
show(p);

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object with title pcbStack antenna element, xlabel x (mm), ylabel y (mm) contains 3 objects of type patch, surface. These objects represent PEC, feed.

Use a Coax_RG11 RF connector with a pin diameter of 2 mm.

c = PCBConnectors.Coax_RG11;
c.PinDiameter = 2.000e-03;
s = PCBServices.MayhewWriter;

Create an antenna design file using PCBWriter.

PW = PCBWriter(p,s,c);

Use the gerberWrite method to create Gerber files from the antenna design files.

gerberWrite(PW)

To view the board, drag and drop the files. Click Done.

This example shows how to define custom RF connector class.

classdef SMA_Jack_Cinch < PCBConnectors.BaseSMT5PadSymmetric
    % Cinch SMA surface mount RF connector.
    
    properties (Constant) % Abstract
        Type       = 'SMA'
        Mfg        = 'Cinch'
        Part       = '142-0701-631'
        Annotation = 'SMA'
        Impedance  = 50
        Datasheet  = 'https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1720451.pdf?_ga=2.164811836.2075200750.1499379544-42056808.1499379544'
        Purchase   = 'https://www.newark.com/johnson/142-0701-631/rf-coaxial-sma-jack-straight-50/dp/50F2712'
    end
     
    methods
        function RFC = SMA_Jack_Cinch
            RFC.TotalSize           = [0.5 0.5]*25.4e-3;
            RFC.GroundPadSize       = [0.102 0.102]*25.4e-3;
            RFC.SignalPadDiameter   = 0.1*25.4e-3;
            RFC.PinHoleDiameter     = 1.27e-3; 
            RFC.IsolationRing       = 0.22*25.4e-3;
            RFC.VerticalGroundStrips = false;
        end
    end
end

More About

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Version History

Introduced in R2017b

See Also

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