Probe / Contact Development Assistance

Description

At Gatewave Northern, our experience with test sockets and contact development is available for you to take advantage of.  Review of complete contactors, sockets, connectors, and individual test probe or spring contact designs are available in the realm of mechanical as well as electrical finite element analysis.  These as well as electro-thermal models are a good tool to assess potential trouble spots and performance limiters..

GateWave Northern offers standardized tests for test sockets, spring contact characterization, as well as contacts for interconnects and interposers. Testing is performed in both frequency and time domain. A full test spectrum is available that includes the following categories:

RF test:

• S-parameters, time domain signals, simulation results
• Inductance and mutual inductance
• Capacitance and mutual capacitance
• Resistance
• Characteristic impedance

DC test: 

• Current carrying capacity
• Temperature rise
• Resistance as a function of displacement/force
• Power dissipation
• Leakage

Models: 

• Extracted models for contacts and sockets are available using RLC models as well as transmission line model
• Complex SPICE circuits and models as well as IBIS models available upon request

Simulation: 

• HFSS simulation of contact array/ socket performance
• Prediction of S-parameters for custom configurations
• Optimization of your PCB / via design for a given contact/ socket arrangement

Performance parameters: 

The following are some of the performance parameters extracted during testing -Insertion loss

• Return Loss
• Crosstalk
• Risetime
• Bandwidth
• Delay
• VSWR

Full test reports including S2P and S4P data files are provided. Quick assessments with parameter subsets are available for development purposes or more focused testing requirements.

Mechanical cycling:

Custom test fixtures are available that allow for mechanical cycling of contacts and sockets. Comparative measurements are performed during cycling. RF tests can be conducted at specified intervals to observe and record potential performance chances.

Equivalent transmission line circuits will be provided where applicable

• S-parameters, time domain signals, simulation results
• Inductance and mutual inductance
• Capacitance and mutual capacitance
• Resistance
• Characteristic impedance

Inquire for more information.