Insertion Loss of Coaxial Terminations

　　Insertion loss in coaxial terminations refers to the reduction in the power of a signal as it passes through the termination. This loss is a combination of resistive, dielectric, and radiation losses. Resistive loss is mainly caused by the resistance of the conductive materials in the coaxial cable and termination. As the signal travels through the conductor, some of the electrical energy is converted into heat due to the inherent resistance of the material. The resistance is affected by factors such as the material's resistivity, the cross - sectional area of the conductor, and the length of the cable. For example, in a long coaxial cable with a small - diameter conductor, the resistive loss will be relatively high.

　　Dielectric loss occurs in the insulating material between the inner and outer conductors of the coaxial cable. The insulating material absorbs some of the signal energy and dissipates it as heat. This is related to the material's dielectric constant and loss tangent. Materials with a high dielectric constant and loss tangent will cause more significant dielectric losses. In high - frequency applications, dielectric loss can become a dominant factor in insertion loss. For instance, in a coaxial cable used for 5G communication, where frequencies are in the gigahertz range, the choice of a low - loss dielectric material is crucial to minimize insertion loss.

　　Radiation loss is another component of insertion loss. When the coaxial cable is not properly terminated or when there are imperfections in the cable structure, some of the signal energy can be radiated into the surrounding space. This can be due to factors such as impedance mismatches, which cause signal reflections. These reflections can lead to standing waves, and in turn, some of the energy is radiated. To reduce radiation loss, proper termination techniques and high - quality cable manufacturing are essential. By ensuring that the impedance of the termination matches that of the cable, the amount of signal reflection and subsequent radiation loss can be minimized.

Read recommendations:

rf microwave filters

4 way rf splitter

tunable rf bandpass filter

high power rf splitter

The role of RF admittance level switches