Why is the intermodulation performance of the RF coaxial connector in wireless mobile communication base stations so crucial in high-density base station deployments?
Publish Time: 2025-08-25
With the full rollout of 5G networks and the advance research into future 6G technologies, wireless mobile communications are rapidly developing towards higher frequency bands, larger bandwidths, and denser networks. In this context, high-density base station deployment has become a key means of increasing network capacity and improving user experience. However, this increased network density also places higher demands on the performance of various base station components, particularly those seemingly small but profoundly impactful components: the RF coaxial connector. The intermodulation performance of this component has become a key factor in determining the stability and communication quality of the entire base station system.In high-density deployment scenarios, multiple base stations are compactly installed in urban buildings, on streetlight poles, and even indoor spaces, with significant overlap in their signal coverage areas. While this dense layout improves capacity and coverage efficiency, it also creates a complex electromagnetic environment. When multiple high-power RF signals are transmitted simultaneously in the same physical space, any nonlinear factors can cause unintended interactions between the signals. RF coaxial connectors, as critical interfaces in RF signal transmission links, are susceptible to nonlinear effects if their materials, structures, or assembly processes contain defects, leading to signal distortion.While this distortion does not alter the frequency of the primary signal, it can generate new interference signals in the spectrum. These interference signals may fall within the receiving band, severely disrupting the base station's ability to detect weak uplink signals. In high-density networks, even a slight decrease in base station receive sensitivity can lead to access difficulties for edge users, handover failures, or a sudden drop in data rates. Especially in scenarios where multiple operators share sites or co-locate, signal interactions between different systems are even more complex, placing unprecedented demands on connector linear performance.Furthermore, high-density deployments often mean more frequent maintenance and more complex installation environments. Under conditions such as repeated plugging and unplugging, vibration, and temperature and humidity fluctuations, if the connector's contact interface is unstable, oxidation on the metal surface, or the presence of micro-gaps can exacerbate nonlinear responses. This performance degradation may not be noticeable initially, but it accumulates over time, ultimately manifesting as a slow deterioration in network KPIs and posing significant challenges to operations and maintenance. Therefore, selecting connectors with excellent intermodulation performance not only safeguards current network quality but also provides an investment in future maintainability and system lifespan.From a system design perspective, the increase in base station transmit power and the increase in the number of MIMO antenna channels have significantly increased the number and power density of signals passing through the RF link. As the intersection of multiple signal paths, the stability of the connector's electrical performance is directly related to the linear performance of the entire RF front-end. A connector with low intermodulation performance ensures signal purity during transmission, preventing the introduction of additional noise and interference. This is crucial for maintaining the demodulation success rate of high-order modulation (such as 256QAM and even 1024QAM).In the context of high-density base station deployments, RF coaxial connectors are no longer simply connectors; they are now key nodes that influence the performance of the entire wireless network. The quality of their intermodulation performance is directly related to network capacity, coverage, stability, and user experience.
