关键词: 射频连接器, 深盲腔, 镀金, 真空汽相焊, 工艺优化

Abstract: This paper addresses the engineering challenges associated with the complex inner and outer conductor structures of an 18 GHz antenna array connector. These conductors require integrated welding to their respective cavities, with the inner conductor welding cavity being a deep blind cavity measuring 0.45mm in diameter and 1mm in depth. Achieving high-quality gold plating and reliable welding in such conditions is difficult. A solution based on the collaborative optimization of “structure-fixture-process” is proposed. First, the deep blind cavity was redesigned as a through-hole structure, enabling full circulation of the plating solution to ensure uniform, solderable gold plating within the deep cavity. Second, an adaptive positioning function of the elastic fixture was utilized to apply continuous pressure to the connector during soldering, effectively ensuring the outer end face remained flush with the antenna array end face post-soldering. Finally, vacuum vapor phase soldering was adopted. This process utilizes vaporized steam for uniform component heating while employing vacuum extraction to effectively remove gases and residual flux, significantly reducing porosity. Test results demonstrate that this method resolves challenges such as difficult plating in deep blind cavities, low alignment accuracy, and excessive soldering porosity. It provides a reliable soldering approach for internal and external conductors in RF connectors containing deep blind cavities.

Key words: connectors, deep-blind-cavity, gold-plated, vacuum-vapor-deposition-soldering, process-optimization