GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA: ELECTRICAL LENGTH (PHASE STABILITY)
GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA: ELECTRICAL LENGTH (PHASE STABILITY)
Applications may require cable assemblies that are trimmed to a specific electrical length, which may change with temperature, flexure, or other environmental factors. Solid Teflon dielectric, for instance, has a much more pronounced phase shift (change in electrical length) around room temperature than a micro-porous or air-articulated Teflon dielectric. (Figure 8) A tighter bend radius will increase phase change, and increasing the number of flexures will also increase phase change. Phase changes over frequency can be considered a linear response, although some cables will have more significant change at higher frequencies.
Figure 8 - Phase vs. Temperature Relationship

Cable Assembly Guide Introduction
Cable Types and Specifications
Connector Types and Specifications
GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA:
- Attenuation (Insertion Loss)
- Average Power Handling
- Capacitance
- Characteristic Impedance
- Cost and Quality Considerations
- Cut-Off Frequency
- Delay Time
- Dielectrics
- Electrical Length (Phase Stability)
- Intermodulation Distortion
- Maximum Operating Voltage (Peak Power)
- Mechanical & Environmental
- Operating Frequency
- Phase Matching
- Phase Tracking
- Temperature Limitations
- Velocity of Propagation
- VSWR/Return Loss