Phase drift versus temperature measurements of coaxial cables

Radio frequency systems developed for large scientific experiments have become increasingly sensitive to phase changes in their subcomponents. Amongst the most important subassemblies there are definitely coaxial cables that provide interconnections between experiment subsystems. It is commonly known that the most important source of phase drifts in coaxial cables is their sensitivity to temperature changes. The phenomenon of phase drifts in cables is discussed in this paper. A phase drift measurement setup is described. Samples of cables of various types used in RF system installations have been measured. Measurement results are presented.