What is a Feed-Thru Coaxial Connector?

A feed-thru coaxial connector, also known as a feedthrough connector, enables an RF signal to pass through a panel, wall, bulkhead, or enclosure without compromising shielding continuity or impedance matching. When an RF signal needs to transition from one side of a shielded enclosure to the other, simply drilling a hole and passing a cable would disrupt shielding, cause leakage, and lead to impedance mismatch. A feed-thru connector provides a controlled, shielded path that preserves signal integrity across the barrier.

Feed-thru connectors are used in shielded test environments such as EMC or anechoic chambers, where they allow RF signals to pass between external instruments and devices under test inside the chamber without breaking electromagnetic isolation. They are equally important in satellite payloads, aerospace systems, and vacuum-sealed enclosures, where hermetic feed-thrus maintain pressure integrity while transmitting high-frequency signals.