Embodiments of the invention include an electrical cable apparatus and
method for making. The electrical cable apparatus includes a plurality of
paired conductive elements, a dielectric jacket formed around the
plurality of paired conductive elements, and at least one dielectric film
separating the pairs of conductive elements within the dielectric jacket.
For example, for an arrangement having four twisted pair of copper wires
within an electrically insulating jacket, two dielectric films surround
alternating pairs of individually insulated conductor elements. The
dielectric film is made of one or more of the following materials:
ethylchlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE or HALAR.RTM.), poly(vinyl chloride)
(PVC), polyolefins, and fluoropolymers including fluorinated
ethylene-propylene (FEP or TEFLON.RTM.), perfluoroalkoxy polymers of
tetrafluoroethylene and either perfluoropropyl ether (PFA) or
perfluoromethylvinyl ether (MFA). Alternatively, the dielectric film is
made of woven glass yarn tape such as KAPTON.RTM.. The dielectric film has
a width, e.g., of approximately 0.125 to 0.250 inch and a thickness, e.g.,
of approximately 2 to 20 mils (0.002 to 0.020 inch). Alternatively, a
dielectric film is positioned between individual conductive elements
within the conductor pairs. The method for making an electrical cable
includes providing a plurality of the paired conductive elements, forming
the dielectric film around one or more of the conductor pairs and/or
forming the dielectric film between the individual conductors within one
or more conductor pairs, and forming the dielectric jacket around the
conductor pairs. The thin dielectric film provides separation between
conductor pairs and/or between individual conductors within conductor
pairs to reduce crosstalk therebetween.