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Disclosed is an electrical connector that includes a dielectric leadframe housing and a differential signal pair of electrical contacts extending through the leadframe housing. The leadframe housing defines an air pocket adjacent to the pair of electrical contacts. The size of the air pocket may be

Disclosed is an electrical connector that includes a dielectric leadframe housing and a differential signal pair of electrical contacts extending through the leadframe housing. The leadframe housing defines an air pocket adjacent to the pair of electrical contacts. The size of the air pocket may be predetermined to provide for no more than a predefined amount of signal skew between the pair of electrical contacts. The size of the air pocket may be predetermined to provide for a predefined connector impedance.

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1. An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric leadframe housing,at least a first differential signal pair and a second differential signal pair each differential signal pair defined by respective first and second electrical contacts that extend through the leadframe housing, the first and sec

1. An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric leadframe housing,at least a first differential signal pair and a second differential signal pair each differential signal pair defined by respective first and second electrical contacts that extend through the leadframe housing, the first and second differential signal pairs spaced apart along a first direction; anda ground plate that defines first, second, and third electrically conductive ground members, the first electrically conductive ground member disposed between the first and second differential signal pairs along the first direction, and the second electrically conductive ground member disposed such that the first and second electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair are disposed between the first and second electrically conductive ground members along the first direction, and the electrically conductive ground member disposed such that the first and second electrical contacts of the second differential signal pair are disposed between the second and third electrically conductive ground members along the first directionwherein the leadframe housing defines (i) a first air pocket adjacent to the first and second electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and the first air pocket does not overlap either of the first and second ground members along the second direction, and (ii) a second air pocket adjacent to the first and second electrical contacts of the second differential signal pair along the second direction, and the second air pocket does not overlap either of the second and third ground members. 2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first differential signal pair extends a first distance along the first direction, the first air pocket extends a second distance along the first direction, and the second distance is greater than the first distance. 3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair define a first centerline between them, the centerline extending along the second direction, the first air pocket defines a second centerline thereof, the second centerline extending along the second direction, and the second centerline is offset from the first along the first direction. 4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first air pocket is defined adjacent to respective first sides of the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair and respective second sides of the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair opposite the first sides abut the leadframe housing. 5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the second sides of the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair abut a plastic material from which the leadframe housing is made. 6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first air pocket has a size that provides for no more than a predefined amount of signal skew between the electrical contacts of the first differential pair. 7. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein one of the first and second electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair is longer than the other of the first and second electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair, and the size of the first air pocket is based, at least in part, on relative lengths of the first and second electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair. 8. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first air pocket has a size that provides for a predefined connector impedance. 9. An electrical connector impedance modification method, comprising the steps of: making a first leadframe assembly that includes a first dielectric leadframe housing, a first differential signal pair of electrical contacts that each extend through the leadframe housing, and a ground plate that defines a first pair of embossments that are disposed on opposite sides of the first differential signal pair along a first direction and aligned with the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair along the first direction, wherein the first leadframe assembly defines a first air pocket that is at least partially defined between the ground plate and the first leadframe housing along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first air pocket is disposed adjacent to the pair of electrical contacts and the first differential signal pair has an impedance profile of approximately 100±10 Ohms;making a second leadframe assembly that includes a second dielectric leadframe housing, a second differential signal pair of electrical contacts that each extend through the second leadframe housing, and a second ground plate that defines a second pair of embossments that are disposed on opposite sides of the second differential signal pair along the first direction and aligned with the electrical contacts of the second differential signal pair along the first direction, wherein the second leadframe assembly defines a second air pocket that is at least partially defined between the second ground plate and the second leadframe housing along the second direction, such that the second air pocket is disposed adjacent to the pair of electrical contacts, the second air pocket is smaller than the first air pocket, and the second differential signal pair has an impedance profile of approximately 85±10 Ohms. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the pair of electrical contacts extend a first distance along the first direction, the air pocket extends a second distance along the first direction, and the second distance is greater than the first distance. 11. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the air pocket is defined adjacent to respective first sides of the electrical contacts, and respective second sides of the electrical contacts opposite the first sides abut the leadframe housing. 12. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the second sides of the electrical contacts abut a plastic material from which the leadframe housing is made. 13. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the air pocket has a size that provides for no more than a predefined amount of signal skew between the pair of electrical contacts. 14. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein one of the electrical contacts is longer than the other of the electrical contacts, and the size of the air pocket is based, at least in part, on relative lengths of the pair of electrical contacts. 15. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the air pocket has a size that provides for a predefined connector impedance. 16. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the first air pocket is further defined between the electrical contacts of the first differential signal pair and the first ground plate, and the second air pocket is further defined between the electrical contacts of the second differential signal pair and the second ground plate. 17. An electrical connector, comprising: a leadframe assembly including: a dielectric leadframe housing;a differential signal pair of electrical contacts extending through the leadframe housing; anda ground plate having a pair of embossments, such that the electrical contacts of the differential signal pair are both disposed between each of the pair of embossments along a first direction and aligned with each of the pair of embossments along the first direction,wherein the leadframe assembly defines an air pocket that is adjacent to each of the electrical contacts, and a portion of the air pocket extends between the electrical contacts of the differential signal pair and the ground plate along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. 18. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the air pocket has a size that provides for no more than a predefined amount of signal skew between the pair of electrical contacts. 19. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein one of the electrical contacts is longer than the other of the electrical contacts, and the size of the air pocket is based, at least in part, on relative lengths of the pair of electrical contacts. 20. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the air pocket has a size that provides for a predefined connector impedance. 21. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the air pocket further extends between the dielectric leadframe housing and the ground plate along the second direction.