High frequency PCB base materials – a comparison of thermomechanical properties Available to Purchase

There is increasing customer demand for materials with low dissipation factors for reduced loss along the traces and low dielectric constants for higher signal propagation speeds. High performance epoxies such as Nelco's N4000‐13, Isola's FR408 and General Electric's GETEK (similar to Matsushita's MEGTRON) have become essential for boards operating in the higher frequency range. For applications at the highest frequencies material choices are very limited. These materials, tailored for high frequency use, have disadvantages – either with their thermomechanical properties or with their processability. Recently, a number of new “high frequency” or “low loss” materials have been introduced by different suppliers. In an overall relatively small but growing market, these materials have to demonstrate their advantages – from an electrical, thermomechanical, processing, fabrication quality and/or cost standpoint when compared to the established materials. This paper compares the thermomechanical performance and fabrication quality of new “high frequency”/“low loss” base materials.