PCB Materials Guide
Comprehensive guide to PCB base materials, brands, and their applications
PCB base materials fall into several categories depending on the end application: standard FR-4 laminates for general electronics, high-Tg FR-4 for lead-free assembly and thermal cycling, high-frequency PTFE and ceramic-filled substrates for RF/microwave circuits, high-speed low-loss laminates for digital signal integrity, and metal-core substrates (aluminum, copper) for thermal management. Material selection directly affects electrical performance, thermal reliability, and manufacturing cost.
FR-4 Laminate Series
FR-4 is the most widely used PCB laminate, composed of woven glass fabric impregnated with epoxy resin. It is classified by glass transition temperature (Tg), which determines the upper operating temperature before the resin softens. Standard Tg (130-140°C) suits consumer electronics; mid-Tg (150°C) handles lead-free soldering; high-Tg (170°C+) is required for automotive, server, and telecom applications where thermal cycling reliability is critical. We stock the following grades from major laminate suppliers.
| Brand | Model | Tg Value | Features | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingboard | KB-6160 | 130°C | Standard FR-4, good cost-performance ratio | Consumer electronics, LED drivers |
| Kingboard | KB-6164 | 150°C | Mid-Tg, improved thermal reliability | Industrial control, power supply |
| Shengyi | S1141 | 140°C | Standard FR-4, stable quality | General electronics, IoT devices |
| Shengyi | S1170 | 170°C | High-Tg, excellent thermal stability | Automotive, telecom, server |
| Shengyi | S1000-2 | 170°C | High-Tg, halogen-free, low CTE | Automotive ADAS, medical devices |
| ITEQ | IT-180A | 180°C | Very High-Tg, lead-free compatible | High-reliability, aerospace |
| TUC | TU-862 HF | 280°C | Ultra High-Tg, halogen-free, low Dk/Df | High-speed digital, backplane, server |
| Isola | 370HR | 180°C | High-Tg, CAF resistant, low Z-axis CTE | Multilayer, lead-free assembly, military |
High-Frequency Materials
High-frequency laminates use PTFE (Teflon), ceramic-filled, or hydrocarbon-based dielectrics to achieve low and stable dielectric constant (Dk) and dissipation factor (Df) across a wide frequency range. These materials are required for RF, microwave, and antenna applications where signal loss and phase stability are critical. We process Rogers, Taconic, and Arlon substrates and support hybrid stackups with FR-4 cores to reduce cost while maintaining RF performance on critical layers.
| Brand | Series | Dk (Dielectric Constant) | Df (Dissipation Factor) | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers | RO4003C | 3.38 @10GHz | 0.0027 @10GHz | Base station antennas, power amplifiers, automotive radar |
| Rogers | RO4350B | 3.48 @10GHz | 0.0037 @10GHz | LNA, filters, coupling networks, RFID |
| Rogers | RO3003 | 3.00 @10GHz | 0.0013 @10GHz | Millimeter-wave, automotive 77GHz radar |
| Rogers | RO3006 | 6.15 @10GHz | 0.0020 @10GHz | Patch antennas, GPS, size-constrained RF modules |
| Rogers | RT/duroid 5880 | 2.20 @10GHz | 0.0009 @10GHz | Airborne radar, satellite communication, point-to-point links |
| Rogers | RO6002 | 2.94 @10GHz | 0.0012 @10GHz | Microstrip and stripline circuits, aerospace |
| Taconic | TLY-5 | 2.20 @10GHz | 0.0009 @10GHz | Low-loss microwave, phased array antenna |
| Taconic | RF-35 | 3.50 @1.9GHz | 0.0018 @1.9GHz | Cellular infrastructure, wireless LAN, commercial RF |
| Arlon | AD255 | 2.55 @10GHz | 0.0018 @10GHz | Wideband antennas, feed networks |
| Arlon | AD1000 | 10.20 @10GHz | 0.0030 @10GHz | Miniaturized antennas, dielectric resonators |
High-Speed / Low-Loss Materials
High-speed laminates are engineered for digital applications operating above 5 Gbps, where insertion loss and skew directly impact bit error rate. These materials combine low Dk and ultra-low Df with conventional FR-4-like processing, making them compatible with standard multilayer fabrication. They are used in 100G/400G switch backplanes, high-performance computing, and advanced storage systems. We support the following high-speed grades and can advise on stackup design for loss budget targets.
| Brand | Model | Dk (Dielectric Constant) | Df (Dissipation Factor) | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shengyi | S1000-2M | 3.9 @1GHz | 0.011 @1GHz | Mid-loss digital, telecom routers |
| Shengyi | S7439 | 3.6 @1GHz | 0.005 @1GHz | High-speed server, 25G+ SerDes channels |
| ITEQ | IT-968 | 3.7 @1GHz | 0.008 @1GHz | Network switch, mid-loss backplane |
| ITEQ | IT-988GSE | 3.4 @1GHz | 0.003 @1GHz | 56G PAM4 channels, HPC, data center |
| TUC | TU-872 SLK | 3.4 @1GHz | 0.004 @1GHz | Low-loss backplane, 100G optical modules |
| Panasonic | Megtron 6 (R-5775K) | 3.4 @1GHz | 0.002 @1GHz | 400G switch, AI/ML accelerator, ultra-low-loss channels |
| Isola | I-Tera MT40 | 3.45 @1GHz | 0.0031 @1GHz | High-layer-count backplane, advanced networking |
Metal Substrates
Metal-core PCBs (MCPCB) use an aluminum or copper base plate bonded to a thin dielectric layer and copper foil. The metal core acts as a heat spreader, conducting heat away from active components directly to the chassis or heatsink. Key parameters are dielectric thermal conductivity (W/m-K) and breakdown voltage. We produce aluminum-based IMS boards from 1.0 to 10.0 W/m-K and copper-based substrates for extreme thermal loads.
| Type | Base Material | Thermal Conductivity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum (Standard) | Aluminum 5052 | 1.0 W/m·K | Cost-effective, suitable for standard LED applications |
| Aluminum (Mid-Thermal) | Aluminum 5052 | 2.0-3.0 W/m·K | Enhanced thermal performance for high-power LED |
| Aluminum (High-Thermal) | Aluminum 6061 | 3.0-10.0 W/m·K | Ceramic-filled dielectric, premium thermal management |
| Copper Base | Copper C1100 | 380 W/m·K | Ultimate thermal conductivity for extreme applications |
Special Materials
Beyond standard FR-4 and metal-core, we process a range of specialty substrates to meet specific cost, mechanical, or environmental requirements. CEM-series composites offer lower cost for single-sided applications, while polyimide supports flex and high-temperature environments.
| Type | Features | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| CEM-1 | Paper core with glass epoxy surfaces | Single-sided, cost-sensitive consumer products |
| CEM-3 | Glass fiber composite, good machinability | Double-sided, general-purpose electronics |
| Rogers | PTFE-based, low Dk/Df, high-frequency | RF, microwave, antenna designs |
| Polyimide (PI) | Flexible, high temperature resistance | Flex PCB, aerospace, high-temp environments |