How to choose Rogers ceramic PCB substrate material?
When discussing ceramic PCB, Rogers inevitably emerges as a prominent subject. Among Rogers’ extensive range of laminate materials, the RO4000 series stands out as a ceramic-based PCB substrate material. It has garnered significant favor among electronic manufacturing merchants, primarily due to its desirable attributes. Notably, the RO4000 series exhibits low-loss characteristics while remaining compatible with the commonly employed epoxy/glass (FR-4) fabrication method.
- The RO4000 series boasts a dielectric constant range spanning from 2.55 to 6.15, offering both general and flame retardant variants.
- Multiple options for copper foil finishes are available, including silver-plated, tin-plated, and gold-plated variants.
- This material excels in high frequency performance, showcasing remarkable characteristics such as lower dielectric loss and a wide range of dielectric constants.
RO4000® LoPro® Laminates
RO4000® LoPro® laminates have been meticulously engineered to deliver exceptional high frequency performance and cost-effective circuit construction. These laminates seamlessly integrate with standard epoxy/FR-4 processes, thereby enabling more competitive manufacturing solutions.
Rogers employs its proprietary technique in the production of these ceramic PCBs, facilitating the bonding of reverse processed foil to the standard RO4000 dielectric. This innovative approach yields boards with minimal conductor loss, resulting in improved insertion loss and superior signal integrity. Remarkably, these benefits are achieved while preserving all other essential attributes inherent in a standard RO4000 laminate system.
Key Advantages of RO4000® LoPro® Laminate:
- Low insertion loss, allowing for designs that support higher operating frequencies, even surpassing 40 GHz.
- Reduced passive intermodulation (PIM) for base station antennas, enhancing overall system performance.
- Lower conductor losses, leading to enhanced thermal performance.
- Reduction in manufacturing costs, ensuring a more cost-efficient production process.
- Excellent high frequency performance, enabling reliable signal transmission at elevated frequencies.
- Minimized losses, maximizing overall efficiency.
- Thin Reverse Processing Copper Foil, optimizing the design flexibility.
- High glass transition temperature, guaranteeing stability under varying thermal conditions.
- High thermal conductivity along the Z-axis, facilitating effective heat dissipation.
- RoHS Compliant, adhering to environmental regulations and promoting sustainability.
RO4003C™ Laminates
Rogers Corporation has developed a proprietary woven glass-reinforced hydrocarbon/ceramic material, widely recognized as RO4003C™ laminate. This laminate encompasses various combinations utilizing 1080 and 1674 glass fiber types, all adhering to the same stringent electrical performance standards. Leveraging RO4003C™ laminate for Rogers ceramic PCB fabrication presents numerous advantageous features, including:
- High-frequency operation: The material exhibits exceptional performance in high-frequency applications, ensuring reliable signal transmission.
- Loss reduction: RO4003C™ laminate minimizes signal losses, enabling enhanced overall system efficiency.
- Simple processing: The laminate’s composition facilitates straightforward processing, streamlining the manufacturing process.
- Cost-effective products: Utilizing RO4003C™ laminate allows for the production of cost-effective Rogers Ceramic PCB, contributing to overall affordability. Additionally, these products comply with RoHS regulations.
Technical Specifications of RO4003C™ laminate:
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 4.0 |
| Loss tangent | 0.002 |
| Dielectric strength | 200 MV/m |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.95 W/m/K |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 14 ppm/°C |
| Flame retardant | UL 94 V-0 |
RO4350B™ Laminates
RO4350B™ laminates have garnered significant interest among electronics manufacturers as preferred ceramic PCB materials. Traditional ceramic PCB face challenges in achieving multi-layer manufacturing, making the construction of even double-layer boards quite difficult. However, RO4350B™ laminates have revolutionized the field by enabling the production of multilayer ceramic PCB. These laminates are crafted from woven glass cloth, meticulously combined with ceramic resin and hydrocarbons. This unique composition endows the circuit with exceptional high-frequency performance. In addition, RO4350B™ laminates adhere to the rigorous UL 94V-0 compliance standards, ensuring flame retardancy. This remarkable combination of features makes RO4350B™ laminates an ideal choice for various high-frequency applications, including microwave circuits and antennas.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 3.48 ± 0.05 |
| Dissipation factor | 0.0037 at 10 GHz |
| Z-axis coefficient of thermal expansion | 32 ppm/°C |
| Flame-retardant rating | UL 94V-0 |
| Available thicknesses | 0.004″ (0.101 mm) to 0.030″ (0.762 mm) |
| Available sizes | 24″ x 36″ (610 mm x 915 mm) and larger |
| Processing methods | Standard PCB board manufacturing techniques |
RO4360G2™ Laminates
This laminate is manufactured using advanced thermosetting resin technology, incorporating ceramics and reinforced with glass fibers. This unique composition yield laminates with exceptional mechanical and electrical properties, facilitating the implementation of automated PCB assembly and processing by PCBA companies. This Rogers ceramic laminate boasts a dielectric constant of 6.15 at 2.5 GHz, accompanied by a remarkably low loss tangent of 0.003. These characteristics ensure high-level electrical insulation and minimal signal loss, rendering them particularly valuable for high-frequency circuits. Consequently, they find widespread application in radio-frequency and microwave circuits.
In addition to their electrical properties, RO4360G2™ laminates exhibit other notable attributes. They possess a high glass transition temperature (Tg) exceeding 280°C, ensuring stability and reliability in demanding high-temperature environments. Furthermore, these laminates demonstrate a small z-axis coefficient of thermal expansion, measuring at 30 PPM/°C. This attribute contributes to their ability to withstand high levels of thermal stress, further enhancing their reliability.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 6.15 ± 0.15 |
| Dissipation factor | 0.0038 at 10 GHz |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.75 W/(m-K) |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion in z-axis | 28 ppm/°C |
| Glass transition temperature | Greater than 280 °C (TMA) |
RO4400™ Laminates
The RO4400™laminates represent a state-of-the-art Rogers PCB solution, characterized by their high-frequency thermoset prepreg material. These laminates offer compatibility with a range of laminate options, including O4003C, RO4350B, RO4835™, RO4360G2™, and RO4000 LoPro laminates, enabling their utilization in the construction of multilayer PCB. Leveraging the core materials derived from the esteemed RO4400™, these laminates have a long-standing reputation for enhancing the performance of FR-4 multilayer designs when combined with FR-4 cores and prepregs.
Moreover, this Rogers PCB material is designed to be fully compatible with lead free PCB assembly processes, aligning with industry standards and regulations. Complying with the RHoS directive, it demonstrates a commitment to environmental sustainability and the adoption of responsible manufacturing practices.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 3.65 |
| Loss tangent | 0.0025 |
| Dielectric strength | 4000 V/mil |
| Water absorption | 0.025% |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 43-60 ppm/°C |
| Sequential lamination capable | Yes |
| Lead-free solder processing compatible | Yes |
RO4500™ Laminates
The RO4500™ laminates, a part of the high-frequency laminated substrate materials, have been specifically developed to cater to the demanding requirements of electronic circuits and applications that necessitate exceptional electrical performance at microwave frequencies.
One notable advantage of RO4500™ is their compatibility with high-temperature lead-free solder and traditional FR-4 processing methods. Unlike conventional PTFE-based laminates, RO4500 laminates eliminate the need for specific preparation steps for plated through-hole applications. This streamlined compatibility allows for efficient integration into PCBA manufacturing processes, while Rogers Ceramic Circuit Board maintains optimal performance.
The resin systems incorporated in the RO4500 dielectric materials contribute to its excellent antenna performance, meeting the specific demands of antenna designers. To cater to diverse design requirements, laminates are available in a range of dielectric constants (Dk) and loss tangents (Df). The Df values of RO4500™ vary from 0.0020 to 0.0037, while the Dk values fall between 3.3 and 3.5. These parameters enable antenna designers to achieve significant gains while minimizing signal loss.
In addition, offer options with proven low PIM performance. Antennas are prone to the PIM phenomenon, which generates unwanted signals and interferes with overall performance. By utilizing RO4500 laminates with low PIM performance, antenna interference can be effectively reduced, ensuring optimal signal integrity and performance.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 3.30 – 3.50 |
| Loss tangent | 0.0020 – 0.0037 |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.30 – 0.40 W/m-K |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 17 – 19 ppm/°C |
| Moisture absorption | 0.20 – 0.30% |
| Dimensional stability | Good |
| Strength | High |
| Toughness | High |
| Resilience | High |
| Fatigue resistance | High |
| Corrosion resistance | Good |
| Cost | Moderate |
RO4830™ Laminates
RO4830™, with its lower dielectric constant of 3.2, offers significant advantages in the construction of wireless communication, vehicle radar sensors, and medical PCB. This Rogers ceramic laminate possesses a range of properties that contribute to its exceptional performance in these applications:
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 3.2 |
| Dissipation factor | 0.0032 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | x-y = 21 ppm/°C, z = 83-110 ppm/°C |
| Flame retardant rating | UL 94 V-0 |
| Thickness | 0.005-0.020 inches |
| Size | Up to 24 x 36 inches |
Detailed property comparison of Rogers ceramic PCB materials
| Property | RO4000 LoPro | RO4003C™ | RO4350B™ | RO4400 | RO4500™ | RO4830™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dielectric constant | 3.38 (+/-0.05) | 3.38 (+/-0.05) | 3.38 (+/-0.05) | 4.35 (+/-0.05) | 3.80 (+/-0.05) | 3.20 (+/-0.15) |
| Dissipation factor | 0.0027 at 10 GHz | 0.0027 at 10 GHz | 0.0027 at 10 GHz | 0.0045 at 10 GHz | 0.0035 at 10 GHz | 0.0038 at 10 GHz |
| Thermal conductivity (W/m·K) | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.45 | 0.38 | 0.75 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion (ppm/°C) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 28 | 20 | 28 |
| Glass transition temperature (°C) | 170 | 170 | 170 | 180 | 170 | 280 |
| Thickness (mm) | 0.035, 0.063, 0.075, 0.100 | 0.035, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100 | 0.035, 0.050, 0.063, 0.100 | 0.035, 0.050, 0.063, 0.100 | 0.035, 0.050, 0.063, 0.100 | 0.035, 0.050, 0.063, 0.100 |
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