Leading International Brands

• Rogers Corporation: A recognized leader in this field with a comprehensive product portfolio. Its flagship series include the RO4000® series (based on hydrocarbon resin and ceramic), which offers excellent high-frequency performance, stable dielectric constant (Dk), good processability, and cost-effectiveness. It is widely used in applications like 5G infrastructure. The RO3000® series (based on PTFE and ceramic) features an extremely low dissipation factor (Df) and is designed for demanding RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications. Furthermore, its RT/duroid® series is a benchmark material for millimeter-wave frequencies.
• AGC Group: By integrating the businesses of Nelco and Taconic, the AGC Group has become a significant force in the market. The former Taconic’s TLY series is a classic PTFE-based laminate, renowned for its ultra-low loss and excellent batch-to-batch consistency, making it highly trusted in phased array radar, aerospace, and similar fields. Its Meteorwave® series represents another technological approach, utilizing polyphenylene oxide (PPO) resin and expanding the options for high-frequency laminates.
• Panasonic: Known for its high-speed digital laminates, Panasonic’s Megtron series (especially Megtron 6 and above) is favored for its very low transmission loss and superior resistance to Conductive Anodic Filament (CAF) formation. It is not only the primary choice for high-end servers and data centers but is also often used as a high-performance option in loss-sensitive high-frequency RF modules.
• Isola Group: As a traditional industry giant, Isola has a deep presence in the high-frequency segment. Its TerraGreen® series offers versions optimized for mixed high-frequency and high-speed scenarios, while Astra® MT77 is a low-loss material specifically optimized for microwave frequencies.

Major Domestic Brands (China)

Domestic brands have made significant breakthroughs in the R&D and production of high-frequency laminates in recent years, with rapidly advancing product performance. They provide crucial options for supply chain security and cost control.

• Shengyi Technology: A leader in China’s copper-clad laminate (CCL) industry with a complete product line. Its hydrocarbon resin-based high-frequency materials like the S7136H series offer performance approaching international standards and are a mainstay for domestic substitution in areas like 5G base stations. For cutting-edge applications like millimeter-wave, it has also launched high-end PTFE-based materials such as the mmWave series.
• ZYTech: An important domestic supplier of high-frequency CCLs. Its core products include the ZYF series (PTFE-based) and ZYC series (hydrocarbon resin-based). These products are widely used in 5G base station antennas, filters, and other fields due to their good cost-performance ratio and stable RF performance.
• Wingline (Taizhou): Focuses on specialty high-frequency materials. Its product range covers PTFE-based, hydrocarbon resin-based, and unique polyphenylene oxide (PPO)-based composite materials. Its WL series products feature low loss and high thermal conductivity, meeting the demands of harsh environments such as radar and high-power amplifiers.
• ITEQ and TUC (Taiwan): Both are globally renowned CCL manufacturers headquartered in Taiwan. They also possess strong capabilities in the high-frequency and high-speed material sector. For example, ITEQ’s IT series and TUC’s TU series excel in low loss and signal integrity, making them important players in the data center and 5G equipment markets.

Beyond the finished laminates, the performance of core raw materials such as low dielectric (Low-Dk) resins, very low-profile (HVLP) copper foils, and low-Dk glass fiber fabrics is equally critical. Currently, domestic upstream material enterprises including Shengquan Group, Dongcai Technology, and Sinoma Science & Technology are also accelerating technological breakthroughs. Some of their products have achieved volume supply, driving the localization process of the entire industry chain.

How to Select High-Frequency Laminates

Selecting a high-frequency laminate requires a comprehensive consideration of several key performance indicators and application scenarios.

• Key Performance Indicators:
  • Dielectric Constant (Dk) and its Stability: Affects signal propagation speed and impedance control. Stable Dk values mean more reliable performance across different temperatures and frequencies.
  • Dissipation Factor (Df): Measures the energy loss of a signal as it travels through the laminate. A lower Df value indicates lower signal loss, which is advantageous for high-frequency applications.
  • Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE): A CTE that closely matches that of copper foil results in better dimensional stability of the laminate with temperature changes, contributing to long-term reliability.
• Typical Applications and Material Preferences:
  • 5G Communication Base Stations, Automotive Radar, Satellite Communication: These applications typically have extremely high requirements for low loss and Dk stability. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based laminates (e.g., Rogers’ RT/duroid series, AGC’s TLY series) are the classic choice for very high frequencies like millimeter-wave. Hydrocarbon resin/ceramic-based laminates (e.g., Rogers’ RO4000 series, Shengyi’s S7136 series) strike a balance between performance and cost in mainstream RF products.
  • AI Servers, High-Speed Switches, Data Centers: These high-speed digital applications also require low loss but place high demands on the laminate’s processability, multi-layer compatibility, and long-term thermal reliability (e.g., CAF resistance). Modified epoxy-based substrates (e.g., Panasonic’s Megtron series, Isola FR408HR) and some hydrocarbon resin-based substrates are common choices.

Future Development Trends

The evolution of high-frequency and high-speed PCBs is driving continuous upgrades in upstream materials. Currently, low-loss resins represented by polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and hydrocarbon resins, as well as advanced raw materials like HVLP copper foil and Low-Dk glass fiber fabrics (especially quartz fiber fabrics), have become the focus of R&D and advancement. They are crucial for achieving higher performance grades of CCLs, such as M7 and beyond.