Choosing PCB Materials: Metal Clad Laminate vs. FR-4?
2025-12-18
Metal clad laminates and FR-4 are two commonly used substrate materials for printed circuit boards (PCBs) in the electronics industry. They differ in material composition, performance characteristics, and application areas.
Analysis of Metal Clad Laminate and FR-4
Metal Clad Laminate: This is a PCB material with a metal base, typically aluminum or copper. Its main feature is excellent thermal conductivity and heat dissipation capability, making it highly popular in applications requiring high thermal conductivity, such as LED lighting and power converters. The metal base effectively transfers heat from hotspots on the PCB to the entire board, reducing heat accumulation and improving the overall performance of the device.
FR-4: FR-4 is a laminate material that uses glass fiber cloth as the reinforcement and epoxy resin as the binder. It is the most widely used PCB substrate, favored for its good mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties, and flame-retardant characteristics, making it suitable for various electronic products. FR-4 has a flame-retardant rating of UL94 V-0, meaning it burns for a very short time when exposed to flames, making it suitable for electronic devices with high safety requirements.
Main Differences Between Metal Clad Laminate and FR-4
1. Base Material: Metal clad laminate uses metal (such as aluminum or copper) as the base, while FR-4 uses glass fiber cloth and epoxy resin.
2. Thermal Conductivity: Metal clad laminate has significantly higher thermal conductivity than FR-4, making it suitable for applications requiring effective heat dissipation.
3. Weight and Thickness: Metal clad laminate is generally heavier than FR-4 and may be thinner.
4. Processability: FR-4 is easy to process and suitable for complex multilayer PCB designs, while metal clad laminate is more challenging to process but ideal for single-layer or simple multilayer designs.
5. Cost: Metal clad laminate is typically more expensive than FR-4 due to the higher cost of metal.
6. Application Areas: Metal clad laminate is mainly used in electronic devices requiring good heat dissipation, such as power electronics and LED lighting. FR-4 is more versatile and suitable for most standard electronic devices and multilayer PCB designs.
In summary, the choice between metal clad laminate and FR-4 depends primarily on the product's thermal management requirements, design complexity, cost budget, and safety considerations. JDB PCB advises selecting materials based on the product's specific needs, as the most advanced material is not necessarily the most suitable.
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Mainland China's PCB Output Value to Rank First Globally in 2025, Share to Rise to 37.6%
2025-12-18
The demand for AI is driving a global expansion in Printed Circuit Board (PCB) production and the development of new manufacturing locations. Chinese manufacturers are actively establishing a presence in Thailand, while South Korean PCB companies, leveraging Samsung's longstanding operations in Vietnam, have made Malaysia a key expansion site for IC substrates in recent years. Japan is increasing investment to strengthen its ecosystem for advanced packaging and high-end PCBs, and Taiwanese PCB manufacturers have initiated a "China Plus One" strategy, shaping a new wave of production expansion.
On December 14, the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute's Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center released the "2025 Mainland China PCB Industry Dynamic Observation" and the "2025 Japan and South Korea PCB Industry Observation" reports, analyzing the industrial shifts in East Asian PCB production bases in the AI era and the expansion into new locations.
TPCA pointed out that Mainland China is the world's largest PCB production base. In 2025, the output value of Mainland Chinese companies is expected to reach $34.18 billion, a year-on-year increase of 22.3%, with the global market share rising to 37.6%, demonstrating explosive growth momentum.
Mainland Chinese manufacturers are actively promoting overseas deployment. Thailand, with its favorable investment environment and well-developed infrastructure, has become the preferred destination for Mainland Chinese PCB manufacturers' capacity relocation. TPCA stated that the current estimated production value of Mainland Chinese-funded PCB factories in Thailand accounts for about 1.7% of their total output value. Although they may face challenges in the short term, such as rising local labor costs and low initial yield rates for new factories, the globalization strategy can mitigate geopolitical risks and attract new customers and market share in the long run.
Taiwan (China) is the world's second-largest PCB production base. Mainland China was once the primary production location for Taiwanese PCB companies. In recent years, affected by geopolitical risks, Taiwanese companies have successively launched a "China Plus One" strategy, establishing new bases in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Currently, more than ten Taiwanese-funded PCB companies, including Compeq, Zhen Ding Technology, Unimicron, Chin-Poon, and Gold Circuit Electronics, have invested and set up factories in Thailand, with many now in mass production. Tripod focuses on Vietnam, while HannStar Board and GBM, under the PSA Group, have chosen Malaysia for their plants.
TPCA stated that Taiwan's (China) semiconductor and PCB industries play crucial roles in the global AI server supply chain. Facing changes in the new Asian landscape, Taiwan (China) needs to accelerate the deepening and strengthening of its capabilities in advanced packaging, high-end technology, and material autonomy while managing geopolitical and market risks to maintain its key role in the AI era's supply chain restructuring.
Japan is the world's third-largest PCB production base. TPCA noted that the output value of Japanese-funded companies in 2024 was approximately $11.53 billion, with a global market share of about 14.4%. It is estimated that Japan's PCB industry will return to positive growth in 2025, with the total domestic and overseas output value expected to rise to $11.82 billion, reaching $12.35 billion in 2026.
Furthermore, TPCA indicated that Japan is not only relying on corporate investment to boost production capacity but also aligning with the government's recent national strategies for AI and semiconductors. Through institutionalized subsidies, dedicated funding systems, and supply chain security strategies, Japan aims to enhance its overall competitiveness in the advanced packaging and high-end PCB ecosystem.
South Korea ranks fourth in the global PCB market. TPCA reported that the total domestic and overseas output value of South Korean-funded enterprises in 2024 was approximately $7.86 billion, accounting for a 9.8% market share. The South Korean industry is expected to experience stable and moderate growth from 2025 to 2026, with projected total output values of $7.94 billion and $8.16 billion, respectively.
Regarding overseas deployment, TPCA pointed out that South Korean PCB companies, benefiting from Samsung's established supply chain in Vietnam over the years, have made Malaysia a primary expansion base for IC substrates in recent years, actively increasing BT substrate capacity to meet subsequent memory market demand. TPCA analyzed that South Korea will continue to play a significant role in memory and server platforms and maintain its strategic position in the global PCB supply chain through high-end substrate technology.
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Source: TPCA
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How Does RO4003C LoPro Laminate Enhance RF PCB Performance
2025-12-03
The performance of radio frequency (RF) and high-speed digital circuits is intrinsically linked to the substrate material and construction of the printed circuit board (PCB). The presented board exemplifies how advanced hydrocarbon ceramic materials can be leveraged to achieve superior signal integrity and thermal performance while maintaining compatibility with standard PCB processing techniques.
1. Introduction
As operational frequencies in communication and computing systems continue to escalate, the electrical properties of the PCB substrate become a dominant factor in system performance. Traditional FR-4 materials exhibit excessive loss and unstable dielectric constant at microwave frequencies, necessitating the use of specialized low-loss laminates. The following technical analysis focuses on a specific implementation using Rogers Corporation's RO4003C LoPro series, a material engineered to provide an optimal balance of high-frequency performance, thermal management, and manufacturability.
2. Material Selection: RO4003C LoPro Laminate
The core of the design is the RO4003C LoPro laminate, a hydrocarbon ceramic composite. Its selection is justified by several key characteristics:
Stable Dielectric Constant: A tight tolerance of 3.38 ± 0.05 at 10 GHz ensures predictable impedance control across the board and over varying environmental conditions.
Low Dissipation Factor: At 0.0027, the material minimizes dielectric loss, which is critical for maintaining signal strength and integrity in applications exceeding 40 GHz.
Enhanced Thermal Performance: The laminate features a high thermal conductivity of 0.64 W/m/K and a glass transition temperature (Tg) exceeding 280°C, ensuring reliability during lead-free assembly and in high-power operational environments.
Low-Profile Copper: The "LoPro" designation refers to the use of reverse-treated foil, which creates a smoother conductor surface. This reduces conductor loss and dispersion, directly improving insertion loss compared to standard electrodeposited copper foils.
A significant advantage of the RO4003C material system is its compatibility with standard FR-4 multilayer lamination and processing procedures, eliminating the need for costly via pre-treatments and thereby reducing overall manufacturing cost and complexity.
3. PCB Construction and Stack-up
The board is a 2-layer rigid construction with the following detailed stackup:
Layer 1: 35 µm (1 oz) rolled copper foil.
Dielectric: Rogers RO4003C LoPro core, 0.526 mm (20.7 mil) thick.
Layer 2: 35 µm (1 oz) rolled copper foil.
The finished board thickness is 0.65 mm, indicating a thin-profile build suitable for compact assemblies. The construction details reflect a design optimized for high yield and performance:
Critical Dimensions: Minimum trace/space of 5/5 mil and a minimum drilled hole size of 0.3 mm demonstrate a design rule set that is readily achievable while supporting a moderate level of routing density.
Surface Finish: The specification of silver underplating with gold plating (often referred to as "hard" or "electrolytic" gold) is indicative of an RF design. This finish provides excellent surface conductivity for high-frequency currents, low contact resistance for connectors, and superior environmental robustness.
Via Structure: The board utilizes 39 through-hole vias with a plating thickness of 20 µm, ensuring high reliability for interlayer connections. The absence of blind vias simplifies the fabrication process.
4. Quality and Standards
The PCB layout data was supplied in Gerber RS-274-X format, ensuring accurate and unambiguous data transfer to the manufacturer. The board was fabricated and tested to IPC-A-600 Class 2 standards, which is the typical benchmark for commercial and industrial electronics where extended life and performance are required.
Quality Assurance: A 100% electrical test was performed post-manufacturing, verifying the integrity of all connections and the absence of shorts or opens.
5. Application Profile
The combination of material properties and construction details makes the PCB suitable for a range of high-performance applications, including:
Cellular base station antennas and power amplifiers, where low passive intermodulation (PIM) is critical.
Low-noise block downconverters (LNBs) in satellite reception systems.
Critical signal paths in high-speed digital infrastructure, such as server backplanes and network routers.
High-frequency RF identification (RFID) tags.
6. Conclusion
The analyzed PCB serves as a practical case study in the effective application of Rogers RO4003C LoPro laminate. The design leverages the material's stable electrical properties, low loss profile, and excellent thermal characteristics to meet the demands of modern high-frequency circuits. Furthermore, the fabrication specifications demonstrate that such high performance can be achieved without resorting to exotic or prohibitively expensive manufacturing processes.
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Is a TLX-8 PCB the Right Choice for Your High-Frequency Application
2025-12-01
In the demanding world of RF and microwave design, the printed circuit board (PCB) is far more than a simple interconnection platform—it is an integral component of the system's performance. Material selection, stack-up, and fabrication tolerances directly impact signal integrity, thermal management, and long-term reliability.
Today, we're deconstructing a specific, high-performance PCB build to illustrate how material science and precision manufacturing converge to meet the rigorous demands of aerospace, defense, and telecommunications applications.
The Blueprint: A High-Frequency, 2-Layer Board
Let's start with the core construction details:
Base Material: Taconic TLX-8
Layer Count: 2 layers
Board Dimensions: 25mm x 71mm (±0.15mm)
Critical Fabrication Tolerances:
Surface Finish: Immersion Gold (ENIG)
Quality Standard: IPC-Class-2
Testing: 100% Electrical Test
This isn't a standard FR-4 board. The choice of TLX-8, a PTFE fiberglass composite, immediately signals an application where electrical performance is non-negotiable.
Why TLX-8? The Substrate as a Strategic Component
TLX-8 is a premier high-volume antenna material chosen for its exceptional and stable electrical properties, coupled with remarkable mechanical robustness. Its value proposition lies in its versatility across severe operating environments:
Resistance to Creep & Vibration: Critical for structures bolted into housings that experience extreme forces, such as during a rocket launch.
High-Temperature Performance: With a decomposition temperature (Td) exceeding 535°C, it can withstand exposure in engine modules or other high-heat scenarios.
Radiation Resistance & Low Outgassing: A mandatory property for space-borne electronics, as recognized by NASA.
Dimensional Stability: With values as low as 0.06 mm/m after bake, it ensures consistent registration and impedance control, even under thermal stress.
Decoding the Electrical and Mechanical Advantages
The datasheet properties of TLX-8 tell a compelling story for RF engineers:
Low & Stable Dielectric Constant (Dk): 2.55 ± 0.04 @ 10 GHz. This tight tolerance is crucial for predictable velocity of propagation and consistent impedance matching across the board and across production batches.
Ultra-Low Dissipation Factor (Df): 0.0018 @ 10 GHz. This translates to minimal signal loss, making it ideal for high-frequency and low-noise applications.
Excellent Passive Intermodulation (PIM) Performance: Typically measured below -160 dBc, a critical figure of merit for modern cellular infrastructure and antenna systems where spurious signals can cripple network capacity.
Superior Thermal & Chemical Properties:
Analyzing the Stack-up and Fabrication Choices
The simple 2-layer stack-up is elegant and effective for this low-component-count design:
Copper (35µm) | TLX-8 Core (0.787mm) | Copper (35µm)
Key fabrication notes:
No Solder Mask or Bottom Silkscreen: This is common in RF boards where the laminate itself forms the transmission medium, and any additional material can affect the electromagnetic field and introduce loss.
Immersion Gold (ENIG) Surface Finish: Provides a flat, solderable surface with excellent oxidation resistance, ideal for fine-pitch components and reliable wire bonding if needed.
27 Vias on an 11-Component Board: This indicates a design where grounding, shielding, and thermal management are paramount. The robust 20µm via plating ensures reliability.
Typical Applications: Where This Technology Excels
This specific combination of material and fabrication is tailored for critical functions in:
Radar Systems (for automotive, aerospace, and defense)
5G/6G Mobile Communication Infrastructure
Microwave Test Equipment & Transmission Devices
Critical RF Components: Couplers, Power Splitters/Combiners, Low-Noise Amplifiers, and Antennas.
Conclusion: A Testament to Precision Engineering
By selecting Taconic TLX-8 and adhering to tight fabrication tolerances, this construction achieves a blend of high-frequency performance, exceptional reliability, and environmental resilience that is simply unattainable with standard materials. It underscores a critical principle: in advanced electronics, the foundation—the PCB itself—is a active and decisive element in system success.
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AI Demand Drives Upstream Chain Reaction, CCL Industry Sees "Volume and Price Rising Together"
2025-11-25
The AI computing power revolution is driving a surge in demand for high-end printed circuit boards (PCBs), creating structural growth opportunities for its upstream key base material – Copper Clad Laminate (CCL). Some high-grade categories have become hot commodities. A person from a domestic CCL factory stated, "Demand has recovered in the first half of the year, but whether it's supply falling short of demand depends on the product. There is indeed very strong demand for some products, while others are experiencing steady growth." Through multiple interviews, a CLS reporter recently learned that many CCL companies have raised product prices several times within the year, and dynamic adjustments are still ongoing. Cost pressures and demand dividends are major drivers behind the price increases. Optimistic about the future growth potential of high-end products like high-frequency & high-speed and high thermal conductivity CCL, domestic manufacturers are also accelerating related capacity layout.
It is understood that CCL constitutes a major part of PCB cost structure, and copper foil, as the main raw material for CCL, accounts for over 30% of the cost. The rise in copper prices directly impacts CCL production costs. International copper prices have continued to rise this year, with LME copper hitting a high of $11,200 per ton by the end of October. Regarding the main reasons for high copper prices, Zhuochuang Information analyst Tang Zhihao mentioned in an interview with a CLS reporter that AI computing centers, copper foil for chips, and grid upgrades are driving copper consumption. China's new energy and power sectors maintain high prosperity, offsetting the drag from the real estate downturn, while low inventories amplify price elasticity. "Looking ahead, declining mine grades and deep-level mining lead to continuously rising sustaining CAPEX. The average annual growth rate of mine production from 2025-2030 is estimated to be only about 1.5%, far lower than the demand growth rate. Supply shortage expectations will provide hard support for copper prices," Tang Zhihao believes. In the short to medium term, the core LME copper trading range is $10,000-$11,000/ton. In the medium to long term, if mine-side investment still lags and green demand exceeds expectations, the average price is expected to gradually move up to $10,750-$11,200/ton.
On the consumer side, some copper-using enterprises are implementing hedging operations to cope with rising copper prices. Others are more direct, achieving cost pass-through by raising the prices of sheet materials. Just in the first half of this year, due to the "sharp rise in copper prices", leading major manufacturer Kingboard Laminates (01888.HK) issued price increase notices in March and May, which triggered other manufacturers in the industry to follow suit.
The price hikes are not only driven by costs; structural growth on the demand side also contributes to the increase in CCL product prices. "PCB is a mature manufacturing industry that constantly updates according to downstream demand. The market changes fast, demand is fast, and as material suppliers, we must also change accordingly," an industry practitioner told CLS, adding that "AI computing power, robotics, drones, new energy vehicles' electronic control systems all require CCL and circuit boards, and the usage volume is relatively large."
CLS reporters recently posed as investors calling listed CCL companies. A staff member from the securities department of Nanya New Material (688519.SH) stated that the current capacity utilization rate is over 90%. Prices are already rising, and regarding the timing of increases, they revealed "there was an increase in October." Additionally, there were price hikes in the first half of the year. A staff member from Huazheng New Material (603186.SH) also said that the current capacity utilization rate is high, showing an increase compared to the first half of the year and last year. Mentioning price increases, they said, "We are making corresponding adjustments. We started adjusting in October, making dynamic adjustments based on products and customers." Regarding whether product prices would be adjusted due to high copper prices, the staff member indicated a need to comprehensively consider the extent and sustainability of the raw material price increase. A staff member from Jin'an Guji (002636.SZ) stated that the company's pricing follows the market, and price and demand complement each other. Product prices can only rise when market demand is strong.
Furthermore, some industry manufacturers stated that they are still adjusting prices for different CCL products in batches. A person from a domestic CCL factory told the CLS reporter that overall market demand is increasing. The company's sales volume maintained double-digit year-on-year growth in 2023 and 2024. While sales volume increased, profitability was poor, and non-GAAP net profit was still in the red, due to previously low prices. Domestic competition is fierce, and downstream players have their own cost requirements, meaning upstream materials cannot be too expensive, preventing CCL prices from being very firm. The person admitted that CCL product prices started falling in 2022 and continued until last year. Although currently recovering, they are far from the levels seen in 2021.
However, further improvement in market conditions and the benefits from earlier price increases have significantly boosted manufacturers' performance. In the first three quarters of this year, industry companies such as Shengyi Technology (600183.SH), Jin'an Guji (002636.SZ), and Ultrasonic Electronic (000823.SZ) achieved growth in both revenue and net profit, with net profit increasing year-on-year by 20% to 78% respectively. Regarding the performance change, Jin'an Guji pointed out in its third-quarter report that it was mainly due to increased gross profit from its main products.
As demand for high-grade CCL in application scenarios like AI servers climbs, domestic manufacturers are also accelerating the layout of technology for products above M6 grade. For example, Shengyi Technology's very low-loss products are already in mass supply; Chaoying Electronic (603175.SH) revealed on an interactive platform that the company is closely cooperating with several customers on M9 CCL technology. Nanya New Material's General Manager Bao Xinyang recently stated at an earnings conference that in the high-speed material field, the company has proactively initiated the R&D layout for M10 grade CCL products. The technical focus for the next-generation products will be on achieving even lower dielectric loss to further enhance signal transmission quality, lower Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) to improve packaging interconnect reliability, and higher heat resistance to meet growing heat dissipation demands. Regarding the progress of M10 grade CCL products, a staff member from the company's securities department said, "Lab products are already out."
Industrial Research believes that AI CCL is becoming the engine driving a new round of industry growth. According to their estimates, the AI CCL market (for AI servers, switches, optical modules) will reach $2.2 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 100%. It is estimated that in 2026, due to ASIC volume shipment and NVIDIA's new products upgrading CCL to M9, the AI CCL market will reach $3.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of 60%. By 2028, it is expected to reach $5.8 billion. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for AI CCL from 2024 to 2028 is projected to be 52%.
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Source: CLS
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