Choosing the right PCB laminate is key to a quality product, You must consider application, assembly techniques, etc. But don't get caught by the "latest & greatest" fad. Make sensible decisions and save yourself money without compromising quality.

1. PCB Laminates
What you need to know!

2. What Is It?
Components
•Core
•Pre-Preg
•Foil
Vendor Datasheet
• Thickness
• Glass Weave

3. What Is It?
• Fiberglass Reinforced Epoxy

4. High Speed vs. Glass Weave

5. The “Players”
• USA
• Asia

6. The “Choices”
*Isola’s Product Ladder

7. The “Choices”
• FR-4 - Flame Retardant Class 4
• DICY Epoxy
• Modified DICY Epoxy
• Fillers
• Low Loss
• Halogen-Free
• Others
• PTFE, LCP, Polyamide, CEM

8. Properties
• Tg - Glass Transition Temperature
• Td - Decomposition Temperature
• CTE - Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
• Dk - Dielectric Constant
• Df - Dissipation Factor
• Moisture Absorption
• Flammability
• Anti-CAF - Conductive Anodic Filament

9. Physical Properties
• Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)

10. Physical Properties
• Decomposition Temperature (Td)

11. Physical Properties
• Effects of Multiple Lead-Free Cycles

12. Anti-CAF?

13. Lead-Free Failures

14. Electrical Properties
• Dielectric Constant (Dk)

15. Electrical Properties
• Dissipation Factor (Df)

16. Why Do We Care?
• Lead-Free Assembly
• Higher Layer Counts
• Smaller Feature Sizes
• Faster Edge Rates

17. How Do They Stack-Up?

18. PCB Categories
• Lead Assembly
• 2L Lead-Free Assembly
• ≥4L Lead-Free Assembly
• ≥4L Lead-Free Assembly (High Speed)
• RF (>2GHz)

19. Lead Assembly
• Traditional Epoxy System (/21)
• I.e. Nan Ya NP-140
• I.e. TLM TLM-140
• Meets Customer Tg≥135˚C Requirement
• Low Cost Materials (~0.8x)
• Easy to Manufacture

20. 2L Lead-Free Assembly
• Modified Epoxy System (/101 /121)
• I.e. Nan Ya NP-140M - NOT NP-140!
• I.e. TLM TLM-140(mt)
• Pb-Free Compatible Materials
• Low Risk for Z-Axis CTE Failures
• Low-Medium Cost Materials (~0.9x)
• Easy to Manufacture

21. ≥4L Lead-Free Assembly
• Modified & Filled Epoxy System (/99 /126)
• I.e. Nan Ya NP-175F - NOT NP-170!
• I.e. TLM TLM-170(t)
• Pb-Free Compatible Materials
• Anti-CAF
• Low CTE Z-Axis Expansion
• Medium Cost Materials (~1.0x)
• Difficult to Manufacture
• Routed NOT Punched!

22. High Speed & RF
• Modified & Filled Epoxy Systems (/29 /129)
• I.e. Isola FR408HR
• I.e. Nelco N4000-SI
• I.e. Panasonic Megtron4
• Same as ≥4L Lead-Free Assembly, But Lower Dk/
Df c/o Specialty Fillers
• Higher Cost Materials (~1.8x)
• Difficult to Manufacture
• Other Important Considerations

23. Discussion
• HATS Testing
• Define Qualified Materials in PCB Specification
• Specify as IPC-4101 Slash Sheet
• More Engineering Consideration
• USA vs. Asia Materials
• Vendor Portability
• Customer Communication
• Cost vs. Quality