Selecting the right PCB material determines whether your high-frequency design meets its impedance, loss, and thermal targets in production.
At multi-gigahertz speeds, dielectric constant stability, loss tangent, copper adhesion, and thermal limits directly affect insertion loss, skew, reflow reliability, and long-term performance.
This guide compares more than 30 PCB laminates used in high-frequency and high-speed designs, including FR-4 variants, Rogers, PTFE, and other low-loss systems. It outlines electrical properties, thermal behavior, and fabrication considerations so material selection aligns with real manufacturing constraints.
If your design depends on maintaining controlled impedance and predictable insertion loss, material choice should be validated against fabrication tolerances before release.
| Manufacturer | Material | Df | Df Freq | Dk | Dk Freq | Max Freq (GHz) | Tg (°C) | Td (°C) | CTE | Moisture (%) | Peel (N/mm) | Thermal Cond | UL94 | CAF | Signal Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlon | AD255C | 0.0012 | 10 GHz | 2.55 | 10 GHz | Up to 30-40 | 200 | 350 | 70 | 0.02 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 94V-0 | 4 | 0.7 |
| Arlon | 85HP | 0.003 | 10 GHz | 3.2 | 1 MHz | Up to 50 | 250 | 390 | 32 | 0.06 | 1.3 | 0.69 | 94V-0 | 2 | 0.6 |
| Arlon | 85NT | 0.003 | 10 GHz | 3.2 | 1 MHz | Up to 50 | 250 | 390 | 32 | 0.06 | 1.3 | 0.69 | 94V-0 | 2 | 0.6 |
| DuPont | Pyralux | 0.0025 | 1 MHz | 3.3 | 1 MHz | Up to 30 | 200 | 350 | 60 | 0.06 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 94V-0 | 4 | 0.8 |
| Hitachi Chemical | CU-3000 | 0.004 | 1 MHz | 3.1 | 1 MHz | Up to 20 | 180 | 360 | 40 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 94V-0 | 4 | 0.8 |
| Isola | FR408HR | 0.008 | 2 GHz | 3.65 | 2 GHz | Up to 20 | 180 | 340 | 50 | 0.15 | 1 | 0.4 | 94V-0 | 4 | 0.8 |
| Isola | I-Tera MT40 | 0.0031 | 10 GHz | 3.45 | 2 GHz | Up to 40 | 200 | 360 | 50 | 0.15 | 1 | 0.4 | 94V-0 | 3 | 0.5 |
| Isola | Astra MT77 | 0.0017 | 10 GHz | 3.00 | 2 GHz | Up to 77 | 200 | 340 | 50 | 0.08 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 94V-0 | 2 | 0.3 |
| Isola | TeraPlate Xtreme | 0.0032 | 10 GHz | 3.45 | 2 GHz | Up to 40 | 200 | 370 | 45 | 0.08 | 1.4 | 0.45 | 94V-0 | 2 | 0.4 |
| Isola | I-Speed | 0.006 | 2 GHz | 3.63 | 2 GHz | Up to 25 | 180 | 360 | 15% improvement | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | 94V-0 | 2 | Not specified |
| Isola | Tachyon 100G | 0.0021 | 10 GHz | 3.02 | 2 GHz | Up to 100 | 185 | 380 | 2.5% | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | 94V-0 | 1 | Not specified |
| Isola | 370HR | 0.021 | 1 MHz | 4.04 | 1 MHz | Up to 20 | 180 | 340 | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | 94V-0 | 4 | Not specified |