Hitachi Chemical Launches Mass Production of 5G-Compatible Printed Wiring Board Material

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Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. launched mass production of “MCL-HS200,” an advanced functional laminate material for printed wiring boards, with low transmission loss and low warpage properties required for semiconductor packaging substrates used in such fields as fifth-generation mobile communications systems (5G), advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)^*1, and artificial intelligence (AI) in March.

With technological innovations like the Internet of Things for electronics-related products, ADAS, and AI making strides in recent years, 5G networks providing high speed, high capacity, low latency, and multiple connections have become indispensable for the widespread use of these technologies. Demand for 5G is also rising as people around the world spend more time working remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Applications such as 5G and ADAS require higher frequency bands than electric signals used by fourth-generation mobile communications systems (4G), but with electric signals suffering significant attenuation (transmission loss) at higher frequencies, lower transmission loss is required for high frequency circuit boards. Reducing signal delay is also an important requirement.

Furthermore, as devices mounted on smartphones, etc. become smaller and more functionally sophisticated, demand is growing for thinner circuit boards that also minimize warpage caused by semiconductor packaging. However, creating a material capable of not only reducing transmission loss and signal delay but also minimizing warpage presented a difficult challenge.

By applying low polarity resin materials and low dielectric glass cloth, Hitachi Chemical achieved lower transmission loss properties (low dielectric loss tangent) and lower dielectric constant^*2, reducing signal delay. In addition, Hitachi Chemical attained superior low warpage properties required for thinner modules by using low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) resins and increasing the filler content. Hitachi Chemical combined its low CTE technology for semiconductor packaging substrates and low dielectric constant technology for multilayer substrate materials designed for high-speed communications, which successfully developed a material with high-dimensional properties of low CTE 10 ppm/? and low dielectric constant (Dk) 3.4 (10 GHz).

Hitachi Chemical is currently pursuing the development of even thinner and lower dielectric constant materials. Hitachi Chemical will continue to contribute to more advanced functional printed wiring boards through our superior technologies and new product development.