Nippon Mektron Develops FPC for High-Speed Transmission Applications

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Nippon Mektron Ltd. (1-12-15 Shiba-Daimon Minato-Ku, 105-8585 Japan), globally known as Mektec, has announced availability of a new FPC structure using MPI (Modified-PI) as MPI FPC for high-speed transmission applications in mass production in addition to LCP-based FPC.

Development Background
High-speed transmission FPCs are an essential technology to developing devices that will support 5th Generation High Speed Communication Standard (5G). 5G is getting attention as a communication technology that enables high speed, high capacity, multiple simultaneous connections, with low signal delay. When transmitting, FPCs become the transmission line, meaning FPCs need specialized materials with dielectric properties that minimize transmission loss. Nippon Mektron’s LCP FPCs already support such properties however, had flexibility and cost challenges.

In combining MPI and low dielectric adhesives, Nippon Mektron successfully realized transmission properties that are similar to LCP FPC. Additionally, Nippon Mektron’s MPI FPC was successful in achieving higher resistance to bending and heat compared with LCP FPC. By combining the newly developed structure with versatile materials, Nippon Mektron plans to offer MPI FPCs at a competitive price.

This newly developed MPI FPC complies with serial transmission standards like USB4.0 or PCI Express, and can be used for a wide range of applications that use analog and digital signals such as mmWave Module Antennas, other antennas including Sub6, 5G base stations, datacenter devices, and connected cars.

With the goal of contributing to society through technology, Nippon Mektron plans to start offering FPCs using fluororesin with low dielectric loss and competitive transmission characteristics following MPI FPCs in 2021.