-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueCreating the Ideal Data Package
Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? Many of these simple errors can be alleviated by paying attention to detail—and knowing what issues to look out for. So, this month, our experts weigh in on the best practices for creating the ideal design data package for your design.
Designing Through the Noise
Our experts discuss the constantly evolving world of RF design, including the many tradeoffs, material considerations, and design tips and techniques that designers and design engineers need to know to succeed in this high-frequency realm.
Learning to Speak ‘Fab’
Our expert contributors clear up many of the miscommunication problems between PCB designers and their fab and assembly stakeholders. As you will see, a little extra planning early in the design cycle can go a long way toward maintaining open lines of communication with the fab and assembly folks.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Material Selection and RF Design
April 21, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Innovation rarely sleeps in this industry, and the RF laminate segment offers a perfect example. RF materials have continued to evolve, providing PCB designers much more than an either/or choice. I asked materials expert Alun Morgan, technology ambassador for the Ventec International Group, to walk us through the available RF material sets and how smart material selection can ease the burden on RF designers and design engineers.
Andy Shaughnessy: Alun, just give us a quick refresher: How are RF materials different from traditional PCB laminates?
Alun Morgan: RF covers a broad range of frequencies, often defined as the spectrum from 3 KHz to 300 GHz. At the low end, traditional materials are fine; however, the influence of the material becomes much more critical as frequency increases.
Shaughnessy: How does RF differ from HSD (high-speed digital)?
Morgan: They are two different worlds, with very different design requirements. RF is primarily concerned with the propagation of analog waveforms, whereas HSD is primarily concerned with the transmission of binary digital bitstreams. Each has its particular benefits and drawbacks. The good news is that materials designed for high-speed digital applications are also generally suitable for high-frequency analog circuits.
Shaughnessy: What do PCB designers moving into the RF space need to understand about material selection?
Morgan: There are some very specific electrical properties that are important when selecting materials for RF or HSD applications. The first is the dielectric constant (Dk) of the material. The Dk is the ability of the substrate to store electric energy in an electrical field. It is a dimensionless property and is quoted as a value relative to a vacuum, which has a Dk of 1. Why does it matter? It matters because it determines transmission speed and must be accounted for when calculating the timing and synchronization of high-speed signals; it is also crucial for impedance matching and control. The Dk is very much a design consideration, and specific designs may require higher or lower values.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the April 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Electroninks Acquires Complete UTDots Advanced Materials Nanoinks Portfolio and IP
05/19/2025 | ElectroninksElectroninks, the leader in metal organic decomposition (MOD) inks for additive manufacturing and advanced semiconductor packaging, announced it has officially completed its full acquisition of UTDots products and IP into its portfolio, further expanding its offerings in digital printing for high-performance applications.
Future-proofing Electronics: ChemFORWARD Works Toward Collaboration for Safer Chemistry
05/19/2025 | Rachel Simon, ChemFORWARDThe electronics industry is facing a critical juncture. As consumer demand for sustainable products rises and regulatory pressures intensify, companies must prioritize the safety of their products and processes. This means not only complying with evolving chemical restrictions but also proactively seeking safer alternatives.
From DuPont to Qnity: A Bold Move in Electronics Materials
05/14/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007DuPont has announced the intended spinoff of a public independent electronics company, Qnity, which will serve as a solutions provider to the semiconductor and electronics industries to enhance competitiveness and innovation in advanced computing, smart technologies, and connectivity. In this interview, Jon Kemp, Qnity CEO-elect and current president of DuPont’s Electronics business, shares his insights on the strategic separation from DuPont.
SMC Korea 2025 to Spotlight Next-Generation Memory and Materials Innovation amid AI Boom
05/13/2025 | SEMIThe Strategic Materials Conference (SMC) Korea 2025 is set to convene on May 14 at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, bringing together leading experts and innovators to highlight the critical role of materials innovation in addressing the performance, efficiency, and scalability requirements of AI-enabled semiconductor devices.
SEMI Applauds New Bill to Clarify Tax Credit Eligibility for Critical Semiconductor Suppliers Under U.S. CHIPS Act
05/12/2025 | SEMISEMI, the industry association serving the global semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, announced support of the Strengthening Essential Manufacturing and Industrial Investment Act (SEMI Investment Act), which clarifies that critical materials suppliers to semiconductor manufacturers are eligible for the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (“Section 48D”) created by the United States CHIPS and Science Act.