Can Rogers 4350 Be Used in Consumer Electronics?

Rogers 4350 Be Used in Consumer Electronics

Rogers 4350 is a PCB material designed for high-frequency applications, particularly RF (radio frequency) and microwave circuits. It’s a high-performance laminate with superior dielectric properties, including a low dissipation factor and excellent dimensional stability. It’s also very durable and resists outgassing, making it a great choice for aerospace, defense, and test equipment manufacturers that build mission-critical electronics.

Using rogers 4350 in consumer electronics can be a challenge. It requires specialized fabrication techniques that can take into account its unique characteristics and tolerances. Fortunately, many companies offer high-speed PCB services that use Rogers materials and are familiar with the special fabrication methods required for this type of board.

High-speed PCBs require very precise electrical properties. These include a low dielectric constant, which is the amount of charge stored in the material. The higher the value, the more capacitance the material has and the higher the voltage it can hold. Rogers 4350 has a stable dielectric constant over a wide range of frequencies, which makes it ideal for broadband applications.

Can Rogers 4350 Be Used in Consumer Electronics?

In addition to its exceptional dielectric constant, Rogers 4350 offers a low loss tangent and good thermal conductivity. The latter feature aids in efficient heat dissipation, which is important for power amplifiers and other components with elevated operating temperatures. The material’s dimensional stability also helps it maintain its shape under demanding conditions.

For PCB manufacturers, machinability is another important consideration when choosing a material. Rogers 4350 has a machinability similar to epoxy phenolic or PTFE materials, and it can be used with standard metal entry and exit pads for vias. It also bonds well to both direct screened and photo-imageable solder masks. This makes it easy for companies to fabricate high-speed circuit boards that meet their performance, cost, and durability requirements.

Rogers 4350B is available as copper clad laminates, which simplifies the PCB manufacturing process. It can be fabricated using a multi-layer construction and surface mount technology, and it is compatible with most assembly and soldering technologies. It can support operational frequencies up to 6 GHz, although its performance progressively degrades at higher frequencies.

One of the most valuable features of this material is its ability to resist outgassing, which is caused by a vacuum in the material. This is an issue that can cause irreversible damage to sensitive electronic components. Unlike other types of PCB material, rogers 4350 is not susceptible to this issue. This means that it is a suitable material for spacecraft and aerospace applications, where the harsh environments can cause damage to components that aren’t protected from the vacuum. Rogers 4350 also has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than other types of PCB material, which allows it to better withstand the extreme temperatures of space.