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34 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2022 Feature Article by Chudy Roosevelt Nwachukwu ITEQ CORPORATION Introduction Accurate characterization of frequency- dependent inhomogeneous dielectric material properties is key to the optimal design of high performance and cost-effective PCB anten- nas. ese antennas will be required to enable the plethora of devices forecasted for 5G/6G communication. erefore IT-88GMW, an advanced resin system reinforced with tightly woven thin glass fibers has been formulated to improve the Q-factor of interconnects and pas- sive components fabricated on PCB laminates. e electrical and thermomechanical prop- erties of dielectric materials primarily deter- mine the performance of high-speed circuitry fabricated on PCB laminate technology. ere- fore, a recommended practice for PCB fabri- cation is to implement characterization meth- Engineering RF Dielectric Material to Enable 5G/6G Antenna Devices odologies that provide relevant information about the material's performance in realistic scenarios. Hence, rather than limit character- ization to solely obtaining nominal data at par- ticular frequencies by assuming signal propa- gation in a direction of best performance, the material characteristics should be analyzed in different directions and positions. is gives the designer a clearer idea of how much varia- tion to expect in an actual implementation, in contrast to ideal conditions that are typically assumed to simplify the design cycle. In selecting a laminate material for a high speed/frequency antenna design, the compos- ite material properties are critical parameters that will determine if the antenna patches and network of interconnects to be fabricated can