Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1520701
8 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2024 e world of PCB materials used to be a fairly simple one. It was divided into two groups: the "traditional" laminates, oen called FR-4, and the high-speed laminates developed especially for high-speed PCBs. ese were two worlds that usually didn't collide. FR-4 is used for the lion's share of the world's boards. It's fairly inexpensive, and its characteristics are well known. e high-speed materials are expensive, and some of the bou- tique laminates like PTFE are notoriously hard to register during fabrication. But then traditional laminates started getting better, and high-speed designers and design engineers took notice. e resin systems have improved so much that designers are now using flavors of FR-4 for some high-speed PCBs and even boards well into the RF realm. The Shaughnessy Report by Andy Shaughnessy, I-CONNECT007 Unlock Your High-speed Material Constraints