· AtlasPCB Engineering · Engineering · 3 min read
What Is Rogers PCB Material? Properties, Types & Applications
Complete overview of Rogers PCB materials including RO4000, RO3000, RT/duroid, and TMM series. Compare Dk, Df properties, application ranges from 5G mmWave to automotive radar, and understand when to specify Rogers over FR4.
What Is Rogers PCB Material? Properties, Types & Applications
Rogers Corporation is the leading manufacturer of high-frequency PCB laminates, and “Rogers material” has become shorthand in the industry for any advanced laminate designed for RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications. But Rogers offers dozens of material grades across multiple product families, each optimized for different frequency ranges, processing methods, and cost targets.
This guide explains what Rogers materials are, how they differ from FR4, and which grade to specify for your application.
Why Rogers Instead of FR4?
Standard FR4 uses woven glass fabric reinforced with epoxy resin. While adequate for most digital applications, FR4 has two critical limitations at high frequencies:
- High dielectric loss (Df): FR4’s Df of 0.018-0.025 at 1 GHz means significant signal attenuation. At 10 GHz, insertion loss on FR4 can be 3-5× higher than on Rogers materials.
- Unstable dielectric constant (Dk): FR4’s Dk varies with frequency (4.5 at 100 MHz to 4.0 at 10 GHz), temperature (±5-10% over operating range), and moisture (±3-5% with humidity changes). This makes precise impedance control difficult above 1 GHz.
Rogers materials address both limitations through engineered ceramic and PTFE formulations.
Rogers Material Families
RO4000 Series — The Mainstream Choice
| Property | RO4003C | RO4350B | RO4835 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dk @ 10 GHz | 3.38 | 3.48 | 3.48 |
| Df @ 10 GHz | 0.0027 | 0.0037 | 0.0040 |
| Tg | >280°C | >280°C | >280°C |
| CTE (Z-axis) | 46 ppm/°C | 32 ppm/°C | 31 ppm/°C |
| FR4 compatible processing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UL 94 | V-0 | V-0 | V-0 |
| Relative cost | 3× FR4 | 3× FR4 | 2.5× FR4 |
The RO4000 series uses ceramic-filled hydrocarbon resin with woven glass reinforcement. The key advantage: they process identically to FR4 — same drilling, plating, etching, and lamination equipment.
See our Rogers 4350B vs FR4 comparison and Rogers 4003C properties guide for detailed specifications.
RO3000 Series — PTFE Performance
| Property | RO3003 | RO3006 | RO3010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dk @ 10 GHz | 3.00 | 6.15 | 10.2 |
| Df @ 10 GHz | 0.0013 | 0.0020 | 0.0035 |
| Reinforcement | Ceramic-filled PTFE | Ceramic-filled PTFE | Ceramic-filled PTFE |
| Application | Low-loss filters | Miniaturization | Antenna miniaturization |
RT/duroid Series — Ultra-Low Loss
| Property | RT/duroid 5880 | RT/duroid 6002 | RT/duroid 6010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dk @ 10 GHz | 2.20 | 2.94 | 10.2 |
| Df @ 10 GHz | 0.0009 | 0.0012 | 0.0023 |
| Reinforcement | Glass microfiber/PTFE | Glass microfiber/PTFE | Ceramic/PTFE |
| Application | Satellite, radar | Aerospace | Miniaturized antennas |
Application Selection Guide
| Application | Frequency Range | Recommended Material | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5G base station | 3.5-6 GHz (Sub-6) | RO4350B | Cost-effective, standard processing |
| 5G mmWave | 24-40 GHz | RO3003 or RT5880 | Ultra-low loss at mmWave |
| Automotive radar (77 GHz) | 76-81 GHz | RO3003 | Lowest loss at mmWave |
| WiFi 6E/7 | 6 GHz | RO4003C or RO4350B | Adequate performance, lower cost |
| Satellite comms | 12-40 GHz | RT/duroid 5880 | Lowest Df available |
| Military radar | 1-20 GHz | RO4350B | MIL-qualified, standard processing |
| IoT (< 1 GHz) | Sub-1 GHz | FR4 (Rogers not needed) | Cost optimized |
For comprehensive material comparison, see our RF PCB materials comparison.
Summary
Rogers materials are essential when your PCB design demands low dielectric loss, stable impedance, or operation above 1 GHz. Start with RO4350B for most applications—it offers the best balance of performance and manufacturability.
Ready to start your Rogers PCB project? Upload your Gerbers for a free engineering review.
Further Reading
- rogers-material
- rf-pcb
- high-frequency
- pcb-materials