GreenSource Fabrication to Showcase Advanced RF PCB Capabilities at IMS 2026 in Boston

GreenSource Fabrication Heads to IMS 2026

GreenSource Fabrication has announced it will exhibit at IMS 2026, the IEEE International Microwave Symposium, taking place June 7-13, 2026, at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The company will showcase its advanced PCB manufacturing capabilities specifically tailored for RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave applications.

IMS is the premier annual event for the RF/microwave engineering community, attracting over 10,000 attendees from defense, telecommunications, aerospace, and automotive radar sectors. The 2026 edition comes at a critical time as 5G mmWave deployments scale, 6G research accelerates, and defense systems increasingly require advanced RF electronics.

Source: I-Connect007/PCB007 — June 2026

GreenSource’s RF Manufacturing Focus

GreenSource Fabrication specializes in PCB fabrication for high-frequency applications, offering capabilities that standard FR-4 fabricators cannot support:

Materials expertise:

• Rogers RO4000 and RO3000 series processing
• PTFE substrate handling (bonding, drilling, metallization)
• Hybrid stackups combining Rogers/PTFE with FR-4
• Taconic and Isola high-frequency laminates

Process capabilities:

• Controlled impedance to ±5% tolerance for RF circuits
• Tight line/space control for microstrip and stripline at mmWave frequencies
• Specialized drilling for PTFE (non-reinforced materials)
• Low-Dk bonding films for minimal signal degradation

Applications served:

• Phased array antenna PCBs for defense radar
• 5G mmWave base station front-ends
• Automotive radar (77 GHz) sensor boards
• Satellite communication terminal RF modules
• Medical imaging RF coils (MRI)

IMS 2026: The RF Industry Converges

The 2026 IEEE International Microwave Symposium brings together the entire RF ecosystem. This year’s exhibition features a notable increase in PCB fabrication and material vendors, reflecting the growing recognition that RF performance is increasingly determined by PCB manufacturing quality — not just circuit design.

Key Themes at IMS 2026

6G research presentations — Early-stage research into sub-THz (100-300 GHz) communications is driving interest in PCB materials and fabrication processes that can support frequencies above current 77 GHz automotive radar.

Defense modernization — US DoD programs for next-generation electronic warfare, AESA radar, and satellite constellations are creating unprecedented demand for RF PCBs with complex stackups and tight performance specifications.

Chip-to-board transitions — As IC packaging pushes RF functionality off-chip (using substrate-integrated waveguides, on-PCB antenna arrays), fabricators must deliver semiconductor-grade precision on PCB substrates.

Other PCB Exhibitors

GreenSource joins several other PCB companies at IMS 2026:

• American Standard Circuits (previously announced their presence for June 8-13)
• Multiple PTFE material suppliers (Rogers, Taconic)
• Test and measurement vendors with RF characterization tools

Why RF PCB Manufacturing Demands Specialized Capabilities

Standard PCB fabricators face significant challenges with RF designs:

Material handling: PTFE and ceramic-filled substrates are soft, dimensionally unstable, and don’t bond well with standard prepreg. Specialized processes (plasma treatment, sodium etching for PTFE adhesion) are required.

Impedance accuracy: At 28 GHz and above, a 5% impedance variation creates meaningful insertion loss increase. Fabricators need tight dielectric thickness control (±0.5mil) and copper etch uniformity.

Via transitions: Every layer transition in an RF circuit creates discontinuity. Fabricators must control via pad size, anti-pad geometry, and back-drilling depth with micrometer precision.

Copper roughness: At mmWave frequencies, copper surface roughness directly impacts signal attenuation. RF PCBs require HVLP or RTF copper foils with roughness < 1.5μm RMS — far smoother than standard electrodeposited copper.

Implications for RF Hardware Engineers

For engineers attending IMS 2026 or designing RF boards:

1. Early fabricator engagement is critical — RF PCBs have the highest re-spin rate in the industry. Engaging your fabricator during stackup design (not after layout) can prevent costly iterations.

2. Material selection drives lead time — Specialty RF laminates (Rogers 3003, Taconic TLY-5) often have 4-6 week lead times. Factor this into project planning.

3. Hybrid stackups offer cost optimization — Not every layer needs expensive RF material. Combining Rogers on RF layers with FR-4 on digital layers reduces cost while maintaining performance where it matters.

4. Test coupon design for RF — Include impedance test coupons and insertion loss test vehicles on your production panel to verify RF performance.

AtlasPCB offers RF PCB manufacturing with hybrid stackup capability, Rogers and PTFE material processing, and controlled impedance to ±5% tolerance. Our engineering team provides stackup simulation support for designs up to 77 GHz.

Further Reading

• RF PCB Materials: Rogers vs PTFE Selection for 5G
• PCB Hybrid Stackup: Rogers and FR-4 Mixed Construction
• Substrate Integrated Waveguide PCB Design for mmWave

Image: Nicolas Thomas via Unsplash