RF & High-Frequency PCB
RF PCB Manufacturer Rogers & PTFE for DC to 77GHz
Purpose-built for signal integrity. RO4350B with Df 0.0037. Six PTFE options down to Dk 2.20. ±8% impedance on every build — pure or hybrid, with no MOQ.
Material Options
The Right Substrate for Your Frequency
Three Rogers configurations and six PTFE materials — each selected for a specific performance band, from sub-6 GHz telecom to 77GHz automotive radar.
Pure Rogers
All layers on RO4350B. Dk 3.48, Df 0.0037 @ 10GHz. Maximum consistency across the full stackup. Up to 12 layers.
Rogers + FR-4 Hybrid
RF signal on Rogers, digital/power on FR-4. 40-60% cost savings vs pure. Available in single-sheet or double-sheet configurations.
PTFE Teflon
Six substrate options from Dk 2.20 to Dk 3.50. Ultra-low loss for mmWave. Available in 2 and 4 layer configurations. Specialized processing for PTFE bonding and plating adhesion.
Rogers RO4350B
Industry-Standard RF Laminate
Proven performance to 40GHz. Our RF-qualified factory maintains Rogers material certification and verifies Dk batch-to-batch for consistent production impedance — see our Rogers PCB capabilities for pure and hybrid stackups.
Dielectric Performance
Dk 3.48 ±0.05, Df 0.0037 @ 10GHz. Stable to 40GHz+ with minimal frequency dispersion.
Three Configurations
Pure (2-12L), Single Hybrid with 1 Rogers sheet (4-12L), Double Hybrid with 2 Rogers sheets (6-12L).
Process Compatible
Rogers RO4350B processes on standard FR-4 equipment — no special PTFE handling needed. Shorter lead times and lower cost than traditional PTFE.
Hybrid Advantage
Put your RF critical layer on Rogers, route digital on low-cost FR-4. Get the performance where it matters without paying for it everywhere.
RF Boards We Build
Rogers, hybrid, and PTFE — in the wild
Materials & Performance
Substrate Properties & Selection Criteria
Frequency, loss budget, and flammability rating decide the laminate. Here is how we choose the right substrate — and how tightly we control it — for your RF board.
Rogers RO4350B — the workhorse
Our highest-volume RF laminate: Dk 3.48 ±0.05 and Df 0.0037 at 10GHz, CTE 14 ppm/°C (matched to copper) so solder joints survive thermal cycling. Thermoset, so it runs on standard FR-4 press and drill equipment, and it carries UL94 V-0. The best balance of performance, processability, and cost below 20GHz.
Rogers RO4003C — lower loss
Dk 3.38 ±0.05, Df 0.0027 at 10GHz — a 27% lower loss tangent than RO4350B, same 14 ppm/°C CTE. The tradeoff is UL94 HB (horizontal burn only). We recommend it when the link budget is tight (long traces, power-sensitive receivers) and the product can accept HB or sits inside a metal enclosure for fire containment.
PTFE laminates — above 24GHz
Where hydrocarbon laminates start to disperse. F4BM2 (Dk 2.65) is the general-purpose choice; Taconic TLY-5 (Dk 2.20) gives lowest loss for V-band (60GHz) and 77GHz automotive radar — lower Dk means wider traces and relaxed mmWave tolerances; Arlon DiClad 880 (Dk 2.17) is our lowest-Dk stock for radar and satellite links.
Frequency thresholds we design to
Validated across hundreds of builds: below 6GHz, RO4350B is sufficient (<0.02 dB/cm at 5GHz). From 6-24GHz it holds for short traces but longer runs above 15GHz favor PTFE. Above 24GHz PTFE is mandatory — at 28GHz a 10cm RO4350B trace loses 1.2 dB vs 0.6 dB on PTFE Dk 2.2, directly costing receiver sensitivity.
Hybrid stackups — cost-effective mixing
Rogers or PTFE on the outer RF layers over FR-4 cores for power, ground, and digital routing — e.g. Rogers L1 / prepreg / FR-4 Gnd / FR-4 core / FR-4 Pwr / prepreg / Rogers L6. This saves 40-60% versus all-Rogers with identical RF performance. Bonding uses Rogers 4450F bondply or Taconic FR-27 for reliable adhesion and controlled impedance at the transition.
Impedance accuracy
Standard ±8% on all builds; ±5% on request for filters, couplers, and matching networks. Hitting ±5% takes material pre-screening (resonant-cavity Dk), tighter etch (±0.3mil vs ±0.5mil trace width), and 100% TDR on every trace, not just coupons — a 15-20% premium that beats post-fab tuning or respins when 50Ω lines must hit 50±2.5Ω.
Dk characterization before production
Actual laminate Dk varies ±1-2% lot-to-lot. Where that shifts center frequency (filters, delay lines, antenna feeds), we measure the incoming lot with a split-post dielectric resonator at 10GHz to ±0.02 and feed it back into impedance modeling — so traces match the material on the floor, not the datasheet. Adds 1-2 days and removes iterative prototyping.
PTFE Substrates
Ultra-Low Loss for mmWave
Where hydrocarbon laminates start to disperse, we move to PTFE. Six options span Dk 2.20 to 3.50: F4BME220 (Dk 2.20) is the lowest dielectric constant, for 60-77GHz automotive radar and V-band communications; F4BM-2 (Dk 2.65) is standard PTFE with excellent Df, available copper-clad or unclad for bonding; WL-CT338 / S7136H (Dk 3.38-3.50) are cost-optimized alternatives, with S7136H at ¥0.069/cm² our lowest-cost PTFE option; and SJ9294 (Dk 2.94) adds buried-resistor capability for integrated passive designs.
PTFE requires specialized plasma treatment, sodium etch for adhesion, and controlled lamination pressure. Our PTFE-certified factory handles this daily. Available in 2 and 4 layer configurations only.
Applications
Where Our RF Boards Work
From sub-6 GHz telecom to 77GHz radar, we build the low-loss, impedance-controlled boards RF systems depend on.
5G & mmWave
Antenna arrays, beamforming networks, 24-77GHz automotive radar front-ends.
Aerospace
Airborne radar, satellite transponders, navigation systems, phased array feeds.
Radar Systems
T/R modules, IF processing, signal conditioning for defense and automotive.
Test & Measurement
VNA calibration substrates, signal generator output stages, spectrum analyzer front-ends.
Medical RF
MRI surface coils, RF ablation controllers, wireless implant telemetry.
IoT Wireless
WiFi 6E/7 modules, UWB ranging, LoRa front-ends where insertion loss matters.
The Difference
Why RF at AtlasPCB
At RF, the board is part of the circuit — the challenge isn't whether it can be made, it's whether it hits impedance and loss on the material you actually receive. Our factory qualification is built around that.
RF-Qualified Factory
Rogers and PTFE material certification maintained, with Dk verified batch-to-batch for consistent production impedance.
±8% Impedance, ±5% on Request
TDR-verified on every RF build. Tighter ±5% available for filters, couplers, and matching networks with 100% trace TDR.
Split-Post Dk Characterization
Incoming lots measured at 10GHz to ±0.02 and fed back into impedance modeling — traces match the material on the floor, not the datasheet.
mmWave Roughness Control
RTF and HVLP copper with Ra below 0.3μm above 20GHz, profilometer-verified — keeping conductor loss down at 77GHz radar.
FAQ
RF PCB Questions
Rogers RO4350B: for most applications up to 40GHz. Process-compatible with FR-4 equipment, lower cost, faster turnaround. PTFE: when you need Dk below 3.0 or operation above 40GHz.
Hybrid saves 40-60% if only one signal layer needs low-loss performance. Pure when every layer carries RF signals (e.g., stripline filters, coupled-line structures).
±8% standard on all RF builds with TDR verification. Every RF order ships with an impedance test report.
77GHz, proven in production automotive radar builds. For mmWave applications above 40GHz, we use PTFE substrates with Dk below 2.5 combined with process controls for surface roughness (RTF copper, controlled etch profiles). We have shipped 60GHz V-band and 77GHz radar boards in volume.
Yes — hybrid stackups are our specialty and the most popular configuration we build. Place Rogers or PTFE on the RF signal layers only, with standard FR-4 for power planes, ground planes, and digital routing layers. A 6-layer board with two Rogers outer layers and FR-4 inner core saves 40-60% compared to all-Rogers construction, with identical RF performance on the signal layers that matter.
We specify RTF (Reverse Treat Foil) copper with Ra below 0.3μm for frequencies above 20GHz. Standard ED (electrodeposited) copper with Ra around 1.5-2.0μm works fine below 10GHz, but above 20GHz the skin depth drops below the roughness peaks and conductor loss increases sharply. For 77GHz radar boards, we use HVLP (Hyper Very Low Profile) foil and verify roughness on incoming material with a profilometer. We select the foil type based on your operating frequency and total loss budget.
Building at RF?
Select your substrate and configuration online. Instant quote with material confirmation.
Resources
RF & High-Frequency Engineering Guides
Material selection, cost analysis, and design best practices for RF PCBs.
RF PCB Cost Breakdown: Rogers, PTFE, and Hybrid Stackup Pricing
Real cost multipliers and optimization strategies for RF board manufacturing.
High-Frequency PCB Design Best Practices
RF/microwave layout rules including ground planes, via fencing, and transition design.
Rogers vs PTFE for Automotive Radar at 77 GHz
Performance comparison of Rogers and PTFE substrates for automotive radar applications.
Isola 370HR vs Panasonic Megtron 4: Mid-Loss Laminate Selection
Practical comparison for mid-speed digital designs covering Dk/Df and thermal reliability.
Controlled Impedance PCB Pricing and Cost Optimization
How to specify impedance without paying premium pricing unnecessarily.
Copper Roughness and High-Speed Signal Loss Above 10 GHz
How foil profile affects insertion loss and what to specify for RF performance.