5G PCB · Telecom
5G PCB & Telecom Board Manufacturing
mmWave antenna boards, massive-MIMO feed networks, Megtron baseband boards and thermal PA substrates, including hybrid RF/digital constructions in a single board.
- FR2 mmWave
- 24–52 GHz
- Large antenna panels
- 400×400 mm
- Baseband layers
- 16–30
- Rogers + Megtron
- Hybrid
Overview
What 5G boards demand.
A 5G PCB combines RF performance at sub-6 GHz or mmWave (FR2, 24.25–52.6 GHz) with high-speed digital processing. That calls for stable-Dk, low-loss laminates, tight impedance and registration across large panels, and often hybrid Rogers/Megtron stack-ups that put RF and digital in one board.
A single base-station module may include mmWave antenna arrays on PTFE or Rogers, beamforming networks at 28 or 39 GHz, baseband boards on Megtron carrying 56G SerDes and power-amplifier boards on thermal substrates. We build PCBs across that whole chain.
mmWave boards
5G mmWave antenna boards.
5G NR at FR2 frequencies needs substrates with stable dielectric properties and low loss at millimeter-wave. Antenna elements commonly use Rogers RO4835 or PTFE-based laminates optimized for patch efficiency, while beamforming distribution networks use Rogers 4350B or 4003C for feed lines and Wilkinson dividers. Tight impedance tolerance, controlled Dk and low insertion loss at 28–39 GHz put these boards in the most demanding RF fabrication category, where surface finish and copper roughness both affect loss.
- Dk-controlled laminate lots
- Fine-line etch control for patch dimensions
- Low-loss finish (immersion silver or ENEPIG)
- See PTFE PCB
Massive MIMO
Massive MIMO antenna boards.
Massive MIMO base stations use arrays of 32, 64 or more elements, each with its own feed network and phase-controlled path. The antenna board can exceed 400 × 400 mm, and every element’s traces must be impedance- and phase-matched. Registration accuracy, impedance uniformity across the whole panel and RF leakage between adjacent channels are the critical parameters. Our engineering review checks that they can be held across the full board area.
Baseband
Baseband and backhaul processing boards.
The digital side of telecom equipment uses high-layer-count multilayer boards similar to data-center switch boards: 16–30 layers, Megtron 6 or 7 for SerDes channels, HDI for FPGA and processor breakout, and controlled impedance for 25G/56G links. Many designs combine RF front end and digital back end in one hybrid stack-up, with RF layers on Rogers and digital layers on Megtron, joined by compatible bonding layers. See high speed PCB.
Power amplifier
Power amplifier boards.
GaN and LDMOS amplifiers in base-station transmitters generate significant heat that must leave through the PCB. Depending on power level, PA boards use copper-core substrates, embedded copper coins under GaN devices, or heavy copper with thermal-via arrays. The same board often carries bias networks, harmonic filters and matching on RF laminate, so material choice and process planning have to cover both thermal and RF needs.
Materials
5G PCB materials.
| Use | Typical laminate |
|---|---|
| Sub-6 GHz antenna / front end | Rogers RO4350B, hybrid with FR-4 |
| mmWave antenna (24–39 GHz) | RO4835, RT/duroid 5880, Isola Astra MT77, PTFE |
| Beamforming feeds | RO4350B / RO4003C |
| Baseband SerDes | Megtron 6 / 7 |
| PA thermal | Copper coin, copper-core MCPCB, heavy copper |
Layer counts
Typical telecom layer counts.
| Board | Typical layers |
|---|---|
| Antenna boards | 2–6 |
| RF front-end modules | 4–10 |
| Massive MIMO AAU (RF + digital) | 10–20 |
| Baseband boards | 16–30 |
| Backplanes | 20–30 |
Mixed-signal
Designing mixed RF and digital boards.
Mixed-signal 5G boards need isolation between RF and digital sections. That means continuous ground under RF lines, guard traces and via fences, separate power islands so digital noise does not couple into RF, and material transitions between Rogers and FR-4 or Megtron layers made with compatible bonding prepreg. Read the high frequency PCB guidance for hybrid stack-ups.
Verification
How telecom boards are verified.
RF and telecom boards need more than continuity testing. We cut impedance coupons from the same panel for TDR measurement, microsection plated holes and hybrid bond lines to confirm lamination quality, and check registration with X-ray before drilling large antenna panels. Dk-sensitive builds use laminate from controlled lots, and lot data is kept so phase-matched designs can be reproduced across production runs.
Network-analyzer testing of the finished RF function, such as S-parameters, antenna patterns and passive intermodulation, is normally done by the equipment maker. We can build test coupons or structures to your drawing so those measurements correlate with fabrication data.
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| TDR coupons | Impedance per layer |
| Microsection | Plating and hybrid bond-line integrity |
| X-ray registration | Layer alignment on large panels |
| Dimensional AOI | Patch and feed geometry |
Sub-6 vs mmWave
Sub-6 GHz vs mmWave board design.
| Sub-6 GHz (FR1) | mmWave (FR2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | ≈ 0.4–7 GHz | 24.25–52.6 GHz |
| Typical laminate | RO4350B, hybrids | RO4835, RT/duroid 5880, Astra MT77, PTFE |
| Critical tolerance | Impedance, isolation | Etch geometry, Dk, roughness, registration |
| Finish | ENIG often acceptable | Immersion silver / ENEPIG preferred |
| Integration | Separate antenna and radio boards common | Antenna-in-package and AiP modules common |
At mmWave the antenna element shrinks to a few millimetres, so etch tolerance on patch dimensions shifts resonance directly. Feed and transition losses also dominate the link budget. That is why FR2 boards need tighter process control than sub-6 GHz designs, even with similar layer counts.
RFQ
What to send for a telecom PCB quote.
- Application: antenna, beamforming, baseband or PA
- Laminate requirements and frequency range
- Impedance and phase-matching targets
- Panel size and element count
- Thermal requirements for PA boards
- Quantity and test requirements
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What PCB materials are used for 5G equipment?
Rogers RO4350B or hybrids for sub-6 GHz; RO4835, RT/duroid 5880, Astra MT77 or PTFE for mmWave; Megtron 6/7 for baseband.
What layer counts are typical for telecom PCBs?
Antenna boards 2–6, RF front ends 4–10, massive-MIMO units 10–20, baseband 16–30 and backplanes 20–30 layers.
How do you handle mixed-signal 5G designs?
Continuous RF ground, guard traces and via fences, separate power islands and compatible bonding between Rogers and FR-4/Megtron layers.
Can you build large antenna panels?
Yes, including panels over 400 × 400 mm, with impedance uniformity and registration checked across the full area.
Which finish is best for mmWave?
Immersion silver or ENEPIG are common because ENIG’s nickel adds loss at high frequency.
Do you make PA boards?
Yes, on copper-core MCPCB, embedded copper coin or heavy copper with thermal vias, often combined with RF laminate sections.
Ready when your files are
Send your design and compliance requirements.
Upload Gerber, ODB++ or IPC-2581 data. Every quote includes a written engineering DFM review, typically within one business day.