AstroPCB
PCB Materials Guide
From standard FR-4 to Rogers, PTFE, Megtron and ceramic substrates.
The PCB substrate material determines the board’s electrical performance, thermal capability, mechanical properties and cost. Choosing the right material means matching the laminate’s properties to the application’s actual requirements — not over-specifying expensive materials where standard FR-4 would suffice, and not under-specifying when the design demands low-loss or high-temperature performance. AstroPCB stocks and fabricates boards on the full range of PCB materials from standard FR-4 through specialty RF and ceramic substrates.
FR-4
Glass-reinforced epoxy — the industry standard for the majority of PCB applications. Available in standard Tg (130°C), mid-Tg (150-170°C) and high-Tg (180°C) grades. High-Tg FR-4 such as Isola 370HR is recommended for lead-free assembly, automotive and industrial reliability applications.
Rogers
Hydrocarbon/ceramic laminates for RF and microwave circuits. RO4350B (Dk 3.48, Df 0.0037) and RO4003C (Dk 3.38, Df 0.0027) process on standard FR-4 equipment. The most cost-effective high-performance RF laminate family.
Rogers 4350B → · Rogers 4003C →
PTFE / Teflon
Lowest-loss PCB substrate available (Df below 0.001). Specified for millimeter-wave, satellite and ultra-low-loss applications. Requires specialized fabrication processes.
Megtron
Panasonic’s low-loss laminate family for high-speed digital: Megtron 6 (Df 0.004) for 25-56G, Megtron 7 (Df 0.002) for 56-112G PAM4. The standard choice for data center, AI accelerator and networking boards.
Isola 370HR
High-Tg, high-reliability FR-4 laminate (Tg 180°C, Td 340°C). The default recommendation for automotive, industrial and any application requiring enhanced thermal performance and CAF resistance.
Polyimide
High-temperature polymer substrate (Tg 250°C+) used for flex PCBs, rigid-flex and high-temperature rigid applications. The only practical substrate for dynamic flex circuits.
RF Materials Overview
Comparison of Rogers, PTFE, and hybrid RF/digital stackup options for different frequency ranges and performance requirements.