The Advanced Circuit Materials (ACM) Division of Rogers Corp. introduced RO4730™ LoPro™ laminates for base station, RFID and other antenna designs. RO4730 LoPro laminate materials combine low-loss dielectric with low-profile copper foil for reduced passive intermodulation (PIM) and low insertion loss. The specially formulated RO4730 LoPro thermoset resin system incorporates a hollow microsphere filler to achieve a low weight, light density laminate, which is approximately 30% lighter weight than woven-glass PTFE materials. RO4730 LoPro laminates have a matched dielectric constant of 3.0, providing a much lower cost solution for high frequency circuit boards used in base station and other antennas.

RO4730 LoPro laminates feature low Z-axis coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE of about 40 PPM/ºC) for design flexibility. With a temperature coefficient of dielectric constant of about 23 PPM/ºC, the laminates provide consistent circuit performance over short term temperature ranges. They feature the same high glass transition temperature (Tg) as Rogers’ other high-performance RO4000® laminates, greater than 280ºC, making them lead-free and automated assembly compatible.

RO4730 LoPro RoHS-compliant laminates are compatible with standard PCB fabrication techniques and plated-through-hole (PTH) processing. Designed for base station and other RFID antennas, the proprietary, halogen-free laminates support longer drill tool lifetimes than other filled materials, reducing fabrication costs.