Materials and Substrates Dielectric Materials Informational

What is the difference between Rogers, Taconic, and Isola high frequency laminate materials?

Rogers, Taconic, and Isola are the three major suppliers of high-frequency PCB laminate materials, each offering distinct product families optimized for different performance tiers. Rogers dominates the premium segment with PTFE and ceramic-filled hydrocarbon materials like RT/duroid and RO3000 series. Taconic provides cost-effective PTFE alternatives including the TLY and RF-35 families. Isola fills the mid-performance gap with thermoset hydrocarbon laminates like Astra MT77 and I-Tera MT40, which offer improved high-frequency performance while maintaining compatibility with standard FR-4 fabrication processes. The right choice depends on your frequency, loss budget, volume, and manufacturing constraints.

Category: Materials and Substrates

Updated: April 2026

Product Tie-In: PCB Laminates, Substrates

Comparing Major High-Frequency Laminate Suppliers

Each laminate manufacturer has developed specialized product lines targeting specific segments of the RF and microwave market. Understanding the strengths and trade-offs of each family helps engineers make informed material selections early in the design process.

Rogers Corporation

Rogers is the industry standard for high-frequency laminates. The RT/duroid 5880 (Dk 2.2, Df 0.0009) remains the benchmark for lowest-loss PTFE substrates. The RO3000 series uses ceramic-filled PTFE for better dimensional stability. The RO4000 series uses thermoset hydrocarbon resins compatible with FR-4 processing, making it popular for cost-sensitive designs up to about 40 GHz.

Taconic

Taconic offers PTFE-based alternatives at competitive pricing. The TLY series provides low loss (Df ~ 0.0009) similar to RT/duroid but at lower cost for volume applications. The RF-35 (Dk 3.5, Df 0.0018) targets applications requiring higher dielectric constant for size reduction. Taconic materials are well-suited for antenna applications and commercial communications systems.

Isola Group

Isola specializes in thermoset materials that bridge the gap between FR-4 and premium PTFE. The Astra MT77 (Dk 3.0, Df 0.0017) targets 77 GHz automotive radar with high volume manufacturability. The I-Tera MT40 (Dk 3.45, Df 0.0031) serves the 5G infrastructure market where moderate loss at lower mmWave frequencies is acceptable and standard processing is required.

Selection Framework

Lowest loss, cost secondary: Rogers RT/duroid 5880 or Taconic TLY
mmWave with standard processing: Rogers RO3003 or Isola Astra MT77
High volume, moderate frequency: Rogers RO4350B or Isola I-Tera MT40
Cost-sensitive antenna applications: Taconic RF-35 or TLC

Dielectric Loss Comparison

Dielectric loss at 10 GHz, 50-ohm microstrip, 10 mil substrate:
RT/duroid 5880 (Df 0.0009): alpha_d ~ 0.012 dB/cm
RO4350B (Df 0.004): alpha_d ~ 0.055 dB/cm
Astra MT77 (Df 0.0017): alpha_d ~ 0.025 dB/cm

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which laminate brand is cheapest for RF applications?

Taconic generally offers the most competitive pricing for PTFE-based materials. Isola's thermoset laminates like I-Tera MT40 are also cost-effective because they can be processed on standard FR-4 fabrication lines, reducing manufacturing costs beyond just the raw material price.

Can I mix different laminate brands in a multilayer stackup?

Mixing brands is possible but requires careful evaluation of CTE compatibility, bonding compatibility, and registration accuracy. Most designers prefer to stay within a single manufacturer's product family to simplify qualification and ensure consistent performance across production lots.

Which material brand is most available for quick-turn prototyping?

Rogers materials, particularly RO4350B and RT/duroid 5880, are the most widely stocked by PCB fabricators and have the shortest lead times for prototyping. Most RF-capable PCB shops maintain inventory of these standard thicknesses.

Keep Reading