RF Printed Circuit Boards
When it comes to the fastest growing sectors in PCB manufacturing, it has to be RF Printed Circuit Boards or popularly it known as RF PCBs. With the overall trend of the growth of wireless electronics, IoT, smart phones and more, the use of RF PCBs is only slated to grow. But what really are RF printed circuit boards? Typically, any board that operates above 100MHz is considered to be a RF PCBs while anything about 2GHz is a Microwave PCB.
With RF Printed Circuit Boards, it is imperative to find the right PCB manufacturer who is able to fabricate RF circuit board to the high-quality standards required. More so, since RF circuit boards are considered to be difficult to design as there are issues related to noise sensitivity as also to do with tighter impedance tolerance. At Technotronix, we have a vast experience of RF PCB Manufacturing besides having specialized equipment to do so.
Capabilities of Radio Frequency Printed Circuit Boards
RF PCBs are complex, to say the least. This is on account of several reasons such as the fact that the heat within the board needs to be managed to ensure that it survives the thermal stresses. Also, spacing of the features has an important role to play. Besides you need specialized equipment such as Plasma etch machinery and laser direct imaging equipment. At Technotronix, we are fully equipped and have the following capabilities:
RF PCB Capabilities
| Features | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Layer Count | 2-44 layers |
| Drill aspect ratio | 15:1 |
| Maximum Panel Size | 24″ x 30″ |
| Vias | Blind / Buried Vias. & Micro Vias Via In Pad with Fill Options (Conductive, Non-Conductive, Copper Plug) |
| Characteristic impedance of a transmission line | Controlled impedance |
| Minimum track and gaps | 0.75mm / 0.075 mm |
| Metal Core thickness | 58mm * 1010mm |
| Surface finish | HASL (Lead-free), OSP, ENIg, immersion tin, immersion silver. |
Benefits of Radio Frequency Printed Circuit Boards
RF boards come with a wide variety of benefits for MHz and GHz applications:
- It allows High Frequency signals to travel fast with less impedance.
- Since it is possible to have multilayer board stack-up, is makes for both, optimal performance and reduced costs.
- They lend themselves to seamless usage in high temperatures. For applications that have to work in high environmental temperatures, therefore, their importance cannot be overstated.
- It is easy to place fine pitch components, which is increasingly becoming the need of the hour.
Application of RF Circuit Boards
RF boards find a wide variety of applications in industries such as:
Aerospace
Automotive
ATE
Smart Phones
Computer Networking
systems
Wireless Technologies
Sensors
Robotics and Security
Telecommunication
Military
Technotronix Advantage for RF Printed Circuit Boards
At Technotronix, what differentiates us is that we have over 4 decades of experience in fabricating and assembling high quality RF PCBs. We keep ourselves abreast of the latest technology and therefore offer industry-leading products. For RF PCB, specifically while some of the processing can be done on standard equipment, complex designs require specialized equipment. With our Plasma etch equipment we are well poised to take up most complex designs. In addition, it is our team of experts who has the relevant industry insights, who can guide you. What you do not have to do, therefore, is to reinvent the wheel. Our experts ensure that the RF PCB stackup is designed so as to ensure signal integrity. Some of the aspects that they consider when it comes to RF PCB stackup design include:
- Isolation - This ensures that different frequencies do not interfere with each other
- Decoupling - This ensures power integrity
- Layer Arrangement - With a multi layered PCB stack up, power and ground planes can be paced on adjacent layers.
Due attention is also paid to the choice of material used for the PCB, as also on the placement of traces, planes and component interconnections. In addition, our experts are conscious of the choice of the right substrate material as that adds to the performance of the RF PCBs. Some of the aspects that are taken into account in making the choice, include:
- Relative Permitivity
- Loss Tangent
- Thickness, and more
It is imperative, that you go with a RF PCB Manufacturer that understands these subtle nuances, that in turn go towards the seamless working of the RF circuit board.
Despite the strong focus on quality, an equally strong attention on quick turnaround times, ensures that your deadlines never go awry and that you have the advantage of quick-time-to-market.
The fact that we cater to both prototype quantities and full production runs, additionally endears us to our clients.
All you need to do is to get in touch with our team with your bespoke requirements and let us do the rest. From custom quotes to delivering the RF printed circuit boards as per your needs and offering support, we have you covered.
RF Printed Circuit Boards FAQs
- Material used for the PCB
- Placement of traces
- Placement of planes
- Component interconnections
