Rogers CLTE High-Frequency Laminate and Ultra-Thin PCB built on 0.135mm substrate with Immersion tin finish for Patch antennas

Product Description

In airborne radar and ground-based communications systems, few things matter more than dimensional stability. A substrate that shifts during processing or thermal cycling will ruin registration, stress plated through-holes, and degrade embedded resistor performance. The CLTE™ laminate from Rogers Corporation was engineered to solve exactly this problem, delivering proven dimensional stability and a low planar CTE that ranks among the lowest variance available for PTFE-based laminates.

CLTE laminates have a long history of use with Resistor Foil, making them a reliable choice for embedded resistor networks. They are available with a full range of cladding types, including electrodeposited copper, reverse-treated copper, rolled copper foil, and more. This tried-and-tested performance continues to make CLTE a top choice for a wide range of ground-based and airborne communications and radar systems.

Key Properties at a Glance (CLTE):

Applications

-Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

-Patch antennas

-Phased array antennas

-Power amplifiers

The material's low planar CTE and stable dielectric constant versus temperature make it particularly well suited to designs where ceramic active devices are attached, reducing stress on solder joints and improving long-term reliability.

Custom PCB Manufacturing on CLTE

As a specialized manufacturer of high-frequency printed circuit boards, we offer comprehensive fabrication services using Rogers CLTE and other advanced materials. The following specification details a representative 2-layer ultra-thin implementation:

PCB Construction Details:

Exceptional Dimensional Stability:
CLTE laminates offer proven excellent dimensional stability and a low planar CTE, providing consistent performance for embedded resistors—among the lowest variance available for PTFE-based laminates. This stability is essential for high-density boards like the 168-component design specified here, where registration tolerances are tight.

Low Z-Axis CTE for Plated Through-Hole Reliability:
The Z-axis CTE of 20 ppm/°C ensures high plated through-hole reliability, even in thin constructions. This is critical for the 0.25mm finished thickness build, where via barrels are short and stress concentration is high.

Dielectric Constant Stability with Temperature:
A thermal coefficient of Dk of just 6 ppm/°C over -50 to 150°C ensures stable electrical performance across temperature, reducing stress when attaching to ceramic active devices and maintaining consistent impedance in temperature-varying environments.

Low Loss Tangent:
A loss tangent of 0.0012 at 10 GHz reduces circuit losses without sacrificing dimensional stability, making CLTE suitable for loss-sensitive RF and microwave circuits.

Embedded Resistor Compatibility:
CLTE laminates have a long history of use with Resistor Foil, enabling reliable designs with embedded resistor networks. This can reduce component count, save board space, and improve high-frequency performance by eliminating discrete resistor parasitics.

Heavy Metal Backing Options:
CLTE is available with heavy metal backings (aluminum, brass, and copper), providing options for shielding, thermal management, and mechanical support. This is particularly valuable in power amplifier and radar applications.

Wide Range of Cladding Types:
The material is available with electrodeposited copper, reverse-treated copper, and rolled copper foil, allowing designers to optimize for loss, PIM, and adhesion depending on the application.

High Dielectric Breakdown:
A dielectric breakdown of 64 kV (X/Y direction) and electrical strength of 1100 V/mil provide robust insulation for high-voltage and high-reliability applications.

High Decomposition Temperature:
With a Td of 538°C, CLTE provides a wide processing window and excellent thermal stability through lead-free assembly.

Ultra-Thin Construction Capability:
The 0.25mm finished thickness (0.135mm core + 2× 35μm copper) demonstrates CLTE's suitability for applications with severe thickness limitations, enabling compact, lightweight RF systems.

Quality and Availability

All boards are manufactured in compliance with IPC-Class-2 quality standards, ensuring robust reliability for commercial, industrial, and defense-related applications. 100% electrical testing is performed prior to shipment to guarantee functional integrity.

Our production capability extends to worldwide availability, with flexible shipping and logistics support for both prototype and volume requirements. We offer rapid turnaround and competitive pricing while maintaining strict process control.

For inquiries about custom stack-ups, alternative thicknesses (0.005″ to 0.030″), cladding options (ED, RTF, rolled copper), heavy metal backing (aluminum, brass, copper), embedded resistor networks, or other requirements, please contact our sales engineering team—we are ready to support your high-frequency circuit board requirements.