Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation announced today that its Industrial Solutions Company has commercialized R-5410, Halogen-free Ultra-low Transmission Loss[1] Multi-layer Circuit Board Material suitable for millimeter-wave[2] antennas. Mass production will begin in March 2021.
Millimeter-wave (mmWave) is a specific type of radar technology that employs short-wavelength electromagnetic waves. Radar systems transmit signals and receive signals reflected by objects in their path. By processing the reflected signal, a radar system can determine the range, velocity and angle of the objects. Millimeter-wave radar[3] is a key technology for automotive, telecommunications and other industries. These systems form the basis for the driving environment recognition platforms which enable advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) technology.
With the aim of achieving enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC), and Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) in 5G (5th generation mobile communication systems), wireless communication base stations also use millimeter-wave bandwidths with beamforming technologies[4] based on massive-element antennas. The rapid adoption of millimeter-wave radar has increased the performance requirements for high-frequency circuit boards used for wireless communications. Demand has increased for multi-layer circuit board materials that exhibit low transmission loss in the millimeter-wave band.
Historically, fluoropolymer circuit board materials[5] have been primarily used for manufacturing antenna circuit boards. However, these fluoropolymer materials are thermoplastic and can be difficult to process into multi-layer constructions. The newly developed R-5410 Halogen-free Ultra-low Transmission Loss Multi-Layer Circuit Board Material is a prepreg material made from a unique non-fluoropolymer thermosetting resin system. This new prepreg enables multi-layer antenna constructions using industry-standard circuit board lamination manufacturing processes[6] and equipment. This feature increases the flexibility of high-frequency circuit board designs, enabling compact and high-density modules integrated with antennas at reduced material and processing costs and improving the efficiency of antenna performance.
Panasonic's new halogen-free ultra-low transmission loss multi-layer circuit board material has the following features:
1. R-5410 has lower transmission loss which improves the efficiency of millimeter-wave band antenna signals.
- • Transmission loss: 0.079 dB/mm (@79 GHz)
(Panasonic's conventional product*1: 0.081 dB/mm)
2. R-5410 enables multi-layer antenna constructions and improves the design flexibility of high-frequency circuit boards.
3. R-5410 reduces processing costs during circuit board manufacturing.
- *1: Panasonic's conventional product (ultra-low transmission loss multi-layer circuit board materials, MEGTRON7 R-5785)
Suitable applications:
Millimeter-wave antenna circuit boards (e.g. automotive millimeter-wave radars, wireless communication base stations), high-speed transmission circuit boards
