Different types of resin and glass are used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards (PCBs).
The way they are combined affects the electrical and mechanical properties of the material. The two basic electrical properties of a material are dielectric constant (Dk) and dielectric loss or dissipation factor Dk. The dielectric constant indicates the amount of load that two conductors can withstand when a certain voltage is applied to them. The constant Dk also determines the rate at which current flows in a conductor. The dielectric loss factor is a measure of the electromagnetic energy absorbed by a dielectric material.
A list of reasons that drive the choice of materials:
- The need to process electrical signals at increasingly higher frequencies;
- increasing integration density of electronic components;
- the availability of new enclosures for many components, which affects wiring methods;
- the need to minimize power loss, especially in low-power or battery-powered applications;
- the need to provide PCBs with adequate thermal management to limit the amount of heat dissipated;
- the need to manage device (usually wireless) connectivity.
A list of reasons that drive the choice of materials:
- The need to process electrical signals at increasingly higher frequencies;
- increasing integration density of electronic components;
- the availability of new enclosures for many components, which affects wiring methods;
- the need to minimize power loss, especially in low-power or battery-powered applications;
- the need to provide PCBs with adequate thermal management to limit the amount of heat dissipated;
- the need to manage device (usually wireless) connectivity.