Panasonic Corporation has announced that it has commercialized its "High Thermal Conductivity, Low Transmission Loss Halogen-free Multi-layer Circuit Board Material". This is the industry's first halogen-free multi-layer circuit board material for RF power amplifiers that achieves low transmission losses in the high-frequency range, enabling compact-sizing of wireless base stations. Mass production of these boards will start in August 2017.
5G mobile communication systems require more data data capacity and much higher transmission rates. As a result of this, the demand for small cells/small base stations that can cover hot spots with high user demand, is expected to expand substantially. RF power amplifier boards used in compact-sized small cells will require a multi-layer structure to achieve further space saving in place of the current mainstream double-sided boards. The industry also requires multi-layer boards that can carry out high-speed communication in high frequency domains while providing low transmission losses as well as low heat generation. Panasonic's proprietary resin design technology has enabled the first commercial production of multi-layer circuit board material for RF power amplifiers by providing halogen-free, low transmission loss and high thermal conductivity features that, up to this point, have represented a major technical barrier.
These boards have a low transmission loss of -20 dB/m at 20 GHz and have high thermal conductivity that effectively dissipates heat from heated components used on the power amplifier to provide reliable operation. It provides thermal conductivity of 0.6 W/(m·K) (1.5 times that of the Panasonic's conventional product).
The material protects against deterioration of transmission characteristics in high-temperature environments, thereby contributing to the long-term durability of the base stations. Dielectric constant change rate is1.0%, Dissipation factor change rate is 3.5% (1000 hours at 125°C). The Dielectric constant change rate of current products is about 3.0%, and their dissipation factor change rate is about 80% (1000 hours at 125°C).
This material is ideal for the circuit board of power amplifiers intended for wireless base stations and small cells.
