Panasonic Commercializes Halogen-free Multi-layer Circuit Board Material (Halogen-free MEGTRON6) for Communications Infrastructure Equipment

[Product Features]

1. Low transmission loss with halogen-free material, thereby contributing to high-capacity and high-speed data transmission

There is a growing need for environment-friendly halogen-free material for circuit board materials used in communications infrastructure equipment. To maintain flame retardation, the use of non-halogen flame retardants is necessary, but the downside was increased transmission loss, particularly in the high-frequency range. Achievement of large-capacity and high-speed transmission as required by communications infrastructure equipment by using halogen-free material was therefore a challenge. However, the company has now achieved flame retardation with halogen-free material as well as low transmission loss in the high-frequency range by applying its proprietary resin design technology and compounding technology. As a result, large-capacity and high-speed data transmission was achieved, which will contribute to the rollout of the 5G mobile communication system.

2. Reliable equipment operation by the use of highly heat-resistant, high-reliability multi-layer circuit board material

This material, created using the company’s own resin design technology and compounding technology, offers excellent reflow heat resistance, insulation reliability, and high glass transition temperature as well as a high thermal decomposition temperature. This multi-layer circuit board material achieves high reliability in high-temperature environments, thereby contributing to reliable operation of communications infrastructure equipment.

3. The halogen-free material employed improves ease of manufacturing and processing of multi-layer circuit boards with over 20 layers.

This material achieves outstanding ease of manufacturing and processing in producing multi-layer circuit boards with over 20 layers based on the company’s own resin design technology, and enables the adoption of environment-friendly halogen-free circuit board material in communications infrastructure equipment that requires very high numbers of board layers.

Basic specifications:

Part numbers: Core material: R-5375 (N), R-5375 (E), Prepreg: R-5370 (N), R-5370 (E)

[Term Descriptions]

[1] Halogen-free

Material defined by JPCA-ES-01-2003 concerning the quantity of halogens (bromine [Br] and chlorine [Cl]) present.

[2] Transmission loss

The decay phenomenon of an electrical signal in a circuit due to being converted to heat by resistance, etc., in relation to distance or circuit design. The degree of loss varies according to the characteristics of the conductor (circuit) or the insulating material (board material) in contact with the circuitry.

[3] Dielectric constant (Dk)

Dielectric constant is an index of the ease of polarization of an insulating substance when an external charge is applied to it. Each substance has a specific value. Because easily-polarized substances tend to store electricity, hard-to-polarize substances (small dielectric constant) are better for efficiently sending electrical signals. The dielectric constant is defined as a ratio relative to the dielectric constant of a vacuum.

[4] Dissipation factor (Df)

Dissipation factor indicates the degree of loss that takes place when electricity stored in an insulating substance is discharged. The smaller the dielectric dissipation factor, the more efficiently stored electricity is discharged, and the smaller the transmission loss of the electrical signal becomes.

[5] Glass transition temperature (Tg)

When a polymer is heated, it changes from a glass-like hard state to a rubber-like, soft condition. This change is called glass transition, and the temperature at which this change occurs is called the glass transition temperature.