Isola materials support military LEO satellites
From the Isola Group come low-loss I-Tera MT40 circuit materials that support multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) for military- and commercial-grade low-Earth-orbit satellites. The laminates and prepreg materials suit high density interconnect (HDI) multilayer assemblies that need to meet demanding military size, weight, and power requirements for LEO satellite payloads. The circuit materials are available in the form of I-Tera MT40 laminates and prepreg materials for high-speed-digital circuit applications and I-Tera MT40 (RF/MW) laminates for high-frequency RF and microwave circuits through W-band frequencies.
Straightforward processing methods and manufacturing steps are used to make single-, dual-, and multilayer circuits as well as HDI builds with I-TERA MT40 circuit materials in contrast to the complex and lengthy PCB fabrication processes required with other commonly used high-speed/high-frequency circuit materials such as PTFE. Isola states that the ease of manufacturing reduces wear on machine tools, fabrication time and assembly costs.
I-Tera MT40 (RF/MW) laminates maintain a dielectric constant (Dk) of 3.38, 3.45, 3.60, and 3.75 in the z-axis (thickness). The Dk remains stable over a wide temperature range, from -40 to +140 degrees C. The laminates feature low loss at high frequencies, with a dissipation factor down to 0.0028. They do not require any special through-hole treatments when forming multilayer circuits and HDIs, and support both HSD, RF/MW, and hybrid mixed-signal circuits.
Laminates and prepregs are available in standard thicknesses and panel sizes, with standard copper weights of 0.5 to 2.0 oz. (and custom weights), with the light weight and durability required for critical military LEO satellite payloads.
Isola is a leading global developer and supplier of advanced electronic circuit materials for high-voltage, high-power, high-speed, and high-frequency PCBs. By performing ongoing research and development on emerging circuit applications, such as military radar and EW systems, commercial 5G communications networks, and vehicle electronification, and operating a network of global factories, Isola can provide high-performance solutions for the most challenging electronic single-layer and multilayer PCB applications.
