A study of measurement methodologies for the loss characteristics of laminates and the effects of laminate features on loss-reduction for high frequency circuit applications

Summary form only given. The prediction of dielectric loss for laminate materials in high frequency applications has become more important as clock speed increases. But down the supply chain, laminators, board fabricators, ODM and OEM design houses utilize different technique to measure the dielectric constant and loss tangent of materials. This paper studies three measurement techniques: parallel plate, transmission line, and resonant cavity; and attempts to find a suitable measurement method as standard. In addition, this paper also addresses some key factors that can influence the loss characteristics of laminates Through design modification, we can reach the goal of reducing total loss of materials and keeping cost down for high frequency applications.