Compare the value and the method.
Search a curated table of RF laminate properties with direct manufacturer sources. Process Dk, design Dk and Df remain separate, with the conditions needed to interpret them.
Search the sourced Dk / Df comparison
Ten selected grades. Values are source-reported nominal/typical numbers, not a common-method ranking or purchase specification. Filters do not remove the test-method differences.
| Material / family | Process or typical Dk @10 GHz | Separate design Dk | Df @10 GHz | Test context and source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RO4003C Rogers · thermoset Standard laminate; specify thickness and foil. RO4003C is not the flame-retardant RO4350B grade. | 3.38 | 3.55 | 0.0027 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RO4350B Rogers · thermoset 4 mil thickness has a different process Dk (3.33 ±0.05); check LoPro and thickness-specific notes. | 3.48 | 3.66 | 0.0037 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RO3003 Rogers · ptfe January 2024 sheet lists design Dk 3.00. Other model/revision values must not be silently substituted. | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.0010 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RO3035 Rogers · ptfe Ceramic-filled PTFE; review actual stock and construction. | 3.50 | 3.60 | 0.0015 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RO3006 Rogers · ptfe Higher permittivity; geometry and temperature behavior need review. | 6.15 | 6.50 | 0.0020 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RO3010 Rogers · ptfe High-Dk PTFE composite; not interchangeable with lower-Dk grades. | 10.20 | 11.20 | 0.0022 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz, 23°C; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RT/duroid 5870 Rogers · ptfe Glass-microfiber PTFE; exact copper and thickness still matter. | 2.33 | 2.33 | 0.0012 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RT/duroid 5880 Rogers · ptfe Not the same product as RT/duroid 5880LZ. | 2.20 | 2.20 | 0.0009 | Process Dk / Df: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5, 10 GHz; design Dk: differential phase length, 8–40 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| Astra MT77 Isola · thermoset Rev D, April 2021 sheet. No separate design-Dk value entered here. | 3.00 | Not listed separately | 0.0017 | Typical Dk at 10 GHz: IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5; Df: Bereskin stripline, 10 GHz. Manufacturer source |
| RF-35HTC AGC · ptfe Ceramic/PTFE composite. RF-35HTC is distinct from RF-35 and RF-35TC. | 3.50 | Not listed separately | 0.0007 | Typical Dk / Df at 10 GHz: IPC-650 2.5.36 as stated in the AGC sheet. Manufacturer source |
No matching grade in this curated table. Try a shorter name or ask for an exact-grade review.
Sources checked September 2026. RO3000 source: January 2024; RT/duroid source: August 2022; Astra MT77: April 2021 Rev D. See original PDFs for full tolerances, conditions and revision details.
What the table does and does not compare
This table brings selected published numbers into one readable view. It helps locate a grade and its source; it does not put every material through a common test. Differences in measurement method, frequency, specimen, direction and construction can affect whether two values are directly comparable.
The table includes ten specific grades from Rogers, Isola and AGC. A manufacturer family is not a single material, so a value for RF-35HTC is not assigned to RF-35 or RF-35TC. Likewise, RT/duroid 5880 and 5880LZ are different products. An unlisted material is outside this dataset, not automatically unsuitable or unavailable.
Process Dk, design Dk and effective Dk
A process or typical Dk value is reported under the manufacturer’s stated method and conditions. A separately published design value may be intended to support circuit modeling over a different measurement context. Effective permittivity belongs to a particular transmission structure and is not simply another name for the bulk substrate number.
Do not fill a blank design-Dk cell by copying a process value and presenting it as a separately verified model. The table uses a clear not-listed label when that information has not been entered. For a layout model, ask which value and construction are appropriate and retain the supporting source with the design files.
Revision and thickness notes can change the interpretation
The linked RO3000 January 2024 sheet lists RO3003 design Dk as 3.00. Other literature or models may use another value; identify the exact revision and purpose before replacing a simulation parameter. The correct action is to reconcile the design model with the source and construction, not to silently average conflicting numbers.
The RO4350B source includes a special process-Dk note for the 4 mil thickness and additional LoPro considerations. A summary row cannot replace those notes. Open the original PDF when specifying a thickness, foil or qualification requirement. Source checks on this page are dated so readers can distinguish a curated snapshot from a live supplier database.
Turn a comparison into a reviewable selection
Shortlist candidates using the electrical requirement, then compare thickness availability, copper, thermal behavior, expansion, moisture response, processing and assembly needs. A lower reported Df is not a complete ranking of the cost or performance of finished boards. The same nominal Dk also does not establish drop-in equivalence.
Use the candidate screening tool to organize a discussion, then request an exact-grade review. If a substitution changes the field geometry, material system or process, update the simulation and verification plan. The material selection guide connects this property comparison to the wider project requirements.
Keep the engineering assumptions connected
Build the acceptance plan around the application
Decide what the bare board must demonstrate and what belongs to the assembled product. Continuity testing, an impedance coupon, a calibrated RF network measurement and an installed-system test are different forms of evidence. None should silently stand in for another. Identify the required report, coverage, limits and review responsibility before the quotation is accepted.
Record the test configuration alongside the result: board revision, material construction, fixture, calibration, firmware or device settings, temperature and the relevant operating point. When comparing prototypes, keep these conditions consistent or explain the difference. A changed connector, cable or reference plane can make an apparent board improvement difficult to interpret.
For production, agree how first-article findings become controlled manufacturing requirements. Identify which dimensions and material choices are critical, what may be adjusted by engineering, and which changes require renewed validation. A repeat order should reference the approved revision and test plan rather than rely on a previous email description.
Visit quality and test evidence for supplier qualification and reporting questions. Where a customer program requires certificates or sector-specific approval, request the actual documents and applicable scope. An application example is not a product certification or a substitute for the customer’s acceptance process.
Prepare a quotation that engineering can review
A useful RF PCB quotation starts with a controlled design package. Send Gerber or an agreed manufacturing format, NC drill data, a dimensioned outline, the board revision and a stackup drawing. Add quantity, delivery destination and the requested schedule. If some details are still open, mark them explicitly instead of letting a drawing, an email and a file name imply different requirements.
Separate mandatory requirements from preferences. A specified laminate, a customer-approved alternative and a request for a recommendation are three different purchasing instructions. State whether the supplier may propose changes to dielectric thickness, line geometry, panelization or finish, and who approves those changes. Changes that affect RF behavior should return to the design owner before release.
What affects the price?
Board area and panel utilization, quantity, material availability, stackup complexity, drilling and plating, special mechanical features, inspection and test all influence cost. Tight tolerances can also change the achievable yield and process route. An online estimate cannot account for every interaction in an unusual construction.
Use the panel and material cost tool to explore the assumptions it exposes, then request a reviewed quotation. Confirm tooling or setup charges, engineering changes, shipping, taxes and the included report package in the commercial offer.
What affects delivery?
Material stock, engineering clarification, special tooling, lamination cycles and the agreed inspection plan can affect the schedule. Assembly adds component procurement, stencil preparation, programming and fixture readiness. The requested date is a planning input until the supplier confirms the complete order scope.
The website’s response-time target describes enquiry handling. It is not a guarantee that a complex RF build can be priced, fabricated or delivered within the same period. Ask the team to identify the critical dependencies for your project.
From review to repeatable production
Agree the build
Engineering reviews material, geometry, mechanical features and test requirements. Open questions and proposed changes are documented. The approved drawing and stackup become the manufacturing baseline.
Verify the first build
Define which records are needed for the prototype: electrical test, impedance, dimensional inspection, cross-sections or an agreed RF measurement. Evaluate the evidence against the relevant acceptance criteria.
Control later changes
Keep revision, material substitutions, process changes and test updates traceable. A successful prototype is the starting point for production control, not permission to change the construction silently.
For a performance issue, retain the board revision, lot reference, measurement setup and operating conditions. Comparing repeatable measurements is more useful than comparing screenshots taken with different fixtures or calibration. Define the investigation and disposition with the supplier using the actual order requirements.
Prepare an engineering review from this resource
Select what is ready. This checklist runs locally and does not upload files or place an order.
From an online result to a manufactured board
RFPCB and PCBSync share a manufacturing operation. The photographs below show real process and laboratory areas from that facility archive. An online calculation is an engineering aid; a quotation and acceptance plan still need the actual design package.
RF PCB Dk / Df Comparison Table: common questions
Are the Df numbers a fair lowest-loss ranking?
Not by themselves. Methods and conditions differ, and a finished circuit also has conductor and other losses.
Why are some design-Dk cells blank?
No separately published design value has been entered for those grades. A missing value is not assumed to equal process Dk.
Does the table show purchasing tolerances?
The main numeric cells show nominal or typical values. Use the original supplier specification and notes for procurement limits.
Related RF design resources
PCB Impedance Calculator — Microstrip & Width Solver · RF PCB Insertion Loss Calculator & Budget · RF PCB Dk / Df Comparison Table · RF PCB Material Cross-Reference & Candidate Tool · RF PCB Stackup Library — 2, 4, 6 & 8 Layers · RF PCB Design Guide & Review Checklist
Continue with controlled impedance manufacturing, hybrid stackup review or a project enquiry when your assumptions are ready for engineering review.
Model and data sources
- Rogers RO4003C / RO4350B datasheet
- Rogers RO3000 datasheet, January 2024
- Rogers RT/duroid 5870 / 5880 datasheet
- Isola Astra MT77 datasheet, Rev D
- AGC RF-35HTC datasheet
Sources reviewed September 2026. Original supplier documents control their stated values and conditions. Educational stackups and calculations are not manufacturing approvals. The page explains the model scope rather than claiming full-wave accuracy or material equivalence.
Send the assumptions with the design.
Include the model, material source, stackup, geometry and acceptance needs. The engineering team can review open questions and confirm a quotation scope.
Ready for a quotation?
Send your requirements for a material, stackup and manufacturing review. Price and schedule are confirmed for your project.