RO3203 adds woven-glass reinforcement to a ceramic-filled PTFE system in the lower-Dk region of the RO3200 group. It is relevant where handling, dimensional control and a reinforced substrate are important alongside microwave performance. It should remain a distinct material from the unreinforced ceramic-filled RO3003 construction.
Material system
Ceramic-filled PTFE reinforced with woven glass
Technical properties
| Property | Reported value | Conditions / source |
|---|---|---|
| Process dielectric constant | 3.02 ± 0.04 | Typical, 10 GHz, 23°C; IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5 clamped stripline; thickness direction. Source |
| Design dielectric constant | 3.02 | Typical, 8–40 GHz; differential phase length method. Average across the common constructions in the cited datasheet. Source |
| Dissipation factor | 0.0016 | Typical, 10 GHz, 23°C; IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5; thickness direction. Source |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.48 W/(m·K) | Typical; ASTM C518, 80°C; through-thickness thermal conduction. Source |
| CTE, X axis | 13 ppm/°C | Typical; -55°C to 288°C, IPC-TM-650 2.4.41; average expansion over the interval, not necessarily linear. Source |
| CTE, Y axis | 13 ppm/°C | Typical; -55°C to 288°C, IPC-TM-650 2.4.41; average expansion over the interval, not necessarily linear. Source |
| CTE, Z axis | 58 ppm/°C | Typical; -55°C to 288°C, IPC-TM-650 2.4.41; average expansion over the interval, not necessarily linear. Source |
| Thermal coefficient of dielectric constant | -13 ppm/°C | Typical; 0°C to 100°C, IPC-TM-650 2.5.5.5 (modified temperature measurement); 10 GHz. Source |
Typical reported values are not a purchase specification. Process Dk, design Dk and values measured at different frequencies are not interchangeable.
Selection and design notes
- Use it when the manufacturing advantages of reinforcement fit a larger or more mechanically demanding circuit. Compare the actual registration and RF requirements instead of assuming woven glass is always either beneficial or harmful.
- For an antenna feed panel, inspect local dielectric structure and the relevant trace geometry. The same nominal Dk does not imply identical phase uniformity or line loss between RO3203 and RO3003.
Thickness and copper options
The product table separates RO3200 configurations; thick 60 mil process-Dk behavior is called out in the selector footnote.
Match ED or other available foil to the selected core; do not inherit RO3003G2's VLP construction.
Fabrication considerations
- Coordinate drill parameters and PTFE hole-wall preparation with a fabricator familiar with reinforced microwave laminates. Use the chosen bonding material's own instructions; standard glass-epoxy desmear alone is not a universal PTFE process.
Application fit
- Reinforced microwave boards
- Antenna feeds
- Multilayer RF structures
Limits and substitution checks
- The selector's 60 mil process-Dk note also names RO3203. Reinforcement and thickness therefore need to remain visible in the model. The higher Df than RO3003 may matter for a long line even when a short RF component shows little practical difference.