LAMINATES: DK, DF AND TRACE WIDTH

What are the Dk and Df of Nanya NPG-198K?

Nanya NPG-198K has a dielectric constant (Dk) of 3.28 and a loss factor (Df) of 0.0016 at 10 GHz, as published by its maker. A 50 ohm surface microstrip over a 0.2 mm dielectric comes out about 0.440 mm wide on it, against 0.353 mm on standard FR-4.

  • Dielectric loss on that microstrip is about 0.051 dB per inch at 10 GHz, and the signal travels at about 135 ps per inch.
  • Buried as a stripline between planes 0.4 mm apart, 50 ohms needs a trace about 0.174 mm wide.

50 ohm surface microstrip, 1 oz copper

Dielectric heightTrace width on NPG-198KOn standard FR-4
0.1 mm0.209 mm0.166 mm
0.2 mm0.440 mm0.353 mm
0.5 mm1.14 mm0.920 mm
1.6 mm3.73 mm3.02 mm

As published

PropertyValue
Dk @ 10GHz3.28–3.34
Df @ 10GHz0.0016–0.0035
Tg (°C)200 (DMA)
Halogen-FreeNo
Target Data Rate400G+

How this was counted

Dk and Df are the maker's published values at 10 GHz, from the MPBxChange material catalogue, which keeps each source's test frequency and method. Where a maker publishes a range, the midpoint is used. Widths are solved with the Hammerstad and Jensen microstrip equations and Wadell's stripline form, for 1 oz copper, and are a starting point: Dk moves with frequency, resin content and glass style, and a fabricator's field solver is the authority. Standard FR-4 here is the median of 22 FR-4 grades in the catalogue (Dk 4.4).