Taconic PCB Materials — TLY-5, RF-35, CER-10 Properties and In-Stock Availability
Taconic is a long-established PTFE laminate manufacturer with a material range that spans low-loss wideband grades (TLY-5) through mid-Dk filter materials (RF-35) to high-Dk miniaturization grades (CER-10). This guide covers the Dk/Df properties, standard thicknesses, and typical applications for the most commonly specified Taconic grades, and where these materials are available as standard stock.
Table of Contents
Taconic Material Properties
| Grade | Dk | Df | Type | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLY-5 / TLY-5A | 2.17 / 2.20 | 0.0009 | PTFE woven glass | Wideband EW, low-loss antenna feed, high-reliability applications |
| TLY-3 | 2.33 | 0.0012 | PTFE woven glass | Broadband RF, similar range to RT5870 |
| TLP-5 | 2.2 | 0.0009 | PTFE glass | Similar to TLY-5, thin-core options available |
| TLT-8/7/6/0.9 | 2.45–2.65 | 0.0015–0.0021 | PTFE ceramic | Ku-band and above, tighter Dk range by grade |
| RF-35 | 3.5 | 0.0018 | PTFE ceramic | X/Ku-band filters, antenna, phase shifters |
| RF-60A | 6.5 | 0.0038 | PTFE ceramic | Miniaturized designs — higher Dk for size reduction |
| CER-10 | 10.0 | 0.0035 | PTFE ceramic | High-Dk designs, compact patch antenna, phase shifter |
Taconic’s TLY series is the most widely specified grade family for low-loss wideband applications — TLY-5 and TLY-5A both offer Dk in the 2.17–2.20 range with Df 0.0009, placing them among the lowest-loss PTFE materials available from any manufacturer, in the same performance tier as Rogers RT5880. TLY-3 offers a slightly higher Dk (2.33) with marginally higher Df (0.0012), useful where a specific impedance target requires a different trace geometry than TLY-5 provides.
Available Thicknesses
| Grade | Standard Thickness Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TLY-5 / TLY-5A | 0.09, 0.13, 0.25, 0.51, 0.79, 1.58, 2.36mm | Wide range — other thicknesses on request |
| TLY-3 | Same range as TLY-5 | — |
| TLT series | 0.13, 0.25, 0.51, 0.79, 1.58, 3.18mm | 0.4mm also available on TLT-0.9/0.8/0.7/0.6 |
| RF-35 | 0.25, 0.51, 0.76, 1.52mm | — |
| RF-60A | 0.25, 0.64, 0.79, 1.27, 1.52, 3.18mm | — |
| CER-10 | 0.28, 0.64, 0.76, 1.19, 1.58, 3.18mm | — |
Taconic offers a broad thickness range across most grades, with custom thicknesses available on request from the material manufacturer for non-standard requirements. For prototype and standard production, working within the listed standard thicknesses avoids the lead time associated with custom material orders.
Which Taconic Grade for Which Application
| Application | Taconic Grade | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Wideband EW / ESM receiver | TLY-5 / TLY-5A | Lowest Df in the Taconic range — Df 0.0009 |
| X/Ku-band filter or coupler | RF-35 | Dk 3.5 balances trace geometry and loss for this frequency range |
| Miniaturized patch antenna | CER-10 or RF-60A | High Dk (10.0 / 6.5) reduces element size for space-constrained designs |
| General broadband RF below 18GHz | TLY-3 | Slightly higher Dk than TLY-5, still low loss |
| Ku-band and above with tighter Dk control | TLT series | Available in tighter Dk sub-grades (TLT-0.9 through TLT-6) |
TLY-5 / TLY-5A — the wideband low-loss standard
TLY-5 and TLY-5A are the Taconic grades most comparable to Rogers RT5880 in electrical performance — both offer Df 0.0009, the lowest loss tier among commonly available PCB substrates. This makes them suitable for the same application space: wideband EW receivers, ESM systems, low-loss antenna feed networks, and any design where minimizing insertion loss across a wide instantaneous bandwidth is the primary material requirement.
RF-35 — mid-Dk for filter and coupler design
RF-35 (Dk 3.5, Df 0.0018) sits at a Dk value useful for X-band and Ku-band filter, coupler and antenna designs where a moderate dielectric constant provides a practical balance between trace width and physical element size. This is a comparable Dk tier to Rogers RO4350B, though RF-35 is a PTFE material requiring plasma activation, unlike RO4350B’s FR4-compatible process.
CER-10 and RF-60A — high-Dk for miniaturization
CER-10 (Dk 10.0) and RF-60A (Dk 6.5) are specified when physical size reduction is the primary design driver — higher Dk shrinks the electrical wavelength for a given physical dimension, allowing smaller patch antenna elements, more compact phase shifters, and denser component placement. The tradeoff is generally higher Df at these Dk levels (0.0035 for CER-10) compared to the low-Dk TLY series, and these are specialized materials with narrower application windows than the general-purpose TLY and RF-35 grades.
Manufacturing Requirements for Taconic PTFE Materials
Like all PTFE-based RF substrates, Taconic materials require in-house plasma hole wall activation before copper plating — the same process requirement that applies to Rogers RO3003 and RT5880. See PTFE PCB manufacturer for the plasma activation process and why timing control matters for long-term reliability. Taconic materials follow the same 2-cycle maximum lamination limit as other PTFE substrates.
Material Availability at Riching PCB
Riching PCB maintains a materials library covering Rogers, Taconic, F4B and other RF laminate brands. For Taconic material orders, confirm the specific grade, thickness and quantity requirement — standard thicknesses in commonly specified grades (TLY-5, RF-35) typically carry shorter lead times than less common grades or non-standard thicknesses. Contact us directly to confirm current stock status for your specific requirement.
Design Considerations When Specifying Taconic Materials
- Confirm Dk value used in impedance simulation matches the actual material certificate for your production lot — Taconic datasheet Dk values are nominal, actual lot Dk may vary within tolerance
- Specify plasma activation and lamination cycle requirements explicitly on the fabrication drawing — do not assume a factory’s standard PTFE process matches your reliability requirements without confirming
- For hybrid stackups combining Taconic PTFE layers with FR4, confirm compatible bonding film with your fabricator — do not assume standard FR4 prepreg is appropriate at the PTFE interface
- Request TDR impedance verification for controlled impedance designs — standard for RF applications regardless of material brand
Taconic PCB Materials — Q&A
Common questions about Taconic material grades, Dk/Df properties, applications and manufacturing process requirements.
What is Taconic TLY-5 used for?
TLY-5 (Dk 2.17, Df 0.0009) is used for wideband low-loss RF applications including EW receivers, ESM systems, and antenna feed networks. It is among the lowest-loss PTFE materials commonly available, comparable to Rogers RT5880.
What Dk does Taconic RF-35 have?
RF-35 has Dk 3.5 and Df 0.0018. Commonly used for X-band and Ku-band filter, coupler and antenna designs, providing a practical balance between trace width and physical element size.
Does Taconic PCB material require plasma activation?
Yes. Taconic materials are PTFE-based and require the same in-house plasma hole wall activation used for Rogers RO3003 and RT5880. This is necessary for reliable copper adhesion and follows the same 2-cycle lamination limit.
What is Taconic CER-10 used for?
CER-10 has a high dielectric constant (Dk 10.0), used when physical size reduction is the design driver. High Dk shrinks electrical wavelength for a given physical dimension, enabling smaller patch elements and compact phase shifters — tradeoff is higher Df (0.0035) than low-Dk materials.
Taconic, Rogers and F4B — Full RF Material Library
In-house plasma activation for all PTFE materials. Confirm grade, thickness and quantity for current stock status and lead time. No MOQ. TDR impedance verification available.
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