Taconic PCB Materials for RF and Microwave Applications: TLY-5, RF-35, RF-60A and More

Taconic vs Rogers: Direct Comparison

Engineers often ask how Taconic compares to Rogers for specific applications. The following covers the most common cross-material questions.

Taconic TLY-5 / TLP-5 vs Rogers RT5880

• Dk: TLP-5 = 2.20, RT5880 = 2.20 — identical
• Df: both = 0.0009 — identical
• Processing: both PTFE — identical process requirements
• Thicknesses: comparable ranges — both available to 0.127mm equivalent
• Verdict: technically equivalent for most commercial RF applications. For aerospace and defense programs with Rogers RT5880 specified on the drawing, Taconic substitution requires written customer approval.

Taconic TLY-3 vs Rogers RT5870

• Dk: both 2.33 — identical
• Df: both 0.0012 — identical
• Processing: both PTFE — identical
• Verdict: direct technical equivalent

Taconic RF-35 vs Rogers RO4350B

• Dk: RF-35 = 3.50, RO4350B = 3.48 — essentially identical
• Df: RF-35 = 0.0018, RO4350B = 0.0037 — RF-35 has 51% lower Df
• Processing: RF-35 is PTFE (requires activation), RO4350B is hydrocarbon ceramic (FR4-compatible)
• Tg: RF-35 PTFE has no practical Tg, RO4350B >280°C — both adequate for aerospace operating temperatures
• Verdict: RF-35 has better electrical performance (lower Df). RO4350B is easier to process in most factories. For a factory with PTFE capability, RF-35 is a technically superior option at similar cost. For factories without PTFE equipment, RO4350B is the practical choice.

Taconic RF-60A vs Rogers RO3006

• Dk: RF-60A = 6.5, RO3006 = 6.15 — RF-60A slightly higher
• Df: RF-60A = 0.0038, RO3006 = 0.0020 — RO3006 has lower Df
• Verdict: RO3006 has better RF loss performance. RF-60A may be preferred when slightly higher Dk is needed for specific circuit geometry.

Taconic CER-10 vs Rogers RO3010

• Dk: CER-10 = 10.0, RO3010 = 10.2 — very similar
• Df: CER-10 = 0.0035, RO3010 = 0.0022 — RO3010 has lower Df
• Verdict: RO3010 has better electrical performance. CER-10 is an alternative when RO3010 availability is limited.

Manufacturing Process for Taconic PCB

All Taconic materials in the TLY, TLP, RF, and CER series are PTFE-based. They share the same manufacturing process requirements as Rogers PTFE materials — specifically Rogers RO3003 and RT5880. A factory that can produce Rogers RO3003 reliably can produce Taconic TLY-5 and RF-35 with the same process.

PTFE Hole Wall Activation

PTFE is a chemically inert material that does not bond readily to copper during electroless copper plating. Before plating, the drilled hole wall must be chemically or physically activated to create a bondable surface.

• Sodium naphthalene (wet chemical): etches the PTFE surface, creating polar functional groups that accept copper deposition — effective but requires handling of hazardous chemicals
• Plasma activation: RF plasma treatment activates the PTFE surface — cleaner process, widely used in modern factories
• Without activation: electroless copper will not adhere reliably to PTFE hole walls — via reliability will fail under thermal cycling
• Our factory: plasma activation process used for all Taconic PTFE materials

Drilling Parameters

• Spindle speed: lower than FR4 — PTFE is soft and generates more heat at high RPM, causing hole wall smearing
• Feed rate: lower than FR4 — prevents PTFE deformation at the drill entry
• Entry and backing materials: PTFE-specific cover and backer boards to prevent surface burring
• Hole quality: confirm hole wall smoothness and roundness — PTFE drilling defects are more common than FR4 if parameters are not optimized

Lamination

• Temperature profile: PTFE-specific press temperature — different from FR4
• Pressure: controlled to prevent PTFE flow — PTFE softens under heat and can deform if pressure is not managed
• Maximum cycles: 2 press cycles for all Taconic PTFE materials — same limit as Rogers PTFE
• Bonding film: Taconic uses tacBOND or equivalent PTFE-compatible bonding film for multilayer construction

Controlled Impedance for Taconic PCB

• Impedance calculation: use confirmed production Dk from the material certificate — Taconic Dk values have the same tolerance ranges as Rogers (typically ±0.02 to ±0.05 depending on grade)
• TDR verification: same as Rogers — impedance coupon measured by TDR on every production lot
• Standard tolerance: ±10% for traces ≥50Ω; ±5Ω for traces <50Ω
• Advanced tolerance: ±8% available

Application Selection: When to Use Taconic vs Rogers

Use Taconic When:

• The design is commercial and Rogers certification is not specified — Taconic is technically equivalent to the Rogers grade at comparable or lower cost
• The customer has specified Taconic by grade on the design drawing
• TLY-5 or RF-35 is already qualified on an existing design that is being repeated — no reason to change
• RF-35 is being considered as a lower-loss alternative to RO4350B for a commercial application — RF-35’s lower Df is a genuine advantage

Use Rogers When:

• The program specification, fabrication drawing, or BOM specifies Rogers by grade — substitution requires written customer approval
• The application is aerospace or defense with MIL-PRF-31032 or Rogers-certified material documentation requirements
• The design uses Rogers hydrocarbon materials (RO4350B, RO4003C) — Taconic has no direct equivalent to the FR4-compatible Rogers hydrocarbon series
• Long-term supply continuity on a defense program — Rogers has more extensive global stocking

Factory perspective: We build both Taconic and Rogers PTFE materials using the same PTFE process line. For commercial customers asking about Taconic vs Rogers, our honest guidance is: TLY-5 and TLP-5 are technically equivalent to RT5880 for most commercial applications. RF-35 has lower Df than RO4350B for the same Dk. If your design is commercial and performance is the priority, Taconic RF-35 is worth considering. If Rogers documentation is required or the program specifies Rogers, stay with Rogers.

For Rogers material selection guidance, see Rogers PCB Material Selection Guide for RF and Microwave Applications. For F4B and ZY Chinese alternative materials, see F4B PCB Material Guide and ZY High Frequency PCB Material.

Taconic PCB Materials Available at Riching PCB

We hold the following Taconic materials in regular production inventory:

• Taconic TLY-5A: 0.09mm, 0.13mm, 0.25mm, 0.51mm, 0.79mm, 1.58mm, 2.36mm
• Taconic TLP-5: same standard thicknesses as TLY-5A
• Taconic TLY-5: same standard thicknesses
• Taconic TLY-3: standard range
• Taconic RF-35: 0.25mm, 0.51mm, 0.76mm, 1.52mm
• Taconic RF-60A: 0.25mm, 0.64mm, 0.79mm, 1.27mm, 1.52mm, 3.18mm
• Taconic CER-10: 0.28mm, 0.64mm, 0.76mm, 1.19mm, 1.58mm, 3.18mm

All Taconic orders go through the same PTFE manufacturing process as Rogers RO3003 and RT5880: plasma activation, PTFE-specific drill parameters, controlled lamination, and TDR impedance verification on every production lot.

What to Prepare for Taconic PCB Quotation

• Gerber files and NC drill files
• Taconic material grade and thickness — or operating frequency for material recommendation
• Complete stackup with layer sequence and copper weight
• Controlled impedance requirements
• Layer count and board thickness
• IPC Class requirement — Class 2 or Class 3
• Surface finish — ENIG preferred for most Taconic RF applications
• Application type — commercial or defense/aerospace
• Quantity

For a complete file checklist, see What Files Are Needed for a High Frequency PCB Quotation?.

Conclusion

Taconic PCB materials offer genuine technical alternatives to Rogers across the full high frequency laminate Dk range. TLY-5 and TLP-5 match Rogers RT5880 in both Dk and Df — they are direct equivalents for commercial RF applications. RF-35 provides lower Df than Rogers RO4350B at similar Dk, making it a technically strong option for commercial RF PCB below 20 GHz. The critical manufacturing requirement — PTFE hole wall activation and PTFE-specific drilling and lamination — is the same for Taconic as for Rogers PTFE materials.

As a direct high frequency PCB factory producing both Taconic and Rogers materials in the same PTFE process line, we can build whichever material your design requires. If you are evaluating Taconic as an alternative to Rogers for a commercial application, our engineering team can confirm technical equivalence for your specific design and application before production.