MATERIAL DESCRIPTION:

RO3003, RO3003G2, RO3006 and RO3010 copper clad laminates are filled PTFE composites offering excellent thermal reliability and electrical performance over a range of dielectric constants. RO3000 series materials provide the homogeneity of properties that are expected of unreinforced materials. RO3203, RO3206, and RO3210 copper clad laminates are woven glass reinforced versions that provide similar thermal and electrical characteristics while offering the improved ease of handling and registration control that are associated with glass reinforced laminates. RO3000 and RO3200 series products are compatible with manufacturing processes for double-sided and multilayer circuits using PTFE materials.

These guidelines were developed to provide fabricators with basic information on processing double-sided and multi-layer boards using copper clad RO3000 and RO3200 series laminates. A Rogers’ technical service engineer or sales representative should be contacted for more detailed processing information.

STORAGE:

RO3000 and RO3200 cores can be stored indefinitely at ambient conditions. A first-in-first-out (FIFO) inventory system is recommended as is a method of record keeping that would allow tracking of material lot numbers through PWB proc-essing and delivery of finished circuits.

Storage in Original Shipping Cartons

1. Stack cartons on a flat surface that is safely out of the way of mobile handling and moving equipment. Cartons may be stored on their side if nothing heavy is stacked on top.
2. Cartons should be stacked to a maximum of five high to avoid excessive weight on the bottom packages.

Storage of Panels Removed from Cartons

1、Thin panels should remain sealed within the polyethylene bags and the adherent polyethylene sheets should remain on thicker cores. These packaging materials deter oxidation and corrosion of the metal layers and provide a measure of protection against mechanical damage (e.g. scratches, pits, dents, etc.). For RO3000 laminates with thick copper plates, the thick metal plate is not protected by anti-tarnish layers. As such, some discoloration due to oxidation is expected during storage, especially under conditions of elevated temperature and humidity. The oxidation can be removed by mechanical (debur) or chemical exposure (microetch) which are standard to the PCB fabrication process.

2、Store panels on edge in slotted shelving units keeping the clad surfaces vertical. This provides easy access with low risk of damage to the metal surfaces.

3、If storage facilities do not permit vertical stacking:

• A) The shelf must be flat, smooth, and clean.
• B)The shelf must extend beyond the full area of the panels being stored.
• C) Surfaces of the laminates must be free of debris.
• D)Shelf loading should be kept below 50 pounds per square foot.
• E)Panels should be interleaved with soft, non-abrasive separator sheets.

HANDLING:

PTFE-based materials are softer than most other rigid printed wiring board laminates and are more susceptible to handling damage. Cores clad only with copper foils are easily creased. Materials bonded to thick aluminum, brass, or copper plates are more prone to scratches, pits, and dents. Proper handling procedures should be followed.

1、Wear gloves of knit nylon or other non-absorbent material when handling panels. Normal skin oils are slightly acidic and readily corrode copper surfaces. Fingerprints are difficult to remove as normal brighteners will dissolve the corrosion, but leave corrosive oils in the copper to cause the fingerprint to reappear hours or days later. The following procedure is recommended to remove fingerprints:

• A) Bright dip in dilute hydrochloric acid.
• B) Degrease in acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, or vapor degrease with chlorinated solvents.
• C) Water rinse and bake dry for 60 minutes @ 250°F (125°C).
• D) Repeat bright dip.

2、Keep work surfaces clean, dry, and completely free of debris.

3、Leave the polyethylene bag or sheet in place through initial processes such as shearing, sawing, blanking, and punching.

4、Only pick panels by two edges. Thin cores in particular lack the stiffness required to support themselves by one edge or corner, handling them in that manner may dimensionally distort the dielectric or impart a permanent crease.

5、During processing, cores should be transported between workstations on flat carrying trays, preferably interleaved with a soft, sulfur-free paper. Vertical racks should not be used unless they are slotted and provide adequate vertical support.

INNER LAYER PREPARATION:

Tooling: RO3000 and RO3200 materials are compatible with many tooling systems. Choosing whether to use round or slotted pins, external or internal pinning, standard or multiline tooling, and pre vs. post-etch punching would depend upon the capabilities and preferences of the circuit facility and the final registration requirements. In general, slotted pins, a multiline tooling format, and post-etch punching will meet most needs. Whichever approach is used, it is good practice to retain copper around tooling holes.

A flow pattern compatible with the chosen adhesive system can be used between circuits and around the perimeter of the panel. But, in general, registration of layers (especially thin RO3000 cores) is improved by retaining as much copper as possible.

Surface Preparation for Photoresist Application: A chemical process consisting of organic cleaners and a microetch is the preferred method of preparing copper surfaces for coating with liquid or film photoresist. A conveyorized spray system using an abrasive substance suspended in solution can be used to prepare copper surfaces at the slight risk of some registration control. Mechanical scrubbing should be considered for thick cores (0.060”+) only and, even then, should be performed at reduced pressures to minimize distorting the thin laminate or imparting deep scratches that change the functional spacing between copper planes.

Photoresist Application: Liquid or dry film photoresist can be applied using traditional dip or spray coating, screening, or roll lamination processes.

DES Processing: Developers, strippers, and copper etchants used to process epoxy glass materials will also work with RO3000/RO3200 layers. Thin cores may require leader boards for conveyorized processing and frames or supportive racks for vertical-type processing. The ceramic filled material will require more stringent rinse & bake processing depending upon the next step in the process sequence.

Oxide Treatment: RO3000/RO3200 cores are compatible with most oxide and oxide alternative processes. It is best to use the process recommended by the supplier of the adhesive system chosen to bond together the multilayer board. Highly caustic, high temperature processes, such as traditional or reduced black oxides, should be followed by a thorough rinse and bake of the inner layers.

BONDING:

Final Preparation: Special pretreatments of etched surfaces using sodium or plasma processes shouldn’t be necessary providing care was taken to protect the substrate surface after copper etch. Inner-layers should be baked at 110°C to 125°C (230°F to 260°F) for 30 to 120 minutes to ensure removal of volatile substances prior to MLB bonding. Guidelines for the oxide treatment should be referenced to make certain the dry bake doesn’t degrade the bond-enhancing surface.

Multilayer Adhesive System: RO3000/RO3200 cores are compatible with a broad range of thermosetting (FR-4, Rogers’ 2929 bondply, RO4400™ prepreg, etc…) and thermoplastic (3001 Bonding Film, FEP, 3908, PFA, PTFE, etc…) adhesive systems. RO3003, RO3003G2, RO3006, and RO3010 materials are available as bondply layers for use in fusion bonding very high reliability and homogeneous RO3000 multilayer boards. Many factors, such as electrical performance, flow characteristics, ease of processing, and bond temperature requirements are considered when making the best overall choice. Rogers’ Technical Service Engineers (TSE’s) understand the trade-offs and, if asked, will help in the selection process.

Multilayer Bond Cycle: The press cycle is determined by the requirements of the chosen adhesive system. Cooling under pressure is required when using thermoplastic (meltable) films.

PTH & OUTER LAYER/DOUBLE-SIDED CIRCUIT PROCESSING

Drilling: Double-sided boards can be drilled as one-ups or in stack heights that are compatible with the flute length of the drills being used. Multilayers are most commonly drilled in stacks of one. Phenolic composite boards are recommended for entry (0.010” to 0.030” thick) and exit (>0.060”) layers. Sheeted aluminum and metal coated phenolic boards can also be used as entry layers.

New carbide drills are highly recommended. Standard or undercut styles can be used. Recommended chip loads (0.001” to 0.003” per revolution) and surface speeds (150 to 300 SFM) vary with tool diameter with slower infeeds and speeds being associated with finer diameter drills. Retract rate when drilling double-sided and multilayer boards should be between 300 and 500 IPM and be 700 to 1000 IPM when drilling double-sided constructions. Following is a quick refer-ence table that provides recommended parameters for commonly used drill diameters.

Tool life should be based upon inspection of cross-sectioned holes. This is especially true when drilling multilayer boards where factors such as adhesive type, inner-layer copper weight, and board thickness all affect hole quality and tool life. The “twelve inch rule,” which suggests changing a tool after drilling 12” of substrate, is a good place to start when setting tool life for multilayer constructions. For example, initial hit count when drilling a 0.060” thick board would be 12”/0.060” = 200 holes.

Tool Size			Spindle     Speed			Infeed						Retract
(in)		(mm)	(RPM)			(IPM)				(m/min)		(IPM)	(m/min)
0.0079		0.20	72500			72.5				1.8		300	7.6
0.0098		0.25	68200			88.7				2.3		300	7.6
0.0138		0.35	55400			83.1				2.1		300	7.6
0.0197		0.50	48200			96.4				2.4		400	10.2
0.0256		0.65	37200			74.2				1.9		400	10.2
0.0295		0.75	32200			64.4				1.6		400	10.2
0.0394		1.00	24100			48.2				1.2		400	10.2
0.0492		1.25	20000			40.0				1.0		400	10.2
0.0625		1.59	20000			40.0				1.0		400	10.2
0.1250		3.18	20000			40.0				1.0		400	10.2

Hole Preparation: Loosely deposited debris in the holes can be removed using a vapor or hydro-honing process. These processes involve directing water suspended abrasive particles through drilled holes. The soft laminates must be properly supported through these processes.

PTFE composite materials are not typically desmeared. However, the adhesive systems (bondplies & prepregs) used to bond multilayer boards or hybrid multilayer boards may require desmear prior to copper deposition. When desmear is required, plasma is preferred over a chemical desmear process because elevated temperature, highly alkaline chemicals can interact with the filler used in RO3035™ cores and RO3003™ core and bondply layers. The interactions are not a risk to the processing bath, but can slightly impact the electrical properties and absorption potential of material surrounding the
holes. RO3003G2™, RO3006™, RO3010™,and RO3210™ materials are not as effected by the chemical exposures, but a plasma desmear is still preferred when possible. When plasma desmear is required, a dual cycle to accomplish (first) desmear of the thermosetting adhesive and core layers and (second) surface activation of the PTFE surfaces is possible by adding the CF4/O2 desmear cycle outlined below to the front end of the plasma cycle that is described in the hole wall treatment section of this document.

RO3200 materials may require a glass etch to reduce the risk of plated nodules.

Frequency:			40 KHz
Voltage:			500-600V
Power:			4000-5000 Watts
Pre-Heat to 60°C using:
Gases:			90% 02, 10%N2
Pressure:			250mTORR
Desmear using:
Gases:			75% O2, 15% CF4, 10%N2
Pressure:			250mTORR
Time:			10-30 minutes

Drilled holes in PTFE-based laminates must be treated prior to the deposition of a conductive seed layer (e.g. electroless copper or direct metallization). Not performing a surface activation treatment will most likely result in poor metal adhesion or plated voids. Two common pre-treatments for PTFE materials are sodium treatment and plasma treatment. Either can be used for treating RO3000 materials.

Recommended plasma cycle for treating PTFE materials:

Gases:			70/30 or 80/20 H2/N2, NH3, N2, or He
Pressure:			100 mTORR pumpdown   50 mTORR operating
Power:			4000 Watts
Frequency:			40 KHz
Voltage:			500-600V
Cycle time:			10-30 minutes

Gases			H2/N2			He				N2
Power			1800W			1800W				1800w
Frequency			13.56 MHz			13.56 MHz				13.56 MHz
Pressure			150 mTor			173 mTor				181 mTor
Gas Mixture (%)			70/30			100				100
Temperature			200°F			200 °F				200°F
Time (minutes)			10 to 20			5 to 10				5 to 10

Panels should be baked for at least 1 hour at 110 to 125°C (230 to 260°F) prior to plasma treatment. Plasma treated holes are more delicate than sodium etched holes. Panels should not be exposed to any pressure wash or scrubbing process prior to metalization.

*Plasma evaluations were completed using Nordson March Plasma Systems – Series B20 Plasma unit. This unit can process up to 20 – 18″ X 24″ panels per load.

Metallization: RO3000/RO3200 materials are compatible with traditional electroless copper and direct deposit metallization processes. Cores should be baked (30-90 minutes @ 110°C-125°C(230°F – 260°F)) prior to metal deposition unless plasma, which also serves as a vacuum bake, was used to prepare the hole walls for plating. A flash plate build-up of 0.0001” to 0.0003” (0.0025mm-0.0076mm) of copper is recommended to better support hole walls through preparation for outer-layer processing.

PTH Plating & Outer-Layer Imaging: Standard equipment and chemical processes are used to plate, image, and etch circuit patterns onto RO3000 and RO3200 materials. Care should betaken to preserve the post-etch laminate surface. The topography that remains after copper removal promotes improved adhesion to solder masks.

Final Surfaces: Materials should be rinsed and baked prior to solder mask application. Rinsing in warm or hot water for 20-30 minutes followed by 60 minutes @ 125°C (260°F) should be sufficient, especially if the bake is done under vacuum. Properly prepared RO3000/RO3200 materials are compatible with most LPI solder masks. Epoxy masks are preferred if the application requires selective silk screening. Stripping of fully cured solder mask is not recommended. Heated, highly caustic solutions may negatively interact with the filler system and impair the natural hydrophobicity of the composite material.

Most final finishes (HASL, Sn, Ag, Ni/Au, OSP, etc…) have been applied to RO3000 materials without issue or special concern. A rinse/bake regimen, if not done as part of a solder mask process, should be done prior to HASL or reflow exposures. When flux is needed, acid fluxes are recommended over solvent fluxes. The HASL or reflow exposure should be performed as soon as possible after the flux has been applied. ENIG should be considered for higher Er materials, especially RO3010 laminate, only when necessary. Background plating of etched substrate surfaces can occur during ENIG plating.

Final Circuitization: Individual circuits can be routed, punched, or lased depending upon preference, tolerances, and edge quality requirements. RO3000 materials will generally provide a better edge quality than is possible with the glass reinforced RO3200 materials. Parameters for routing are provided below:

Chip Load:	0.00125” to 0.00250”/rev 32mm – 64 mm/rev
Speed:	200-300 sfm 61-92 m/min
Peripheries	Conventional cut
Internal cutouts	Climb cut
Tool type	Carbide double fluted spiral-up Endmill
Exit/Entry	Phenolic or composite board
Tool life	20-30 linear feet 6-9 meters