ITEQ PCB Materials Explained: Properties, Types & How to Choose the Right One

If you’ve been in PCB design for any length of time, you’ve probably come across ITEQ laminates. As someone who has worked with countless high-layer-count boards and high-frequency designs, I can tell you that choosing the right ITEQ PCB material can make or break your project. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about ITEQ materials—from basic properties to practical selection criteria.

What is ITEQ and Why Does It Matter for PCB Design?

ITEQ Corporation is a Taiwan-based manufacturer that has been producing copper-clad laminates (CCL) since 1997. They’ve become one of the largest CCL suppliers globally, particularly popular in Asian manufacturing hubs. What makes ITEQ PCB materials stand out is their balance between performance and cost—something that matters when you’re trying to meet tight budgets without sacrificing reliability.

ITEQ’s product portfolio covers everything from standard FR-4 to ultra-low-loss materials for 112 Gbps applications. Their laminates are used in servers, 5G infrastructure, automotive ADAS systems, and consumer electronics. If you’re designing multilayer boards for any of these applications, understanding ITEQ materials is worth your time.

Where ITEQ PCB Laminates Are Used

Here’s a breakdown of the main application areas where ITEQ materials excel:

Application Area	Common ITEQ Materials	Key Requirements
Servers & Data Centers	IT-180A, IT-968SE	High-speed signal integrity, low loss
5G Base Stations	IT-88GMW, IT-968	mmWave performance, dimensional stability
Automotive ADAS	IT-189, IT-180	High Tg, CAF resistance, thermal cycling
Consumer Electronics	IT-150G, IT-158	Cost-effective, halogen-free options
Aerospace & Defense	IT-180A, IT-200LK	Extreme reliability, low CTE
HDI/Smartphones	IT-168G, IT-150G	Fine-line capability, halogen-free

Understanding Key ITEQ PCB Material Properties

Before diving into specific products, let’s establish what these specifications actually mean for your design. I’ve seen too many engineers pick materials based on a single spec without understanding the full picture.

Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)

Tg tells you when the laminate transitions from a rigid state to a more flexible, rubbery state. For lead-free assembly (which most of us are dealing with now), you need materials that can handle 260°C reflow temperatures. ITEQ offers materials ranging from standard Tg (~130°C) to high Tg (175°C+).

Rule of thumb: If your board goes through multiple reflow cycles or operates in high-temperature environments, aim for Tg ≥ 170°C.

Decomposition Temperature (Td)

Td measures when the material starts to chemically break down. This is an irreversible change—once it happens, your board is compromised. ITEQ’s high-performance materials typically have Td values above 340°C, giving you good headroom for lead-free processes.

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)

CTE, especially in the Z-axis, is critical for multilayer boards with lots of vias. High Z-axis CTE leads to via barrel cracking during thermal cycling. ITEQ’s filled epoxy materials (like IT-180A) offer lower CTE values compared to standard FR-4.

Dielectric Constant (Dk) and Dissipation Factor (Df)

These are your signal integrity specs. For high-speed digital and RF designs:

• Dk affects trace impedance and signal propagation speed. Lower Dk = faster signals, but also wider traces for a given impedance.
• Df determines signal loss. For anything above 5-10 GHz, you need Df below 0.01. Ultra-low-loss applications need Df < 0.005.

CAF Resistance

Conductive Anodic Filament (CAF) is an electrochemical failure mechanism where copper migrates along glass fibers under bias and humidity. It’s a reliability killer for high-density boards. ITEQ’s filled epoxy materials provide excellent CAF resistance—critical for automotive and server applications.

Types of ITEQ PCB Laminates

ITEQ organizes their products into several categories based on performance characteristics. Here’s how I break them down:

Standard FR-4 Laminates

These are your workhorse materials for general-purpose applications.

Material	Tg (°C)	Td (°C)	Key Features	Best For
IT-140	140	310	Cost-effective, lead-free compatible	Consumer electronics, memory modules
IT-150G	150	340	Halogen-free, good thermal reliability	Handheld devices, gaming
IT-158	155	345	Better CAF resistance, medium Tg	Networking, automotive

High-Tg Laminates

When thermal reliability is paramount, these are your go-to materials.

Material	Tg (°C)	Td (°C)	Z-CTE (ppm/°C)	Key Features
IT-180	175	340	45	Standard loss, excellent CAF resistance
IT-180A	180	350	45	Phenolic-cured, sequential lamination compatible
IT-189	175	350	40	Automotive-grade, superior CAF
IT-170GRA1	180	380	50	Halogen-free, mid-loss

IT-180A is probably the most versatile high-Tg option in ITEQ’s lineup. It works well for backplanes, servers, and automotive ECUs. The phenolic-cured system gives you better dimensional stability during processing.

Low-Loss and High-Speed Laminates

This is where ITEQ has been investing heavily, and it shows. Their low-loss portfolio competes directly with premium materials from Isola and Panasonic.

Material	Dk @10GHz	Df @10GHz	Tg (°C)	Best For
IT-968	3.5	0.004	185	100G/400G switches, high-speed servers
IT-968SE	3.6	0.005	185	5G antenna modules, general high-speed
IT-988GSE	3.4	0.003	200	Ultra-high-speed digital, advanced servers
IT-200LK	3.5	0.004	200	Radar systems, stable across temperature

For 25 Gbps and above channel speeds, IT-968 series is a solid choice. It offers near-Rogers performance at a fraction of the cost—typically 20-40% cheaper.

RF and Microwave Laminates

For mmWave applications (5G, automotive radar), ITEQ developed materials specifically targeting 76-81 GHz radar and beyond.

Material	Dk @10GHz	Df @10GHz	Features
IT-88GMW	3.3	0.003	Halogen-free, FR-4 hybrid compatible
IT-8338A	3.38	0.0038	Antenna/LNB applications
IT-8350A	3.50	0.004	Next-gen antenna applications

IT-88GMW is particularly interesting because it’s designed to work in hybrid stackups with standard FR-4. This solves a major pain point with PTFE materials, which have vastly different mechanical properties and cause warpage in hybrid builds.

Halogen-Free Laminates

Environmental regulations are pushing more designs toward halogen-free materials. ITEQ offers halogen-free variants across most of their product lines.

Material	Tg (°C)	Features	Applications
IT-140G	140	Standard Tg, halogen-free	Consumer, handheld
IT-150GS	150	Server-optimized, cost-effective	Servers, switches
IT-170GRA1	180	High Tg, mid-loss	Automotive, industrial
IT-180GN	175	High Tg, halogen-free	General high-reliability

How to Choose the Right ITEQ PCB Material

Here’s my practical approach to material selection. Start with your requirements and work backward.

Step 1: Define Your Thermal Requirements

Ask yourself:

• What’s the maximum operating temperature?
• How many reflow cycles will the board see?
• Is this an under-hood automotive application?

If any of these push you toward high temperatures, start with IT-180A or IT-189. For standard consumer products, IT-158 or IT-150G will do fine.

Step 2: Assess Signal Integrity Needs

Consider your signal speeds:

Signal Speed	Recommended Df	ITEQ Options
< 5 Gbps	< 0.02	IT-180, IT-158
5-25 Gbps	< 0.01	IT-968SE, IT-170GRA1
25-56 Gbps	< 0.005	IT-968, IT-988GSE
56-112 Gbps	< 0.003	IT-988GSE, custom solutions

Step 3: Check Reliability Requirements

For automotive (AEC-Q100) or aerospace applications, you need:

• High CAF resistance
• Low Z-CTE (< 50 ppm/°C)
• Proven thermal cycling performance

IT-189 and IT-180A are the standard choices here.

Step 4: Consider Manufacturing Compatibility

Not all ITEQ materials process the same way. Some things to discuss with your fab:

• Does your fab stock this material?
• What’s the lead time for specialty grades?
• Does the material require special drilling or desmear parameters?

ITEQ’s standard FR-4 compatible materials (IT-180, IT-158) can be processed with normal parameters. Low-loss materials like IT-968 may need adjusted desmear cycles.

Step 5: Balance Cost vs. Performance

Here’s a rough cost tier breakdown:

Tier	Materials	Relative Cost Index
Standard	IT-140, IT-150G, IT-158	1.0x
High-Tg	IT-180, IT-180A, IT-189	1.2-1.4x
Low-Loss	IT-968, IT-968SE	1.5-2.0x
Ultra-Low-Loss	IT-988GSE, IT-88GMW	2.0-3.0x

Remember: material cost is only part of the picture. A slightly more expensive material that improves yield or reliability can save money overall.

ITEQ vs. Competitors: A Practical Comparison

How does ITEQ stack up against the competition? Here’s my take based on real-world experience.

ITEQ vs. Isola

Aspect	ITEQ	Isola
High-Tg Standard	IT-180A	370HR
Low-Loss	IT-968	I-Tera MT40
Pricing	20-30% lower	Premium
Availability (Asia)	Excellent	Good
Availability (Americas)	Good	Excellent
Technical Support	Good	Excellent

For North American production with strict reliability requirements, Isola 370HR is often the default. For Asian manufacturing with cost sensitivity, IT-180A is a proven alternative.

ITEQ vs. Rogers

Rogers is the gold standard for RF/microwave, but ITEQ is closing the gap.

Aspect	ITEQ IT-88GMW	Rogers RO4350B
Dk @10GHz	3.3	3.48
Df @10GHz	0.003	0.004
FR-4 Compatibility	Excellent	Good
Cost	40-50% lower	Premium
mmWave Performance	Very Good	Excellent

For many 5G and radar applications, ITEQ’s RF materials offer adequate performance at significantly lower cost. The key advantage is better compatibility with hybrid stackups.

ITEQ vs. Shengyi

Both are major Asian suppliers. Shengyi (SYST) is actually larger in terms of volume.

Aspect	ITEQ	Shengyi
High-Speed Focus	Strong	Moderate
Standard FR-4	Competitive	Strong
Innovation	High	Moderate
Global Footprint	Growing	Established

ITEQ has been more aggressive in developing ultra-low-loss materials for next-gen applications. Shengyi remains strong in commodity grades.

Processing Considerations for ITEQ Materials

A few practical notes from the fab side:

Lamination

• IT-180A requires press cycles maintaining 180°C for at least 60 minutes
• Heating rate from 80°C to 140°C should be 1.3-3.0°C/min
• Cooling rate below 3°C/min is recommended

Drilling

• High-Tg materials are harder and may require adjusted feed rates
• Max hit count typically < 1000 for 0.4-1.0mm drills
• Stack height: ≤ 2 panels for 2-6 layers, 1 panel for ≥ 8 layers

Desmear

Standard FR-4 desmear parameters may not work well for IT-180A. You may need:

• Higher permanganate concentration
• Longer cycle times
• Adjusted temperature

Always request the processing guide from ITEQ or your fab for specific materials.

ITEQ PCB Material Resources

Here are the resources I use regularly when working with ITEQ materials:

Official Resources

• ITEQ Corporate Website: www.iteq.com.tw – Product datasheets, processing guides
• PCB Directory ITEQ Page: pcbdirectory.com/iteq-corporation – Searchable laminate database with specs

Datasheet Downloads

Most ITEQ datasheets are available through your laminate distributor or directly from PCB fabricators. Key documents to request:

• Product datasheet (electrical/mechanical properties)
• Processing guide (lamination, drilling, desmear parameters)
• CAF test reports (for high-reliability applications)
• UL certification (E178114 for most ITEQ products)

Material Selection Tools

• Altium Material Library: Includes ITEQ material properties for impedance calculations
• Polar Instruments Si8000: Supports ITEQ materials for stackup design
• PCB Directory Material Comparison: Compare specs across manufacturers

Frequently Asked Questions About ITEQ PCB Materials

Q1: Is ITEQ IT-180A equivalent to Isola 370HR?

They’re comparable but not identical. Both are high-Tg, phenolic-cured systems with similar thermal properties. IT-180A typically has slightly lower Dk/Df, making it marginally better for high-frequency applications. 370HR has a longer track record in North American aerospace/defense qualifications. For most commercial applications, they’re interchangeable. Check with your customer if specific material callouts are required.

Q2: Can I use ITEQ low-loss materials with standard FR-4 processes?

Mostly yes, but with adjustments. IT-968 and similar materials are designed for FR-4 process compatibility—that’s a major selling point. However, you may need to adjust desmear cycles and drilling parameters. The mechanical properties are close enough to avoid the warpage issues you’d see with PTFE materials in hybrid builds.

Q3: What ITEQ material should I use for 77 GHz automotive radar?

IT-88GMW was specifically designed for this application. It offers the low loss needed for mmWave while maintaining dimensional stability and FR-4 hybrid compatibility. For pure performance at these frequencies, Rogers RO4000 series is still the benchmark, but IT-88GMW closes the gap at lower cost.

Q4: How does ITEQ handle halogen-free requirements?

ITEQ offers halogen-free versions of most popular materials (IT-140G, IT-150GS, IT-170GRA1, etc.). These meet JPCA-ES-01-2003 standards with Cl + Br < 1500 ppm. Performance is comparable to standard versions with slight differences in processing. Check with your fab on availability—not all halogen-free grades are stocked everywhere.

Q5: Where can I get ITEQ material samples for qualification?

Contact ITEQ directly through their website or work through your PCB fabricator. Most established fabs have relationships with ITEQ and can facilitate sample requests. For production builds, materials come through normal fab supply chains. Lead times for specialty grades can be 4-8 weeks, so plan ahead for new qualifications.

Final Thoughts

ITEQ has built a solid reputation by offering high-performance PCB materials at competitive prices. For many applications—especially in Asian manufacturing—ITEQ laminates are the practical choice. Their investment in low-loss and mmWave materials positions them well for 5G, AI servers, and automotive ADAS applications.

The key is matching material to application. Don’t over-specify (you’ll waste money) or under-specify (you’ll face reliability issues). Use this guide as a starting point, but always validate with your specific design requirements and manufacturing partners.

If you’re transitioning from Western suppliers to ITEQ, run parallel qualifications first. The materials perform well, but subtle processing differences can affect yields until your fab optimizes their processes.