Servers Drive the PCB Industry Into the Growth Stage

"Bicheng's New RO4360G2 PCB 24mil: Meeting the Demands of the Growing PCB Industry in the AI Era"

In recent times, with the rapid development of AI applications, the demand for servers has surged, propelling the PCB industry into a new growth cycle. Prismark data indicates that the global PCB output value is expected to grow by 5.5% annually in 2024 and further increase by 6.2% in 2025. Notably, the annual compound growth rate (CAGR) of HDI and IC substrates stands at 7.8% and 7.6% respectively, highlighting the continuous expansion of product demand.

Looking ahead to 2025, it is anticipated that Intel and AMD will introduce new-generation platforms - Birch Stream and Turin. These are expected to enter small-scale production in the first half of 2025 and mass production in the second half, leading to an upgrade in CCL grade to M7 and an increase in the number of board layers to over 20. This will bring comprehensive replacement and upgrading to the PCB industry, fulfilling the high-performance requirements of new-generation servers and enhancing the product value and market competitiveness of relevant supply chain manufacturers. Against this backdrop, the continuous expansion of the market share of AI servers provides long-term growth momentum for relevant supply chain manufacturers.

Bicheng is proud to introduce its new product, the RO4360G2 PCB 24mil. Rogers RO4360G2 laminates are low loss, glass-reinforced, hydrocarbon ceramic-filled thermoset materials that strike an ideal balance between performance and processing capability. They are the first high dielectric constant (Dk) thermoset laminate that can be processed similarly to FR-4. These materials are lead-free process capable and offer enhanced rigidity for improved processability in multi-layer board constructions, while reducing material and fabrication costs. RO4360G2 laminates can be paired with RO440 series prepreg and lower-Dk RO4000 laminate in multi-layer designs.

The features of RO4360G2 are remarkable. It has a dielectric constant of 6.15 +/- 0.15 at 10 GHz/23°C, a dissipation factor of 0.0038 at 10 GHz/23°C, a Td > 407°C, a high Tg greater than 280°C TMA, a high thermal conductivity of 0.75 W/mK, a low Z-axis coefficient of thermal expansion at 28 ppm/°C, and copper-matched coefficients of thermal expansion (-55 to 288°C) with X axis at 13 ppm/°C and Y axis at 14 ppm/°C. It is also lead free process compatible and has a 94V-0 flammability rating.

The benefits of RO4360G2 high frequency PCB are numerous. It offers design flexibility, plated through-hole reliability, compatibility with automated assembly, and is environmentally friendly as it is lead free process compatible. Its efficient supply chain and short lead times make it a cost-effective material option.

The PCB stackup of the RO4360G2 24mil Rogers PCB is a 2-layer rigid PCB with a copper layer 1 of 35μm, a Rogers RO4360g2 substrate of 24mil (0.61mm), and a copper layer 2 of 35μm. The PCB construction details include board dimensions of 76.48mm x 43.52 mm (1PCS), a minimum trace/space of 5/5 mils, a minimum hole size of 0.30mm, no blind vias, a finished board thickness of 0.73mm, a finished Cu weight of 1 oz (1.4 mils) for the outer layers, a via plating thickness of 20μm, and a surface finish of immersion tin. The type of artwork supplied is Gerber RS-274-X, and it adheres to the IPC-Class-2 standard. It is available worldwide. Some of its typical applications include base station power amplifiers and small cell transceivers.

Bicheng's RO4360G2 PCB 24mil Rogers substrate is set to make a significant impact in the PCB market, catering to the evolving needs of the industry in the era of AI and server expansion.