Isola announces improvements in IS620 electrical and thermal performance

IS620 will now offer 25% lower dielectric loss and much improved thermal performance. The dielectric loss numbers at 10 Gigahertz using the stripline test method would now be in the 0.007 range and with the split post method in the 0.005 range, making it one of the lowest loss product available in that performance space. Isola already has a very successful lead-free product with FR408 in the mid DK/Df space. "IS620 is already the best-in-class product. With its electrical performance and a further enhancement in loss properties, it will go a long way towards enabling increased data rates", stated Tarun Amla, Vice President and CTO Isola Group. The improvement was brought about by innovative process changes at Isola. No changes in the chemical make up were required to achieve the improvement. The breakthrough on the thermal performance has helped tackle complex designs that utilize sequential buildups and hybrid configurations in the lead-free and mixed mode assembly environment. Successful simulated assembly testing was carried out using Isola's seven zone reflow oven on numerous designs with multiple excursions up to peak temps ranging from 230 C to 290 C. "The results are very encouraging", continued Amla. "We, of course, need to be cautious about designs, processing and fabricator-related aspects. I would encourage a very strong collaboration with the Isola New Product Introduction Group to define processing parameters for successful validation." "IS620 volumes have been ramping very rapidly and this additional improvement will further accelerate growth. We are well underway in our plans to manufacture the product in Europe and Asia in addition to U.S. manufacturing. I am really pleased with this development," stated Sean Mirshafiei, Director of High Speed Digital Products for Isola.