Taconic CER-10
Dk 10.0 | Df 0.0035 @ 10 GHz — ceramic-filled PTFE enabling 60%+ antenna size reduction for space-constrained RF.
10.0
Dk @ 10 GHz
0.0035
Df @ 10 GHz
60%+
Size Reduction
PTFE
Base Resin
What is Taconic CER-10?
Taconic CER-10 is a ceramic-filled PTFE laminate engineered for extreme antenna miniaturization. Its dielectric constant of 10.0 at 10 GHz is among the highest available in commercial PCB materials, enabling antenna elements to shrink by 60% or more compared to standard Dk 3.5 substrates.
The physics is straightforward: antenna physical size scales inversely with the square root of Dk. At Dk 10.0, a GPS patch antenna that measures 25mm on FR-4 shrinks to approximately 12mm on CER-10 — fitting into enclosures that previously could not accommodate a discrete antenna element.
CER-10 combines this extreme Dk with PTFE-based loss performance (Df 0.0035), maintaining acceptable radiation efficiency even as the antenna shrinks. Pure ceramic substrates offer similar Dk but at much higher cost and with brittle handling characteristics that CER-10 avoids.
60%+ Size Reduction
Dk 10.0 shrinks antenna footprint by more than 60% versus Dk 3.5 materials.
Maintained Efficiency
PTFE base resin keeps radiation efficiency acceptable despite miniaturization.
Standard PCB Processing
Fabricates as a standard PTFE laminate without ceramic machining.
Predictable Performance
Stable Dk across temperature enables consistent antenna tuning.
Taconic CER-10 Key Properties
Representative values from the manufacturer datasheet.
| Property | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dielectric constant (Dk) | 10.0 @ 10 GHz | Highest Dk for maximum antenna miniaturization. |
| Dk tolerance | +/-0.25 | Wider tolerance than low-Dk materials — design with margin. |
| Dissipation factor (Df) | 0.0035 @ 10 GHz | Acceptable loss for compact antenna efficiency. |
| CTE x/y | ~18 ppm/C | Low in-plane expansion for solder joint reliability. |
| Thermal stability | PTFE-class | Dk stable from -40C to +150C operating range. |
| Reinforcement | Ceramic-filled PTFE | No glass weave for isotropic high-Dk performance. |
| Density | ~3.2 g/cm3 | Higher than standard laminates due to ceramic loading. |
| Available thickness | 0.25-3.175 mm | Range supports single-layer patch to multilayer feeds. |
The Physics of Antenna Miniaturization with CER-10
Antenna wavelength in a dielectric scales as lambda/sqrt(Dk). At 1.575 GHz (GPS L1), free-space wavelength is 190mm. On FR-4 (Dk 4.2), a half-wave patch measures about 46mm. On CER-10 (Dk 10.0), the same patch shrinks to 30mm — a 35% linear reduction that translates to 58% area savings.
The trade-off is bandwidth. Higher Dk substrates inherently reduce antenna bandwidth because the stored energy increases relative to radiated energy. A GPS patch on CER-10 typically achieves 1-2% bandwidth versus 3-4% on FR-4. For narrow-band applications like GPS, GNSS, and dedicated IoT frequencies, this trade-off is acceptable.
CER-10 eliminates the need for expensive ceramic antenna elements in many IoT and wearable devices. A CER-10 patch antenna can be integrated directly into the PCB stackup, removing a discrete component, its assembly cost, and its matching network — often saving more in total BOM than the laminate premium costs.
Patch Area Savings
58% area reduction for GPS patches versus standard FR-4 substrates.
Integrated Antenna Design
Eliminate discrete ceramic antenna elements by integrating into PCB.
Narrow-Band Optimized
1-2% bandwidth ideal for GPS, GNSS, LoRa, and dedicated IoT bands.
BOM Reduction
Remove discrete antenna plus matching network for total system cost savings.
High-Dk Antenna Substrate Comparison
CER-10 versus alternative high-Dk materials for antenna miniaturization.
| Material | Dk | Df | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taconic CER-10This page | 10.0 | 0.0035 | Ceramic PTFE — maximum miniaturization, PCB-processable. |
| Arlon AD1000 | 10.2 | 0.0030 | Ceramic PTFE — similar Dk, slightly lower loss, military focus. |
| Rogers RO3006 | 6.15 | 0.0020 | Ceramic PTFE — moderate miniaturization, lower loss. |
| LTCC Ceramic | 7-9 | 0.001-0.002 | Cofired ceramic — excellent loss, brittle, expensive. |
| Standard FR-4 | 4.2 | 0.020 | Baseline — no miniaturization benefit, lowest cost. |
Taconic CER-10 Applications
Miniaturized GPS antennas, GNSS patches, size-constrained RF modules, IoT antenna elements
GPS/GNSS Patch Antennas
Miniaturized L1/L2/L5 band patches for automotive and handheld devices.
IoT Antenna Elements
LoRa, NB-IoT, and LTE-M integrated antennas in compact modules.
Automotive GNSS
Vehicle-mounted compact GPS antennas with shark-fin integration.
Satellite Navigation
Galileo, BeiDou, and multi-constellation compact antenna arrays.
Compact Radar Sensors
Miniaturized 24 GHz presence detection and level sensing antennas.
UAV Navigation
Lightweight compact navigation antennas for small drones and UAVs.
CER-10 Antenna Design Guidelines
Design bandwidth margin of 20% beyond your signal bandwidth to account for manufacturing Dk tolerance (+/-0.25). A GPS L1 signal requires 2 MHz — design for 2.4 MHz minimum bandwidth on CER-10 to absorb Dk variation across production lots.
Ground plane size significantly affects CER-10 patch performance. Minimum ground plane should extend 10mm beyond patch edges in all directions. For tight integrations, simulate with finite ground plane models rather than infinite ground assumptions.
Get Instant QuoteBandwidth Margin
Design 20%+ bandwidth margin to absorb Dk tolerance variation.
Ground Plane Sizing
Extend ground 10mm+ beyond patch edges for predictable radiation.
Feed Point Optimization
Probe or edge feed position shifts significantly at high Dk — simulate carefully.
Thermal Dk Shift
Verify Dk shift across operating temperature for antenna detuning budget.
Genuine Taconic CER-10, Verified on Every Order
Material CoC
Certificate of Conformance with lot number ships with every order.
Stock Verified
We confirm laminate availability before order confirmation.
No Substitutions
Specified material guaranteed — never swapped without written approval.
FAQ
Taconic CER-10 Questions
What is Taconic CER-10?
A ceramic-filled PTFE laminate with Dk 10.0 at 10 GHz, designed for maximum antenna miniaturization — enabling 60%+ size reduction for GPS, GNSS, and IoT antenna elements.
How much can CER-10 shrink my antenna?
Antenna area scales as 1/Dk. Moving from FR-4 (Dk 4.2) to CER-10 (Dk 10.0) reduces patch area by approximately 58%. Linear dimensions shrink by about 35%.
What is the bandwidth trade-off?
Higher Dk reduces antenna bandwidth. GPS patches on CER-10 achieve 1-2% bandwidth versus 3-4% on FR-4. Acceptable for narrow-band signals like GPS, GNSS, LoRa.
CER-10 vs discrete ceramic antennas?
CER-10 integrates the antenna into the PCB, eliminating discrete component cost, assembly, and matching network. Often cheaper total system cost despite laminate premium.
Can AtlasPCB fabricate CER-10 boards?
Yes. CER-10 processes as standard PTFE with our qualified fabrication line. Prototype to production with no minimum order.
Need Taconic CER-10 fabrication?
CER-10 — Dk 10.0, 60%+ antenna miniaturization in standard PCB format — from prototype to production.
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