Reinforcement Architecture
Woven fiberglass fabric provides the structural strength and dimensional stability needed for epoxy resin laminates. The glass weave style defines the density of the yarns and the pattern in which they cross each other within the dielectric layer. Different patterns change the amount of resin the cloth can hold and the total thickness of the resulting board.
Structural Support
Manufacturing processes select specific fabric patterns to control how the board behaves during thermal cycles and mechanical stress. A glass weave style like 1080 or 7628 dictates the mechanical stiffness and the coefficient of thermal expansion in the horizontal plane. Open weaves allow more resin to fill the gaps, while tight weaves provide a more uniform surface for fine-line etching.
The choice of fabric also influences how easily a laser can penetrate the material when drilling microvias.
Signal Integrity
High speed signals experience timing variations when they travel over the alternating patterns of glass and resin. The glass weave style creates a non-uniform dielectric environment that can lead to phase skew between the two lines of a differential pair. Modern designs often use spread glass fabrics to distribute the fibers more evenly and minimize the difference in propagation speed across the board.
Using a more uniform fabric ensures that the electrical signals arrive at their destination at the same time.