ABSTRACT
Metals serve many different functions in the realization of RF and microwave products. These functions include
• The wire or guided wave boundary for circuits • The carrier or structural support for dielectric substrates or semiconductor chips • The heat sink for devices or circuits, which exhibit high power density • The reflector element for antennas or screen room applications
Each of these functions results in different requirements that must be met. Thus the optimum metal for each application will vary. Consideration of a wide range of electrical, mechanical, chemical and thermal properties for each metal is needed to choose an appropriate metal for most applications.
