Meaning
Dielectric dispersion occurs at boundary interfaces when charge carriers accumulate between materials with different conductivities and permittivities. In multi-layer substrates, maxwell wagner sillars relaxation affects the signal loss profile when layers are subjected to varying electric fields.
Interface Polarization
Substrates contain mixtures of resin, glass fibers, and adhesive layers that hold differing charges under an applied alternating current. Charges accumulate at the board interfaces during each phase of the radio frequency cycle, creating a polarization delay that increases dielectric loss. This charge buildup occurs primarily in composite materials with complex laminate patterns.
Frequency Dependency
At low frequencies, charge carriers have enough time to migrate and align with the changing field, which raises the effective dielectric constant. As the signal frequency sweeps upward, these heavy carriers can no longer track the fast field reversals, causing the dielectric constant to drop. This change modifies the characteristic impedance of transmission lines over wide bandwidths.
Capacitance Shift
High speed digital traces run through dielectric regions that must remain stable to prevent phase distortion. Uncontrolled relaxation shifts the signal velocity, which can break timing margins on differential memory buses. Ceramic-filled resins are specified for high frequency boards because they exhibit less interface polarization than standard FR4 material.