Every High-End Oscilloscope Reflects the Atomic-Level Precision of Copper Foil

Shenzhen, October 15, 2025 — From high-purity copper foil to rare metal sputtering targets, non-ferrous metals are providing the material foundation for China’s push toward self-sufficiency in advanced electronic equipment manufacturing.

At the 2025 Bay Area Semiconductor Industry Ecosystem Expo (BayChip Expo) held today in Shenzhen, Chinese technology company Wanliyan unveiled its next-generation ultra-high-speed real-time oscilloscope with a record-breaking 90 GHz bandwidth, reaching the forefront of global performance standards. The breakthrough establishes a new “China benchmark” in ultra-high-speed signal measurement for the global electronics and communications industry.

As one of the most critical instruments in scientific and industrial R&D, oscilloscopes — known as the “industrial eyes” — convert invisible electrical signals into visible waveforms. They are widely used in semiconductor development, 6G communication testing, optical communication calibration, and intelligent driving sensor validation. Wanliyan’s new oscilloscope, with its 90 GHz bandwidth capability, enables precise capture of high-frequency signal details, providing more reliable measurement support for frontier technological innovation.

This milestone is expected to accelerate advances in semiconductor process nodes, the commercialization of 6G communication, and the evolution of intelligent vehicle sensing systems — injecting new momentum into China’s high-end electronic information industry.

Copper Foil: The Hidden Enabler Behind Ultra-High-Frequency Performance

The development and mass production of 90 GHz oscilloscopes have imposed stricter requirements on copper foil materials — in terms of purity, surface roughness, and thermal stability:

1.    Ultra-High Purity (≤0.1 ppm Impurities)

High-frequency signal transmission is extremely sensitive to metal purity. Copper foils used in oscilloscope substrates must reach 99.9999% (6N) purity to minimize lattice defects that cause signal scattering losses. Conventional electrolytic copper foils (99.8–99.9%) are no longer sufficient, requiring electronic-grade electrolytic or rolled copper foil refined through vacuum smelting and electro-purification.

2.    Surface Roughness ≤0.3 μm

Due to the skin effect, current concentrates on the conductor surface at high frequencies. Oscilloscope-grade copper foil must achieve surface roughness ≤0.3 μm, compared to ~1.4 μm for standard electrolytic foil. Advanced “chromium-free passivation + nano-coating” processes are applied to reduce oxide layers to <5 nm, minimizing signal attenuation.

3.    Thermal Stability and CTE Matching (≤20 ppm/°C)

Operating under extreme temperatures (–55 °C to 125 °C), copper foil must maintain dimensional and structural stability. Through alloying (with trace zirconium or nickel) and grain refinement, manufacturers ensure precise control of thermal expansion to prevent delamination or cracking.

Previously, 6N-grade high-purity copper foil relied heavily on imports. However, Chinese producers such as Jiangxi Copper and Nord Co. have achieved mass production of 6N copper foil with surface roughness reduced to 0.3 μm, entering Wanliyan’s supply chain. According to the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, domestic high-end copper foil accounted for 35% of the market in 2024, though materials above 7N purity still face technical challenges.

In summary, the 90 GHz oscilloscope breakthrough is not only a landmark in electronic measurement technology but also a material-level validation of China’s upstream copper foil industry — where atomic-scale precision defines the frontier of innovation.

Source：Changjiang Nonferrous Metals Network