NVIDIA Reportedly Considering PTFE For Future Rubin Ultra NVLink Switch Boards

NVIDIA is reportedly considering the use of polytetrafluoroethylene, more commonly known as PTFE, for the development of future Rubin Ultra NVLink switch boards. PTFE, the same material found in Teflon, boasts an impressive resistance to a variety of chemicals, solvents, and extreme temperatures between -240°C and 260°C. This material has been used in several industries, including aerospace, medical, and industrial applications.

The primary reason behind NVIDIA's interest in PTFE is its potential to reduce signal loss through a PCB substrate. Advanced M9-class laminates currently fail to meet NVIDIA's demanding channel-loss targets for boards with more than 70 layers. NVIDIA's Vera Rubin platform, unveiled in January 2026, boasts an NVLink 6 bandwidth of 3.6 TB/s per GPU, and a total of 260 TB/s across the entire Vera Rubin NVL72 rack.

However, integrating PTFE into NVIDIA's NVLink Switch Boards is not without challenges. The material's poor bonding ability with other materials presents significant complications during the lamination process, which is crucial for constructing multilayer PCBs. Additionally, PTFE's soft nature makes it susceptible to dimensional instability, leading to difficulties with drilling, copper plating, and lamination control.