Technical Library | 2020-11-24 23:01:04.0
The miniaturization trend is driving industry to adopting low standoff components or components in cavity. The cost reduction pressure is pushing telecommunication industry to combine assembly of components and electromagnetic shield in one single reflow process. As a result, the flux outgassing/drying is getting very difficult for devices due to poor venting channel. This resulted in insufficiently dried/burnt-off flux residue. For a properly formulated flux, the remaining flux activity posed no issue in a dried flux residue for no-clean process. However, when venting channel is blocked, not only solvents remain, but also activators could not be burnt off. The presence of solvents allows mobility of active ingredients and the associated corrosion, thus poses a major threat to the reliability. In this work, a new halogen-free no-clean SnAgCu solder paste, 33-76-1, has been developed. This solder paste exhibited SIR value above the IPC spec 100 MΩ without any dendrite formation, even with a wet flux residue on the comb pattern. The wet flux residue was caused by covering the comb pattern with 10 mm × 10 mm glass slide during reflow and SIR testing in order to mimic the poorly vented low standoff components. The paste 33-76-1 also showed very good SMT assembly performance, including voiding of QFN and HIP resistance. The wetting ability of paste 33-76-1 was very good under nitrogen. For air reflow, 33-76-1 still matched paste C which is widely accepted by industry for air reflow process. The above good performance on both non-corrosivity with wet flux residue and robust SMT process can only be accomplished through a breakthrough in flux technology.
Technical Library | 2016-12-29 15:37:51.0
The reliabilities of the flux residue of electronic assemblies and semiconductor packages are attracting more and more attention with the adoption of no-clean fluxes by majority of the industry. In recent years, the concern of "partially activated" flux residue and their influence on reliability have been significantly raised due to the miniaturization along with high density design trend, selective soldering process adoption, and the expanded use of pallets in wave soldering process. When flux residue becomes trapped under low stand-off devices, pallets or unsoldered areas (e.g. selective process), it may contain unevaporated solvent, "live" activators and metal complex intermediates with different chemical composition and concentration levels depending on the thermal profiles. These partially-activated residues can directly impact the corrosion, surface insulation and electrochemical migration of the final assembly. In this study, a few application tests were developed internally to understand this issue. Two traditional liquid flux and two newly developed fluxes were selected to build up the basic models. The preliminary results also provide a scientific approach to design highly reliable products with the goal to minimize the reliability risk for the complex PCB designs and assembly processes. This paper was originally published by SMTA in the Proceedings of SMTA International
Technical Library | 2018-11-20 21:33:57.0
There are several industry-accepted methods for determining the reliability of flux residues after assembly. The recommended methods of test sample preparation do not always closely mimic the thermal cycle experienced by an assembly. Therefore, extraction from actual assemblies has become a popular method of process control to assess consistency of post-reflow cleanliness. Every method of post-reflow flux residue characterization will depend on the reflow process followed to prepare the coupon.This investigation will focus on the effect of thermal conditions on the remainder of active ingredients in flux residues after assembly with no-clean solder pastes.
Technical Library | 2019-08-14 22:20:55.0
Cleanliness is a product of design, including component density, standoff height and the cleaning equipment’s ability to deliver the cleaning agent to the source of residue. The presence of manufacturing process soil, such as flux residue, incompletely activated flux, incompletely cured solder masks, debris from handling and processing fixtures, and incomplete removal of cleaning fluids can hinder the functional lifetime of the product. Contaminates trapped under a component are more problematic to failure. Advanced test methods are needed to obtain "objective evidence" for removing flux residues under leadless components.Cleaning process performance is a function of cleaning capacity and defined cleanliness. Cleaning performance can be influenced by the PCB design, cleaning material, cleaning machine, reflow conditions and a wide range of process parameters.This research project is designed to study visual flux residues trapped under the bottom termination of leadless components. This paper will research a non-destructive visual method that can be used to study the cleanability of solder pastes, cleaning material effectiveness for the soil, cleaning machine effectiveness and process parameters needed to render a clean part.
Technical Library | 2020-07-02 01:14:44.0
Head-in-Pillow (HIP) defects are a growing concern in the electronics industry. These defects are usually believed to be the result of several factors, individually or in combination. Some of the major contributing factors include: surface quality of the BGA spheres, activity of the paste flux, improper placement / misalignment of the components, a non-optimal reflow profile, and warpage of the components. To understand the role of each of these factors in producing head-in-pillow defects and to find ways to mitigate them, we have developed two in-house tests.
Technical Library | 2022-03-02 21:26:51.0
The solderability of a nickel-palladium-gold (Ni-Pd-Au) finish on a Cu substrate was evaluated for the Pb-free solder, 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6 Cu (wt.%, abbreviated Sn-Ag-Cu) and the eutectic 63Sn-37 Pb (Sn-Pb) alloy. The solder temperature was 245ºC. The flux was a rosin-based mildly activated (RMA) solution. The Ni-Pd-Au finish was tested in the as-fabricated condition as well as after exposure to one of the following accelerated storage (shelf life) regiments: (1) 33.6, 67.2, or 336 hours in the Battelle Class 2 flowing gas environment or (2) 5, 16, or 24 hours of steam aging (88ºC, 90%RH).
Technical Library | 2017-07-20 15:18:15.0
As electronic devices increase functionality in smaller form factors, there will be limitations, obstacles and challenges to overcome. Advances in component technology can create issues that may have time delayed effects. One such effect is device failure due to soldering residues trapped under bottom terminated components. If the residues trapped under the component termination are active and can be mobilized with moisture, there is the potential for ion mobilization causing current leakage.
Technical Library | 2007-07-19 15:15:11.0
ROSA is a surface restoration technique that removes hard to reduce species like metal oxides or sulfides. At the time of its development, the focus was on solderability and compliance to environmental regulations. Industry trends and regulatory changes as a result of the Montreal Protocol were the driver for much of the concern over environmental compliance. The result was an increase in the development of no-clean and water soluble fluxes and the removal of halogenated cleaning chemistries.
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