An Overview of Surface Finishes and Their Role in Printed Circuit Board Solderability and Solder Joint Performance

A overview has been presented on the topic of alternative surface finishes for package I/Os and circuit board features. Aspects of processability and solder joint reliability were described for the following coatings: baseline hot-dipped, plated, and plated-and-fused 100Sn and Sn-Pb coatings; Ni/Au; Pd, Ni/Pd, and Ni/Pd/Au finishes; and the recently marketed immersion Ag coatings. The Ni/Au coatings appear to provide the all-around best option in terms of solderability protection and wire bondability. Nickel/Pal ftishes offer a slightly reduced level of performance in these areas that is most likely due to variable Pd surface conditions. It is necessmy to minimize dissolved Au or Pd contents in the solder material to prevent solder joint embrittlement. Ancillary aspects that included thickness measurement techniques; the importance of finish compatibility with conformal coatings and conductive adhesives; and the need for alternative finishes for the processing of non-Pb bearing solders were discussed

The impact of process parameters on gold elimination from soldered connector assemblies

Minimizing the likelihood of solder joint embrittlement in connectors is realized by reducing or eliminating retained Au plating and/or Au-Sn intermetallic compound formation from the assemblies. Gold removal is performed most effectively by using a double wicking process. When only a single wicking procedure can be used, a higher soldering temperature improves the process of Au removal from the connector surfaces and to a nominal extent, removal of Au-contaminated solder from the joint. A longer soldering time did not appear to offer any appreciable improvement toward removing the Au-contaminated solder from the joint. Because the wicking procedure was a manual process, it was operator dependent

SNL initiatives in electronic fluxless soldering

Conventional soldering of electronic components generally requires the application of a chemical flux to promote solder wetting and flow. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and halogenated solvents are normally used to remove the resulting flux residues. While such practice has been routinely accepted throughout the electronics industry, the environmental impact of hazardous solvents on ozone depletion will eventually limit or prevent their use. Solvent substitution or alternative technologies must be developed to meet these goals. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque has a comprehensive environmentally conscious electronics manufacturing program underway that is funded by the DOE Office of Technology Development. Primary elements of the integrated task are the characterization and development of alternative fluxless soldering technologies that would eliminate circuit board cleaning associated with flux residue removal. Storage and handling of hazardous solvents and mixed solvent-flux waste would be consequently reduced during electronics soldering. This paper will report on the progress of the SNL fluxless soldering initiative. Emphasis is placed on the use of controlled atmospheres, laser heating, and ultrasonic soldering