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What's New in Solderable Finishes?
August 6, 2013 |Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Introduction
One year ago I published an overview on the state of solderable finishes for the printed circuit fabrication and bare board assembly operations. While many wonder what more possibly can be said on this subject, there is quite a bit of new information that needs to be presented. The industry does not sit still and much has happened in terms of innovation. In addition, one must also consider ever-changing requirements with respect to long-term reliability, corrosion resistance, soldermask adhesion and cost.
This article presents information on next generation OSP, advancements in electroless nickel-immersion gold (ENIG), the current status and future role of electroless nickel-electroless palladium-immersion gold (ENEPIG), and the use of post-plating treatments to improve solderability and corrosion resistance.
Surface Finish Solderability
The principal driver for board surface finish is lead-free solderability. “Alternative” finishes, namely, organic solderability preservative (OSP), immersion silver, immersion tin, ENIG and now ENEPIG, are all inherently lead free. Newer finishes, based on a combination of metallics and nanoparticles, are now being accepted.
Since most of the multilayer PCBs will have surface-mount components on both sides, it is critical that the surface finish is able to maintain solderability through the numerous thermal excursions. Furthermore, it is important to understand that lead-free assembly temperatures have the ability to degrade solderable finishes at a much faster rate than conventional tin-lead assembly.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the June 2013 issue of The PCB Magazine.