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Explore our database of industry knowledge that fuels innovation, learning, and professional growth. Knowledge Hub is a collection of conference technical papers, webinars, presentations, on-demand video and more. You can search by author, title, keyword and type of content. You can also search for keywords and topics in the Tag field. Access to Knowledge Hub is reserved for members.

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Understanding Electroless Nickel Thickness in ENIG and ENEPIG

IPC-4552 and IPC-4556 are industry performance specifications for ENIG (Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold) and ENEPIG (Electroless Nickel/Electroless Palladium/Immersion Gold) as used for th .. read more

Novel Surface Finish for 5G-mmWave frequency PCB Technologies- How to Achieve Optimum Signal Integrity

The next generation devices using high frequency of 5G to mmWave and greater has called for innovation in materials used in electronics manufacturing to realize the optimum signal integrity .. read more

Comparing Soldering Results of ENIG and EPIG Post Steam Exposure

ENIG, electroless nickel immersion gold is now a well-regarded finish used to enhance and preserve the solder-ability of copper circuits. EPIG, electroless palladium immersion gold, is a new .. read more

Designing a High Performance Electroless Nickel and Immersion Gold to Maximize Highest Reliability

The latest highest reliability requirements demand a high performance electroless nickel and immersion gold (HP ENIG). The new IPC specification 4552A has refocused the industry with referen .. read more

A Novel Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) Surface Finish for Robust Solder Joints and Better Reliability of Electronic Assemblies

Conventional Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) currently available in the market is prone to brittle solder joints failures. Due to these reasons, there are field failures and reliabi .. read more

Evaluation of Compatibility of EnvironMentally Friendly PCB Manufacturing Processes: Additive Inkjet Coating & Surface Finishes

The challenge of decrease PCB manufacturing environmental impact is here to stay. The rate at which a company can process change is key to strategical advantage. Any increase of the change r .. read more

Enig – Corrosion: The Status, The Risks and The Solutions

The ENIG finish is one of the most common final finishes finding broad acceptance in the market for decades. ENIG is the abbreviation for “electroless nickel – immersion gold” where it is th .. read more

Challenges on ENEPIG Finished PCBs: Gold Ball Bonding and Pad Metal Lift

As a surface finish for PCBs,Electroless Nickel/Electroless Palladium/Immersion Gold (ENEPIG) was selected over Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) for CMOS image sensor applications with .. read more

Manufacturability and Reliability Screening of Lower Melting Point Pb-Free Alloys Containing Bi

This paper is the first of two papers discussing the Celestica/Honeywell Lower Melt Alloy program. The program explores the manufacturability and reliability for Pb-freethree Bi-containing allo .. read more

Quantitative Analysis of Corrosion Resistance for Electroless Ni-P Plating

An electroless nickel (EN) layer is frequently used in various industrial applications. Commonly it is used as the barrier layer in electroless nickel/immersion gold (ENIG) as a solderability p .. read more

Testing Intermetallic Fragility on Enig upon Addition of Limitless Cu

As reliability requirements increase,especially for defense and aerospace applications,the need to characterize components used in electronic assembly also increases. OEM and EMS companies look .. read more

Is the ENIG Process Evil,or is it Maybe QA,Engineer or Sales Guy?

The case of processing issues with Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) is well documented,even as it endures as a very popular surface finish. Certainly the market says that quality ENIG h .. read more

Detailed Analysis of Impedance and Loss versus Frequency for Transmission Lines Made From Flexible Circuit Materials

With the emergence of high speed,controlled impedance circuits requiring increasingly tight tolerances,there is a realization among designers and fabricators that more precise data is needed th .. read more

The Application of Spherical Bend Testing to Predict Safe Working Manufacturing Process Strains

The increased temperatures associated with lead free processes have produced significant challenges for PWB laminates. Newly developed laminates have different curing processes,are commonly fil .. read more

Wire Bonding and Soldering on Enepig and Enep Surface Finishes with Pure Pd- Layers

As a surface finish,electroless nickel / electroless palladium / immersion gold (ENEPIG) has received increased attention for both packaging/IC-substrate and PWB applications. With a lower gold .. read more

Corrosion Resistance of Different PCB Surface Finishes in Harsh Environments

Corrosion resistance is becoming one of the most important topics in the electronics industry. Corrosion results in field failures and huge losses,which annually total several billion U.S. doll .. read more

Nanotechnology for Lead-Free PWB Final Finishes with Organic Metal

The use of an Organic Metal finish only a few nano-meters deposited onto copper pads of printed circuit boards provides effective protection against oxidation and preserves solderability. The N .. read more

Achieving High Reliability Low Cost Lead-Free SAC Solder Joints Via Mn Or Ce Doping

In this study,the reliabilities of low Ag SAC alloys doped with Mn or Ce (SACM or SACC) were evaluated under JEDEC drop,dynamic bending,thermal cycling,and cyclic bending test conditions agains .. read more

Creep Corrosion of OSP and ImAg PWB Finishes

With increasing adoption of lead-free PWB surface finishes,along with increasing product deployments in more corrosive environments,the electronics industry is observing increased occurrences o .. read more

The Impact of Converting Flex Circuits From HASL to a RoHS Compliant Surface Finishes

This paper will explore the most common alternatives to hot air-leveled solder (HASL) as a finish for flex circuits and some of the issues one may want to be aware of when converting. Whether t .. read more

Hot Air Solder Leveling in the Lead-free Era

Although the advantages of Hot Air Solder Leveling (HASL) in providing the most robust solderable finish for printed circuit boards are well recognized,in the years leading up to the implementa .. read more

Selective Electroless Nickel and Gold Plating of Individual Integrated Circuits for Thermocompression Gold Stud Bump Flip-Chip Attachment

Flip chip bonding is the most desirable direct chip attachment approach for minimizing electronic assembly size as well as improving device performance. For most prototyping applications it is .. read more

Reliability and Microstructure of Lead-Free Solder Joints in Industrial Electronics after Accelerated Thermal Aging

The reliability of lead-free (LF) solder joints in surface-mounted device components (SMD) has been investigated after thermo-cycle testing. Kirkendall voids have been observed at the interface .. read more

Long Term Reliability Analysis of Lead Free and Halogen Free Electronic Assemblies

The New England Lead Free Consortium,composed of many companies in the electronic supply chain in the regional area and chaired by the author; has embarked on an extensive long term reliability .. read more

A Study of Reliability between Solder Alloy and Pad Materials

The low Ag solder alloy shows higher drop performance than the high Ag solder alloy in the every kind of package and board combinations. This is related to the ductility of solder and the surfa .. read more

A Study of 0201’s and Tombstoning in Lead-Free Systems,Phase II Comparison of Final Finishes and Solder Paste Formulations

Tombstoning,the phenomena where a chip component stands up on one end during the reflow cycle,is well-documented and understood in tin-lead systems. It is reported to occur more frequently in l .. read more

Industrial Backward Solution for Lead-Free Exempted AHP* Electronic Products

Since the European 2002/95/EC RoHS directive enforcement on 1st July 2006,a dominating part of the electronic industry suppressed the use of Pb in electronic equipment. As one of the consequenc .. read more

Solder Joint Reliability of Pb-free Sn-Ag-Cu Ball Grid Array (BGA) Components in Sn-Pb Assembly Process

For companies that choose to take the Pb-free exemption under the European Union’s RoHS Directive and continue to manufacture tin-lead (Sn-Pb) electronic products,there is a growing concern abo .. read more

Effect of Design Variables on the Reliability of Lead Free Area Array Connectors

As the use of area array connectors has become more widespread in electronic assemblies,the need to evaluate their reliability has increased. There is,however,limited information on how best to .. read more

Understanding Electroless Nickel Thickness in ENIG and ENEPIG

IPC-4552 and IPC-4556 are industry performance specifications for ENIG (Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold) and ENEPIG (Electroless Nickel/Electroless Palladium/Immersion Gold) as used for th .. read more

Novel Surface Finish for 5G-mmWave frequency PCB Technologies- How to Achieve Optimum Signal Integrity

The next generation devices using high frequency of 5G to mmWave and greater has called for innovation in materials used in electronics manufacturing to realize the optimum signal integrity .. read more

Comparing Soldering Results of ENIG and EPIG Post Steam Exposure

ENIG, electroless nickel immersion gold is now a well-regarded finish used to enhance and preserve the solder-ability of copper circuits. EPIG, electroless palladium immersion gold, is a new .. read more

Designing a High Performance Electroless Nickel and Immersion Gold to Maximize Highest Reliability

The latest highest reliability requirements demand a high performance electroless nickel and immersion gold (HP ENIG). The new IPC specification 4552A has refocused the industry with referen .. read more

A Novel Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) Surface Finish for Robust Solder Joints and Better Reliability of Electronic Assemblies

Conventional Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) currently available in the market is prone to brittle solder joints failures. Due to these reasons, there are field failures and reliabi .. read more

Evaluation of Compatibility of EnvironMentally Friendly PCB Manufacturing Processes: Additive Inkjet Coating & Surface Finishes

The challenge of decrease PCB manufacturing environmental impact is here to stay. The rate at which a company can process change is key to strategical advantage. Any increase of the change r .. read more

Enig – Corrosion: The Status, The Risks and The Solutions

The ENIG finish is one of the most common final finishes finding broad acceptance in the market for decades. ENIG is the abbreviation for “electroless nickel – immersion gold” where it is th .. read more

Challenges on ENEPIG Finished PCBs: Gold Ball Bonding and Pad Metal Lift

As a surface finish for PCBs,Electroless Nickel/Electroless Palladium/Immersion Gold (ENEPIG) was selected over Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) for CMOS image sensor applications with .. read more

Manufacturability and Reliability Screening of Lower Melting Point Pb-Free Alloys Containing Bi

This paper is the first of two papers discussing the Celestica/Honeywell Lower Melt Alloy program. The program explores the manufacturability and reliability for Pb-freethree Bi-containing allo .. read more

Quantitative Analysis of Corrosion Resistance for Electroless Ni-P Plating

An electroless nickel (EN) layer is frequently used in various industrial applications. Commonly it is used as the barrier layer in electroless nickel/immersion gold (ENIG) as a solderability p .. read more

Testing Intermetallic Fragility on Enig upon Addition of Limitless Cu

As reliability requirements increase,especially for defense and aerospace applications,the need to characterize components used in electronic assembly also increases. OEM and EMS companies look .. read more

Is the ENIG Process Evil,or is it Maybe QA,Engineer or Sales Guy?

The case of processing issues with Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) is well documented,even as it endures as a very popular surface finish. Certainly the market says that quality ENIG h .. read more

Detailed Analysis of Impedance and Loss versus Frequency for Transmission Lines Made From Flexible Circuit Materials

With the emergence of high speed,controlled impedance circuits requiring increasingly tight tolerances,there is a realization among designers and fabricators that more precise data is needed th .. read more

The Application of Spherical Bend Testing to Predict Safe Working Manufacturing Process Strains

The increased temperatures associated with lead free processes have produced significant challenges for PWB laminates. Newly developed laminates have different curing processes,are commonly fil .. read more

Wire Bonding and Soldering on Enepig and Enep Surface Finishes with Pure Pd- Layers

As a surface finish,electroless nickel / electroless palladium / immersion gold (ENEPIG) has received increased attention for both packaging/IC-substrate and PWB applications. With a lower gold .. read more

Corrosion Resistance of Different PCB Surface Finishes in Harsh Environments

Corrosion resistance is becoming one of the most important topics in the electronics industry. Corrosion results in field failures and huge losses,which annually total several billion U.S. doll .. read more

Nanotechnology for Lead-Free PWB Final Finishes with Organic Metal

The use of an Organic Metal finish only a few nano-meters deposited onto copper pads of printed circuit boards provides effective protection against oxidation and preserves solderability. The N .. read more

Achieving High Reliability Low Cost Lead-Free SAC Solder Joints Via Mn Or Ce Doping

In this study,the reliabilities of low Ag SAC alloys doped with Mn or Ce (SACM or SACC) were evaluated under JEDEC drop,dynamic bending,thermal cycling,and cyclic bending test conditions agains .. read more

Creep Corrosion of OSP and ImAg PWB Finishes

With increasing adoption of lead-free PWB surface finishes,along with increasing product deployments in more corrosive environments,the electronics industry is observing increased occurrences o .. read more

The Impact of Converting Flex Circuits From HASL to a RoHS Compliant Surface Finishes

This paper will explore the most common alternatives to hot air-leveled solder (HASL) as a finish for flex circuits and some of the issues one may want to be aware of when converting. Whether t .. read more

Hot Air Solder Leveling in the Lead-free Era

Although the advantages of Hot Air Solder Leveling (HASL) in providing the most robust solderable finish for printed circuit boards are well recognized,in the years leading up to the implementa .. read more

Selective Electroless Nickel and Gold Plating of Individual Integrated Circuits for Thermocompression Gold Stud Bump Flip-Chip Attachment

Flip chip bonding is the most desirable direct chip attachment approach for minimizing electronic assembly size as well as improving device performance. For most prototyping applications it is .. read more

Reliability and Microstructure of Lead-Free Solder Joints in Industrial Electronics after Accelerated Thermal Aging

The reliability of lead-free (LF) solder joints in surface-mounted device components (SMD) has been investigated after thermo-cycle testing. Kirkendall voids have been observed at the interface .. read more

Long Term Reliability Analysis of Lead Free and Halogen Free Electronic Assemblies

The New England Lead Free Consortium,composed of many companies in the electronic supply chain in the regional area and chaired by the author; has embarked on an extensive long term reliability .. read more

A Study of Reliability between Solder Alloy and Pad Materials

The low Ag solder alloy shows higher drop performance than the high Ag solder alloy in the every kind of package and board combinations. This is related to the ductility of solder and the surfa .. read more

A Study of 0201’s and Tombstoning in Lead-Free Systems,Phase II Comparison of Final Finishes and Solder Paste Formulations

Tombstoning,the phenomena where a chip component stands up on one end during the reflow cycle,is well-documented and understood in tin-lead systems. It is reported to occur more frequently in l .. read more

Industrial Backward Solution for Lead-Free Exempted AHP* Electronic Products

Since the European 2002/95/EC RoHS directive enforcement on 1st July 2006,a dominating part of the electronic industry suppressed the use of Pb in electronic equipment. As one of the consequenc .. read more

Solder Joint Reliability of Pb-free Sn-Ag-Cu Ball Grid Array (BGA) Components in Sn-Pb Assembly Process

For companies that choose to take the Pb-free exemption under the European Union’s RoHS Directive and continue to manufacture tin-lead (Sn-Pb) electronic products,there is a growing concern abo .. read more

Effect of Design Variables on the Reliability of Lead Free Area Array Connectors

As the use of area array connectors has become more widespread in electronic assemblies,the need to evaluate their reliability has increased. There is,however,limited information on how best to .. read more