Study on fine lines and undercut suppression of printed circuit board prepared by electrolytic etching

Circuit World ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denglin Fu ◽  
Yanan Wen ◽  
Jida Chen ◽  
Lansi Lu ◽  
Ting Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Corrosion Inhibitor ◽  
Corrosion Inhibitors ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Copper Surface ◽  
Etching Process ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Etching Method ◽  
Electrolytic Etching

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study an electrolytic etching method to prepare fine lines on printed circuit board (PCB). And the influence of organics on the side corrosion protection of PCB fine lines during electrolytic etching is studied in detail. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the etching factor of PCB fine lines produced by new method and the traditional method was analyzed by the metallographic microscope. In addition, field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the inhibition of undercut of the four organometallic corrosion inhibitors with 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole, benzotriazole, l-phenylalanine and l-tryptophan in the electrolytic etching process. Findings The SEM results show that corrosion inhibitors can greatly inhibit undercut of PCB fine lines during electrolytic etching process. XPS results indicate that N and S atoms on corrosion inhibitors can form covalent bonds with copper during electrolytic etching process, which can be adsorbed on sidewall of PCB fine lines to form a dense protective film, thereby inhibiting undercut of PCB fine lines. Quantum chemical calculations show that four corrosion inhibitor molecules tend to be parallel to copper surface and adsorb on copper surface in an optimal form. COMSOL Multiphysics simulation revealed that there is a significant difference in the amount of corrosion inhibitor adsorbed on sidewall of the fine line and the etching area. Originality/value As a clean production technology, electrolytic etching method has a good development indicator for the production of high-quality fine lines in PCB industry in the future. And it is of great significance in saving resources and reducing environmental pollution.

Evaluation of new technologies and materials for printed circuit boards with improved heat dissipation properties

Circuit World ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Baszynski ◽  
Edward Ramotowski ◽  
Dariusz Ostaszewski ◽  
Tomasz Klej ◽  
Mariusz Wojcik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Properties ◽  
Printed Circuit Boards ◽  
Heat Dissipation ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate thermal properties of printed circuit board (PCB) made with use of new materials and technologies. Design/methodology/approach – Four PCBs with the same layout but made with use of different materials and technologies have been investigated using thermal camera to compare their thermal properties. Findings – The results show how important the thermal properties of PCBs are for providing effective heat dissipation, and how a simple alteration to the design can help to improve the thermal performance of electronic device. Proper layout, new materials and technologies of PCB manufacturing can significantly reduce the temperature of electronic components resulting in higher reliability of electronic and power electronic devices. Originality/value – This paper shows the advantages of new technologies and materials in PCB thermal management.

Robotic system design and development for automated dismantling of PCB waste

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioan Doroftei ◽  
Daniel Chirita ◽  
Ciprian Stamate ◽  
Stelian Cazan ◽  
Carlos Pascal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Vision System ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Robotic System ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Short Introduction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
System A

Purpose The mass electronics sector is one of the most critical sources of waste, in terms of volume and content with dangerous effects on the environment. The purpose of this study is to provide an automated and accurate dismantling system that can improve the outcome of recycling. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, the paper details the implementation layout and highlights the advantages of using a custom architecture for the automated dismantling of printed circuit board waste. Findings Currently, the amount of electronic waste is impressive while manual dismantling is a very common and non-efficient approach. Designing an automatic procedure that can be replicated, is one of the tasks for efficient electronic waste recovery. This paper proposes an automated dismantling system for the advanced recovery of particular waste materials from computer and telecommunications equipment. The automated dismantling architecture is built using a robotic system, a custom device and an eye-to-hand configuration for a stereo vision system. Originality/value The proposed approach is innovative because of its custom device design. The custom device is built using a programmable screwdriver combined with an innovative rotary dismantling tool. The dismantling torque can be tuned empirically.

Analysis of surface insulation resistance related failures in electronics by circuit simulation

Circuit World ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vadimas Verdingovas ◽  
Salil Joshy ◽  
Morten Stendahl Jellesen ◽  
Rajan Ambat
Keyword(s):  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Circuit Simulation ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Insulation Resistance ◽  
Electronic Circuits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Surface Insulation Resistance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to show that the humidity levels for surface insulation resistance (SIR)-related failures are dependent on the type of activators used in no-clean flux systems and to demonstrate the possibility of simulating the effects of humidity and contamination on printed circuit board components and sensitive parts if typical SIR data connected to a particular climatic condition are available. This is shown on representative components and typical circuits. Design/methodology/approach A range of SIR values obtained on SIR patterns with 1,476 squares was used as input data for the circuit analysis. The SIR data were compared to the surface resistance values observable on a real device printed circuit board assembly. SIR issues at the component and circuit levels were analysed on the basis of parasitic circuit effects owing to the formation of a water layer as an electrical conduction medium. Findings This paper provides a summary of the effects of contamination with various weak organic acids representing the active components in no-clean solder flux residue, and demonstrates the effect of humidity and contamination on the possible malfunctions and errors in electronic circuits. The effect of contamination and humidity is expressed as drift from the nominal resistance values of the resistors, self-discharge of the capacitors and the errors in the circuits due to parasitic leakage currents (reduction of SIR). Practical/implications The methodology of the analysis of the circuits using a range of empirical leakage resistance values combined with the knowledge of the humidity and contamination profile of the electronics can be used for the robust design of a device, which is also important for electronic products relying on low current consumption for long battery lifetime. Originality/value Examples provide a basic link between the combined effect of humidity and contamination and the performance of electronic circuits. The methodology shown provides the possibility of addressing the climatic reliability of an electronic device at the early stage of device design by using typical SIR data representing the possible climate exposure.

Surface temperature of electronic assemblies equipped with tilted and low-powered QFN64 subjected to free convection

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 1304-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahmane Baïri ◽  
Clara Ortega Hermoso ◽  
David San Martén Ortega ◽  
Iken Baïri ◽  
Zsolt Peter
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Inclination Angle ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Thermal Design ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Volume Method ◽  
Electronic Assemblies

Purpose This work deals with the case of the quad flat non-lead 64 (QFN64) electronic package generating a low power range ranging from 0.01 to 0.1W. It is installed on one side of a printed circuit board (PCB) that can be inclined relative to the horizontal plane with an angle varying between 0° and 90° (horizontal and vertical positions, respectively). The surface temperature of the electronic assembly is subjected to air natural convection. Design/methodology/approach Calculations are done by means of the finite volume method for many configurations obtained by varying the generated power and the inclination angle. Findings The distribution of the surface temperature is determined on all the assembly areas (QFN and PCB). The study shows that the thermal behaviour of the electronic device is influenced by the generated power and the inclination angle. The 3D numerical survey leads to correlations allowing calculation of the average surface temperature in any part of the assembly, according to the power generated by the QFN64 and the inclination angle. Originality/value The proposed accurate correlations are original and unpublished. They optimize the thermal design of the electronic QFN64 package, which is increasingly used in many engineering fields.

Influence of the area of a thermal pad on optical and thermal parameters of LED modules

Circuit World ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Górecki ◽  
Przemysław Piotr Ptak
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Resistance ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Thermal Parameters ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Optical Parameters ◽  
Metal Core ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the results of measurements illustrating influence of the area of a thermal pad and the kind of the used base on thermal and optical parameters of LED modules. Design/methodology/approach LED modules including six power LEDs are designed. In the layout of these modules, different areas of a thermal pad of each LED are used. These modules are made using the classical FR-4 base and metal core printed circuit board (MCPCB). Thermal and optical parameters of all the tested modules are measured using the method elaborated by the authors. Findings The obtained results of measurements prove that increasing the area of a thermal pad causes a decrease in thermal resistance of the tested LED modules and an increase in power density of the emitted light. The role of the area of a thermal pad is more important for the classical FR-4 base than for MCPCB. Research limitations/implications Investigations were performed for only two values of the area of thermal pads and selected values of LEDs forward current. Originality/value The presented results of investigations show how the used layout and type of the used base of these modules influence optical and thermal parameters of LED modules. Changing the base of a module can cause even a double decrease in thermal resistance and a double increase in power density of the emitted light.

Studying heat transfer on inclined printed circuit boards during vapour phase soldering

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attila Geczy ◽  
Daniel Nagy ◽  
Balazs Illes ◽  
Laszlo Fazekas ◽  
Oliver Krammer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Printed Circuit Boards ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Vapour Phase ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Heat Transfer Efficiency ◽  
Uneven Heating

Purpose The paper aims to present an investigation of heating during vapour phase soldering (VPS) on inclined printed circuit board (PCB) substrates. The PCB is a horizontal rectangular plate from the aspect of filmwise condensation with a given inclination setting. Design/methodology/approach The paper focuses on the measurement of temperature distribution on the PCBs with a novel setup immersed in the saturated vapour space. The measuring instrumentation is optimized to avoid and minimize vapour perturbing effects. Findings The inhomogeneity of the heating is presented according to the lateral dimensions of the PCB. The inclination improves temperature uniformity, improves heat transfer efficiency; however, a minor misalignment may affect the flow and result in uneven heating. Practical implications The results can be implemented for practical improvements in industrial ovens with the use of intended inclination. The improvements may consequently point to more efficient production and better joint quality. Originality/value The novel method can be used for deeper investigation of inclination during and can be complemented with numerical calculations. The results highlight the importance of precise PCB holding instrumentation in VPS ovens.

scholarly journals Modelling of temperature distribution along PCB thickness in different substrates during reflow

Circuit World ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Daniel Straubinger ◽  
István Bozsóki ◽  
David Bušek ◽  
Balázs Illés ◽  
Attila Géczy
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Vapour Phase ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Heat Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Significant Temperature ◽  
The Difference

Purpose In this paper, analytical modelling of heat distribution along the thickness of different printed circuit board (PCB) substrates is presented according to the 1 D heat transient conduction problem. This paper aims to reveal differences between the substrates and the geometry configurations and elaborate on further application of explicit modelling. Design/methodology/approach Different substrates were considered: classic FR4 and polyimide, ceramics (BeO, Al2O3) and novel biodegradables (polylactic-acid [PLA] and cellulose acetate [CA]). The board thicknesses were given in 0.25 mm steps. Results are calculated for heat transfer coefficients of convection and vapour phase (condensation) soldering. Even heat transfer is assumed on both PCB sides. Findings It was found that temperature distributions along PCB thicknesses are mostly negligible from solder joint formation aspects, and most of the materials can be used in explicit reflow profile modelling. However PLA shows significant temperature differences, pointing to possible modelling imprecisions. It was also shown, that while the difference between midplane and surface temperatures mainly depend on thermal diffusivity, the time to reach solder alloy melting point on the surface depends on volumetric heat capacity. Originality/value Results validate the applicability of explicit heat transfer modelling of PCBs during reflow for different heat transfer methods. The results can be incorporated into more complex simulations and profile predicting algorithms for industrial ovens controlled in the wake of Industry 4.0 directives for better temperature control and ultimately higher soldering quality.

Failure analysis on cracking of blind and buried vias of printed circuit board for high-end mobile phones

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 203-210
Author(s):  
Jie Tang ◽  
Yi Gong ◽  
Zhen-Guo Yang
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Failure Mechanisms ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Prevention Methods

Purpose The submitted paper is mainly concerned with the cracking of blind and buried vias of printed circuit board (PCB) for smartphones which were encountered with abnormal display problems like scramble display or no display during service and had to be recalled. Design/methodology/approach To found out the root causes of this failure and dissolve this commercial dispute, comprehensive failure analysis was performed on the printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and PCBs of the failed smartphone, such as macrograph and micrograph observation, chemical compositions analysis, thermal performance testing and blind via pull-off experiment, which finally helped to determine the causes. Besides that, the failure mechanisms were discussed in detail, and pertinent countermeasures were proposed point by point. Findings It was found that the PCB blind vias cracking was the main reason for the scramble display or no display of the smartphone, and the incomplete cleaning process before copper plating was the root cause of the blind vias cracking. Practical implications Achievement of this paper would not only help to provide the solid evidence for determining the responsibility of this commercial dispute but also lead to a better understanding of the failure mechanisms and prevention methods for similar failure cases of other advanced mobile phones. Originality/value Most failure analysis researches of PCBAs only focused on the unqualified products from manufacturing, while this paper addressed a failure analysis case of PCBAs products for smartphones from actual services, which was relatively rarely reported in the past.

Numerical simulation of EWOD on a printed circuit board for cleanroom-less digital fluidic manufacturing applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Hadjiaghaie Vafaie ◽  
Hossein Dehganpour ◽  
Abolfazl Moradpour
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Contact Angle ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Angle Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electrowetting On Dielectric ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Wide Range

Purpose Digital microfluidic devices have been demonstrated to have great potential for a wide range of applications. These devices need expensive photolithography process and clean room facilities, while printed circuit board (PCB) technology provides high configurability and at low cost. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of electrowetting-on-a-dielectric (EWOD) on PCB by solving the multiphysics interaction between fluid droplet and electric field. The performance of system will be improved by inducing an efficient electric field inside the droplet. Design/methodology/approach To induce an electric field inside the droplet on a PCB and change the initial contact angle, the mechanism of EWOD is studied based on energy minimization method and a set of simulations are carried out by considering multiphysics interaction between the fluid droplet and external electric field. The performance of EWOD on a PCB system is investigated using different electrode structures. Findings Surface tension plays an efficient role in smaller sizes and can be used to move and control a fluid droplet on a surface by changing the interfacial surface tension. EWOD on a PCB system is studied. and it revealed that any change in electric field affects the droplet contact angle and as a result droplet deformation and movement. The electrode pattern is an important parameter which could change the electric potential distribution inside the droplet. Array of electrodes with square, zigzag interdigitated and crescent shapes are studied to enhance the EWOD force on a PCB substrate. Based on the results, the radial shape of the crescent electrodes keeps almost the same actuated contact line, applies uniform force on the droplet periphery and prevents the droplet from large deformation. A droplet velocity of 0.6 mm/s is achieved by exciting the crescent electrodes at 315 V. Furthermore, the behavior of system is characterized for process parameters such as actuation voltage, dielectric constant of insulator layer, fluidic material properties and the resultant velocity and contact angle. The study of contact angle distribution and droplet motion revealed that it is helpful to generate EWOD mechanism on a PCB which does not need more complicated fabrication processes. Originality/value The ability to handle and manipulate the droplets is very important for chemistry on-chip analysis such as immunoassay chips. Furthermore, a PCB-based electrowetting-on-dielectric device is of high interest because it does not need cleanroom facilities and avoids additional high-cost fabrication processes. In the present research, the EWOD mechanism is studied on a PCB by using different electrode patterns.

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