Maryland Introduces Lead-Free Plumbing Bill

PM Engineer: "The Maryland House of Representatives recently introduced HB 357, Business Occupations and Professions — Plumbers — Lead-Free Materials, which requires that materials used in the installation or repair of plumbing intended to dispense water for human consumption be lead-free.

Lead-free is defined in the bill as containing not more than a weighted average lead content of 0.25 percent for the wetted surfaces of pipe, pipefittings, plumbing fittings or fixtures; 0.2 percent lead for solder and flux; 4 percent lead by dry weight for plumbing fittings and fixtures; and 8 percent lead by dry weight for pipe and pipefittings.

The bill prohibits the sale of pipe and other plumbing supplies if they are not lead-free and are intended for use with water for human consumption. Sale of solder or flux that is not lead-free is permitted if it carries a label indicating that it is not for use with water intended for human consumption.

The Maryland bill is similar to lead-free plumbing legislation enacted last year in California. A hearing on the bill is scheduled today."

AIM Announces Addition to Sales Team in China

EMSNow: "AIM is pleased to announce that Tom Lan has been appointed to the position of Sales Manager for AIM. Tom will promote AIM's full-line of solder assembly materials throughout the Jiangsu Province and surrounding areas. He will also be responsible for managing and coordinating promotional, sales, and support activities in this area."

Cookson Launches New Pb-free Wave Solder and Rework Alloy

EMS007 : "Cookson Electronics announces the launch of new ALPHA Vaculoy SACX 0307 Plus low-Ag Pb-free Wave Solder and Rework Alloy for use as a high performance replacement for SnPb and SAC305. It is Cookson's next generation low-Ag alloy in the popular ALPHA SACX alloy family initially introduced in 2004. SACX-0307 Plus performs at the same high level of standard ALPHA SACX 0307 with the added benefit of lower copper dissolution.

'ALPHA SACX 0307 Plus offers a lower alloy cost versus higher silver alternatives like SAC305/387/405, and can be run at lower operating temperatures than most Ag-free, Pb-free alternatives,'"

Effect of particle size on composite solder properties

Factiva: "According to recent research from Beijing, People's Republic of China, 'Particulate size has significant influenced on the mechanical properties of particle-reinforced composite solder joints. In this current research, Cu or Ni reinforcement particles were mechanically added to the Sn-3.5Ag eutectic solder, and the effects of the particle size on the mechanical properties of particle-reinforced composite solder joint were systematically studied.'

'This investigation touched on how mechanical properties of the solder joints are affected by particles size. A quantitative formula was set up to correlate the mechanical property of the solder joint with particle size in different processing conditions,"

F. Tai - Beijing University, China

CARTS 2009 attendees to preview landmark counterfeiting study

EMSNow: "The DoC's study, titled 'Counterfeits and the U.S. Industrial Base,' assesses the impact of counterfeit electronics on supply chain integrity, critical infrastructure, and industrial capabilities. In her CARTS keynote, Teresa Telesco of DoC will present survey results and provide information on best practices that can mitigate risk to the U.S. supply chain. The impact of counterfeiting on the electronic components industry has been estimated to be as much as $10 billion annually."

Metal Matrix Composite Solders patent

Delphion:    A composite solder is disclosed which comprises a solder combined with particles to form a metal matrix composite (MMC) solder, wherein the particles are partially wetted particles having an average diameter sufficiently large to perform functionally as partially wetted particles when mixed with the solder. In one embodiment, the solder is a solder alloy. 

The MMC solder has improved wettability, an increased rate of flow upon melting, and higher strength, as compared with traditional solder formulas. In one embodiment, the partially wetted particles are selected from aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon dioxide (SiO2), stainless steel, silicon nitride (Si3N4), boron nitride (BN), graphite and combinations thereof. Embodiments include methods for making and using the MMC solder

WO2009009877A1

NICHOL, Scott, E.; Canada 

NICHOL, Lionel, W.; Canada 

 Assignee: None 

 Published / Filed: 2009-01-22 

Solder machine has 100kg titanium pot

Solder machine has 100kg titanium pot: "The ECO-300 has a 100kg (220lb) titanium solder pot and requires only half of the customary solder start-up costs compared to large-pot machines.

With the faster heating time and lower thermal requirements of single-wave systems, the company said the machine consumes almost 40 per cent less energy."

DEK launches new stencil solution for ultra fine-pitch printing

EMSNow: "Micro-engineered to expertly meet the challenges of fine-pitch printing,

VectorGuard Platinum is an enabling stencil platform ideal for advanced applications such as wafer level packaging, direct chip attach, flip chip and ball grid arrays (BGAs),. Capable of delivering aperture accuracies of less than 3μm, and positional tolerances of better than 20μm at pitches down to 50 μm, VectorGuard Platinum's novel stencil manufacturing process enables optimal process efficiency by generating high accuracy paste transfer and consistent paste volume repeatability."

COST Advanced Solder Materials for High Temperature Application (HISOLD)

COST: "The focus of the COST Action is the investigation of Pb-free replacements for high-Pb solders for high-temperature applications. This comprises a study of the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of alloys containing a large number of permutations of different alloying elements. A multiscale approach will be used:"

Denmark busts electronic toys in RoHS sweep

Design News: "During a recent crackdown on hazardous chemicals and substances, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found lead above RoHS defined levels in three electronic toys. According to the London-based safety solutions company Intertek Group, the Danish government has removed the toys from sale in Denmark."

The Danish EPA said it plans to continue with similar activities to enforce RoHS legislation in a number of product categories. The enforcement campaign was part of a joint action among other Northern European countries. Results similar to the Danish campaign have been found in other Northern European market, According to a release on the Internet website, the recent sweep in Northern Europe follows increased media and consumer scrutiny of the amount of chemicals in consumer products.

The focus on toys is not a surprise. During the development of the European Union’s RoHS directive, Denmark pushed to toughen the law regarding children’s toys.

IPC APEX courses on Advanced and Lead-Free Technologies, Green Initiatives and Reliability

EMSNow: "With six weeks to go, and IPC APEX EXPO registrations exceeding expectations, Phil Zarrow and James Hall may see another standing-room-only event for their Lean and Green SMT Manufacturing course this year.

The same holds true for other popular and well-respected industry experts presenting at the event, including Joe Fjelstad, Ray Prasad, Ron Lasky and Ken Gilleo. The IPC APEX EXPO professional development courses will be held Sunday, Monday and Thursday, March 29, 30 and April 2 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Unlike any other event in the world, IPC APEX EXPO brings the industry's elite together to provide comprehensive and intense educational updates in the areas of advanced technologies; design; green initiatives; lead-free technologies; materials; process improvements; solder joint reliability; and more.

'Our industry's technologies, materials and processes are continuously maturing. If you fall behind in understanding the new developments, you shortchange yourself and, as I trust any thoughtful company CEO would agree, your company's future. IPC APEX EXPO is the best and most cost-effective pathway to that knowledge,' said Fjelstad, founder and president of Verdant Electronics. 'In an industry as dynamic as ours, what you don't know CAN hurt you.'"

Enthone Introduces OrmeSTAR Ultra Nanofinish, Organic Metal-based PWB Final Finish

PCB007: "Enthone Inc., a business of Cookson Electronics, has introduced OrmeSTAR Ultra PWB final finish. The Organic Metal-based, nanofinish technology consumes approximately 90% less energy and creates less waste versus elelectroless nickel / immersion gold (ENIG) and other traditional metallic final finishes. 

When compared to ENIG, OrmeSTAR Ultra reduces process time by 75%. The finish costs 30% less then ENIG, with no 'black pad' risk. The versatile process delivers a high efficiency in application and operation throughout the entire supply chain.

OrmeSTAR Ultra provides a halogen-free coating that enables superior lead-free soldering with a surface conductivity comparable to pure gold. Signal transmission outperforms that of ENIG finishes. The nanofinish generates a visible coating that allows for ease of inspection and high first-pass yields with NO false failures at in-circuit test. Because there are no intermediate metals present, the solder bonds directly to copper to form the industry's strongest solder joints."

SMT attach method uses solder-charge technology

Molex UK: "Molex has developed a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) attach method designed to offer advantages over traditional SMT mounting methods.

This method, which uses solder-charge technology, has already been adopted by major OEMs and CEMs to enhance yields and increase reliability over typical Ball Grid Array (BGA) attach methods.

'Molex solder-charge exhibits a sloping solder filet that provides a durable attach method for its sheer strength and pull-force,' said Adam Stanczak, product manager at Molex. 'In the connector assembly process, stamping a solder-charge is less expensive and more precise than melting a solder ball onto a metal lead.

'Process engineers also find post-process inspection to be immensely more precise compared to most BGA interconnect solutions.' The solder-charge uses standard reflow processing and a reflow profile is available for every product that takes advantage of this high-density feature"

AIM Announces Addition to Sales Team in China

EMSNow: "AIM is pleased to announce that Tom Lan has been appointed to the position of Sales Manager for AIM. Tom will promote AIM's full-line of solder assembly materials throughout the Jiangsu Province and surrounding areas. He will also be responsible for managing and coordinating promotional, sales, and support activities in this area.

'Tom brings many years of experience selling solder assembly materials as well as equipment to the PCBA industry,' said David Suraski, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific. 'We are very confident that Tom will be a great asset to AIM as we continue to grow our market share in China.'

Tom's expertise along with the advantages offered by AIM are further assurance that customers of AIM solder products will continue to receive unparalleled service and expert support. Based out of Suzhou, China, Tom can be contacted at tlan@aimsolder.com or 86 13776007070."

Growing applications of flexible circuit technology subject of IPC Conference

EMSNow: "Providing timely information on the potential applications of flexible circuits, IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries will host the IPC International Conference on Flexible Circuits on April 21–23 in Minneapolis.

Half-day workshops will be offered on April 21 and April 23, with a full-day technical conference featured on April 22. Joe Fjelstad, president of Verdant Electronics, will headline the technical conference with his keynote, 'Flexible Circuit Technology - New Applications, Challenges and Solutions for the 21st Century.'

'Understanding fully the benefits of flex circuits and the materials, design practices and methods that are employed in their manufacture will be important to many companies' future success in the electronics manufacturing and assembly industry,' said Fjelstad."

A review of mechanical properties of lead-free solders for electronic packaging

Scopus: "This review of the research literatures has documented the dramatic changes that occur in the constitutive and failure behavior of solder materials and solder joint interfaces during isothermal aging. However, these effects have been largely ignored in most previous studies involving solder material characterization or finite element predictions of solder joint reliability during thermal cycling. 

It is widely acknowledged that the large discrepancies in measured solder mechanical properties from one study to another arise due to differences in the microstructures of the tested samples. This problem is exacerbated by the aging issue, as it is clear that the microstructure and material behavior of the samples used in even a single investigation are moving targets that change rapidly even at room temperature. Furthermore, the effects of aging on solder behavior must be better understood so that more accurate viscoplastic constitutive equations can be developed for SnPb and SAC solders. 

Without such well-defined relationship, it is doubtful that finite element reliability predictions can ever reach their full potential."

Oxidation behavior of rare-earth-containing Pb-free solders

Scopus: "We have previously shown that small additions of the rare-earth (RE) element La to Sn-Ag-Cu alloys significantly increases their ductility, without significant loss in the overall strength. However, due to the high reactivity of La with oxygen, oxidation of the La-containing phases can affect the mechanical performance of the solder. 

In this work, we have investigated the effect of the addition of 2 wt.% Ce, La and Y on the oxidation behavior of Sn-3.9Ag-0.7Cu. Oxidation kinetics were established by heating samples in ambient air to 60'C, 95'C or 130'C for up to 250 h. 

Microstructural characterization of the samples, before and after oxidation, was conducted in order to determine the influence of RE-containing phases on the oxidation kinetics. The oxidation mechanism, including the phenomenon of Sn whiskering during oxidation, is also discussed."

Interfacial reaction and die attach properties of Zn-Sn high-temperature solders

Scopus: "Interfacial reaction and die attach properties of Zn-xSn (x = 20 wt.%, 30 wt.%, and 40 wt.%) solders on an aluminum nitride-direct bonded copper substrate were investigated. At the interface with Si die coated with Au/TiN thin layers, the TiN layer did not react with the solder and worked as a good protective layer. At the interface with Cu, CuZn5, and Cu5Zn 8 IMC layers were formed, the thicknesses of which can be controlled by joining conditions such as peak temperature and holding time. During multiple reflow treatments at 260'C, the die attach structure was quite stable. 

The shear strength of the Cu/solder/Cu joint with Zn-Sn solder was about 30 MPa to 34 MPa, which was higher than that of Pb-5Sn solder (26 MPa). The thermal conductivity of Zn-Sn alloys of 100 W/m K to 106 W/m K was sufficiently high and superior to those of Au-20Sn (59 W/m K) and Pb-5Sn (35 W/m K)."

Nanoparticles of the lead-free solder alloy Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu with large melting temperature depression

Scopus: "The nanoparticles were manufactured using the self-developed consumable-electrode direct current arc (CDCA) technique. The melting temperature of the nanoparticles, with an average size of 30 nm, was found to be 213.9'C, which is approximately 10'C lower than that of the bulk alloy. The developed CDCA technique is therefore a promising method to manufacture nanometer-sized solder alloy particles with lower melting temperature compared with the bulk alloy."

Shanghai University, China

Chalmers University, Sweden

Implementation Challenges for Halogen-free Solder

SMT: "Concerns about halogen toxicity have brought on reduction/elimination campaigns across the electronics industry, including the soldering materials sector. While the quantities of bromine (Br) and chlorine (Cl) in soldering fluxes are so small, they are not likely to be as detrimental as halogens in PWB flame retardants, alternatives to Br and Cl in soldering fluxes are still being sought by electronics manufacturers."

While Br and Cl in soldering fluxes are likely not nearly as detrimental or harmful, alternatives in soldering fluxes are sought by major electronics companies. In light of this situation, we will focus on how to be successful in implementing halogen-free fluxes and solders.

Stable solder prices help increase Shenmao margin

Digitimes: "Solder prices have stayed around US$11,000 per ton for 3-4 months, helping increase electronic material supplier Shenmao Technology's gross margin. Shenmao expects to see better performance in the second quarter as a result of stable material prices and improved utilization rates.

Shenmao's January consolidated sales totaled NT$229 million (US$6.75 million), down 38% on month due to fewer working days during the Chinese New Year holidays. The company has received rush orders after the holidays and expects to have sequential sales growth in February. Raw materials account for 90% of Shenmao's total production cost, market sources pointed out."

Heraeus introduces new no clean tin lead solder paste

EMSNow: "Heraeus announces a brand new tin-lead solder paste. F377 is the result of a two-year development cycle that employed early customer involvement and Design for Six Sigma tools to create a breakthrough new product.

Formulated from scratch as a completely new platform, F377 surpasses industry performance benchmarks by using modern raw materials which have been statistically proven in real-world testing to produce the most desirable and stable results. This new product represents a substantial improvement over other tin-lead solder paste options, most of which were formulated in the last decade and use older materials technologies that induce lot-to-lot performance variations.

John McMaster, the 30-year Heraeus veteran who directed the co-development effort summarizes: 'The F377 product provides unique safeguards to assemblers because its production performance cannot be influenced by naturally occurring variations in raw materials. Its superior stability in both print and reflow processes help maintain repeatable, high-yielding assembly operations. It is the world's most dependable tin-lead solder paste."

IPC Apex EXPO Technical Conference Inspires Next Generation of Innovation

IPC-Asso: "Advancements in technology and a relentless drive to realize imagination - these things don't cease to exist because of an economic downturn. As witnessed by the IPC program committee that selected the technical papers, they are alive and well - the best of which will be introduced at IPC APEX EXPO, March 31-April 2, 2009, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center, in Las Vegas. In total, 35 sessions with nearly 100 papers will present the industry's leading research and findings to stimulate new thinking and inspire the next generation of innovation."

Technical conference highlights include:

o From the UK, Christopher Hunt and Davide Di Maio, from National Physical Laboratory will present, A Test Methodology for Copper Dissolution in Lead-Free Alloys, a study of the effect of lead-free alloys on the copper metallization of printed circuit boards. 

o From the Netherlands, Gerjan Diepstraten and Dr. Di Wu, Cobar Europe B.V., will discuss their study predicting the processability of solder pastes based on their performance under heating in Estimating Stencil Life and Ideal Heating Profile of Solder Paste Using Advanced Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis.

o Representatives from IBM Corporation and Celestica International Inc. in Canada will join forces to present, Rework Process Window and Microstructural Analysis for Lead-Free Mirrored BGA Design Points, discussing the reliability impact on components when a component on the opposite side of the board is reworked. 

o From the U.S., Gregory Morose from the University of Massachusetts will present new findings to the question, "Are halogen and lead-free assemblies as reliable as the old tin-lead processed boards?" in, Long Term Reliability Analysis of Lead-Free and Halogen-Free Electronic Assemblies. 

o Joe Smetana, of Alcatel-Lucent, will discuss how higher temperatures of lead-free assembly affect the performance of the printed board in, Bare Board Material Performance after Pb-Free Reflow.

o Given that lead-free solders are notorious for dissolving copper, Jennifer Nguyen, Flextronics, will talk about the steps that can be taken in printed board fabrication to reduce that danger in The Effect of Copper Plating Processes and Chemistries on Copper Dissolution. 

o An overlooked aspect of lead-free solders is the difference they show in electromigration when compared to tin-lead solder. Michael H. Azarian, with the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE), will present, Comparative Assessment of Electrochemical Migration on Printed Circuit Boards with Lead-Free and Tin-Lead Solders, covering the level of liability associated with electromigration by lead-free alloys.

o In re-work, the danger of dissolving copper is magnified. Lei Nie, CALCE, will examine that danger and propose solutions to mitigate the problem in Copper Pad Dissolution and Microstructure Analysis of Reworked Plastic Grid Array Assemblies.

For more information on the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, including full descriptions of all 35 sessions and their respective papers, visit the Show's Web site, www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

Bourns Announces Revolutionary New Hot Dipped Tin Plating Process That Prevents Tin Whiskers

MarketWatch: "Bourns, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, today announced that the company is implementing the use of a revolutionary hot dipped tin plating process on its entire line of RoHS-compliant cermet wire terminal trimming potentiometers. A recommended technology by iNEMI, hot dipped tin plating is a proven tin whisker inhibiting process. 

This new plating process is environmentally-friendly, while providing a high level of reliability and product durability. The new hot dipped tin plating process also alleviates concerns OEMs may have with RoHS compliancy or the arduous process for certification. Bourns sought a new plating process from the industry-standard matte tin plating to improve quality, value and durability of its products to meet customer requirements."

"Numerous electronic system failures have been attributed to short circuits caused by tin whiskers," said Emill Melliz, potentiometer product line manager at Bourns. "We are confident that the breakthrough hot dipped tin plating process will become the industry-standard replacement for tin/lead plating. 

Solder-free Connectors Using Buckled Pillars

Advanced Packaging: "A novel use of stud bumping equipment has enabled the development of buckled pillar connectors for 3D assemblies that are put together with screws rather than solder. While still in development stages, the process is targeting high-powered systems such as servers and routers for aerospace applications.

Aparticularly versatile form of wafer bumping is stud bumping, using either gold or copper wire.1 The equipment required is an adaptation of a traditional wire bonder. A ball bond is made at a first contact pad using heat and ultrasonic energy. 

The wire is extended in a precise direction and a flying lead is created by terminating the wire, for example using electronic flame-off (EFO). This type of stud bump can be used as a buckled pillar connector, enabling electronic assemblies that are put together with screws rather than solder. 

With appropriate assembly and testing techniques, this can lead to waste-free integrated assemblies; no good parts are thrown away due to compound yield problems, otherwise known as known good die (KGD) problems."

Hybrid microwave sintering for SAC

Factiva: "'This study investigates the effects of conventional sintering and hybrid microwave sintering techniques on the microstructure evolution and tensile properties of a Sn-Ag-Cu solder. A significant energy saving of up to 99% was achieved using the hybrid microwave assisted sintering approach,' scientists in Singapore, Singapore report.

'Hybrid microwave sintered samples exhibited better densification (in terms of lower porosity level) and this indicates the ability of microwaves to sinter solder materials more effectively. Furthermore, tensile results revealed that samples hybrid microwave sintered at 210 degrees C exhibited the best enhancement in yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, with no compromise in the failure strain, as compared with other widely used commercial solders,' wrote S.M.L. Nai and colleagues, National University"

Journal of Physics D - Applied Physics, 2009;42(1):15404

M. Gupta, Singapore National University, Dept. of Engineering Mech

Leaded components are still in demand

Blog on Design News: "According to a recent article in EDN, a Design News sister publication, there is still a real need for electronic components containing lead. 

The article, “Leaded Parts Still in High Demand,” finds that manufacturers in industries that are exempt from RoHS laws, such as aerospace, defense and medical equipment, still seek leaded parts. These industries are exempt because of their need for high-reliability parts that will not break down or short out during long periods of high stress such as the low-temperatures in space applications or the high-temperatures in desert military applications.

Companies in the exempt industries are finding it difficult to procure leaded parts in a market where most component manufacturers have shifted to the production of lead-free parts. Exempt companies are shifting to expensive Mil-Spec (military specification) parts or buying dwindling quantities of leftover leaded inventory."

Robots dip lead to end tin whiskers

Lead-Free Zone Blog: "Manufacturers in the defense, aerospace and medical equipment industries need to get the lead back into their components. The move to lead-free parts has left the industries that are exempt from RoHS with trouble finding leaded parts. These companies need leaded parts to help fight potential tin whisker growth in tin-solder parts.

So, if you can’t find leaded parts, dip lead-free parts in lead. Problem is, the process is time consuming and expensive. One company, Corfin Industries of Salem, N.H. is working to contain costs by using robots to dip lead.

The company recently participated in a Navy-funded evaluation of the robotic hot solder dip process to determine if the process would mitigate tin whiskers and not cause damage to the components. The project successfully provided a qualification of the robotic solder dip process on a variety of electronic packaging designs. It identified which types of tin-plated component packages can be successfully solder pot dipped to remove all the tin plate and still meet military reliability requirements."

All the Latest Developments in Brazing and Soldering

AZOM: "Advances in brazing and soldering technology and applications provide the technical focus for the fourth International Brazing & Soldering Conference, to be held April 26-29 in Orlando, Florida at the Hilton Walt Disney World hotel.

“Our technical program and exhibits are designed to highlight the latest trends, products, processes and techniques available in the brazing and soldering industry,” said event chair Grayson Alexy, vice president of sales and marketing for The Prince & Izant Company, a manufacturer of brazing and soldering products based in Cleveland."

echnical sessions will cover solders and soldering technology; ceramics, composite and glass joining soldering technology; filler metals; design, testing and reliability of joints; brazing processing; brazing fundamentals; light metals joining and new brazing applications.

Programme

- Effect of Base Metal Plating Layers on the Mechanical Strength of Au-Sn Solder Bonds: P. Vianco

- Fluxless ultrasonic soldering using a binary Sn-Al lead-free solder: Dr. Shankar Srinivasan

- Pb-Free Solder Assembly of a Printed Circuit Based Multi-Chip Module – A University/Industry Design Project Collaboration: Mike Powers

- Improving the Drop Impact Resistance of BGA Solder Joints by Use of SAC-Ti and SAC-Mn Solder Spheres: Weiping Liu

- Low-Temperature Joining by Using Metallic Nanoparticles: Prof-Dr J. Wilden

- Contribution to Creep Behavior of Al2O3-Particle-Reinforced SnAg-Solders: Sebastian Weis

- Variation of lead-free SnAgCu and SnCuNi solders influencing morphology and mechanical properties: Thomas Lampke

- Characterization of Very-Long-Term Aged 52In-48Sn (at.%) Solder Joints: Donald F. Susan

- Alloy Design of Sn-Ag-Cu+X Solder to Promote Eutectic Solidification: Iver E. Anderson

- Compression Stress-Strain Behavior of Sn-Ag-Cu Solder versus Sn-Pb Eutectic Solder: Edwin P. Lopez

- Improvement on The Properties and Microstructure of Sn-Ag-Cu Solder Bearing Rare Earth Ce: Xue Songbai

- Lead Free Joining in Electronic and Packaging Industries: Ajoy Kumar Ray

Embedded technology at APEX

IPC: "Deciding whether to use embedded technology is no simple consideration. As components become faster and smaller, manufacturers still are wary about the costs of using a technology that is only just beginning to catch on in the United States.

To shed light on the proper considerations for using embedded technology, the 2009 APEX EXPO, March 31 to April 2, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, will host a session on embedded technology featuring two presentations: one on the considerations industry firms should make before using embedded technology, and another on the reliability of embedded capacitors."

SnCuTi alloy from GTSEM, China

Enquiry about Sn0.7Cu0.04Ti as a HASL finish and as solder...

Patent pending from Guangzhou Tian Shuo Electronic Material, China

Sounds like a reactive solder re Ti in S-Bond. Usually with SnAg at higher temperature for ceramics etc. Ti reacts with oxygen at interface - 'fluxless' soldering. Ti doped alloys have different coloured oxide layer. Ti IMC's hard and can form 'nets' across joints.  

Also recent paper on Ti in SAC alloys.

Mo Biglari, Mat-Tech, Netherlands is expert in the field..

Jean-Pascal Michelet

Electronic Component Expert
Schneider-Electric
Direction Innovation / CE²
Electronic Components Expertise Lab.
38 TEC, Bat. T3,
37, quai Paul Louis Merlin
38000 GRENOBLE,
FRANCE