Best Technical Paper Awards Showcased at APEX EXPO 2026

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The Global Electronics Association today announced the recipients of the Best Technical Paper Awards from the Advanced Electronic Packaging Conference at APEX EXPO 2026.

“The technical conference is the backbone of APEX EXPO, bringing forward the data, science, and engineering insights that move our industry ahead,” said Matt Kelly, CTO and vice president, standards and technology and APEX EXPO conference general chair, Global Electronics Association. “This year’s award recipients delivered research that advances fundamental understanding, while also providing practical guidance for improving reliability, performance, and manufacturing excellence in electronics.”

Student Best Paper

Connecting Microstructural Damage to Electrical Performance in Lead Free Solder Joints
Author: Dorottya Varga, Robert Bosch GmbH, Budapest
Co-authors: Gabor Belina and Gabor Jokai, Robert Bosch GmbH, Budapest

This paper examines the relationship between microstructural degradation mechanisms and electrical performance in lead-free solder joints, providing critical insight into reliability performance in modern electronic assemblies.

NextGen Best Paper

Rethinking Area Ratio: A Physics-Based Model for Predicting Solder Paste Transfer Efficiency for Thin Stencils
Author: Gayle Towell, AIM Solder, Cranston, R.I., USA

This research challenges traditional stencil design assumptions by introducing a physics-based model to predict solder paste transfer efficiency, offering improved process predictability for ultra-thin stencil applications.

Best of Conference Awards

Evaluation of Microvia Direct Plated Copper in Comparison to Traditional Electroless Plating
Author: Nicole Carpentier, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif., USA

Co-authors: Scott Sitzman, In-Tae Bae, Martin Leung, Emily Tang, Patrick Edwards, Eric Frasco, Gabriel Cobos, Sam Kislevitz, Cale Lewis, Kathy Fajardo-Cha, James Parke, all of
The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif., USA

This comprehensive evaluation compares direct plated copper to traditional electroless plating for microvias, delivering performance data relevant to high-reliability and advanced packaging applications.

Use and Misuse of Ionic Contamination Measurements – 5 Years after Revision of IPC-J-STD-001, Chapter 8
Author: Lothar Henneken, Robert Bosch GmbH, Schwieberdingen, Germany
Co-author: Neil Patton, Atotech UK Ltd., West Bromwich, United Kingdom

Five years after the revision of IPC-J-STD-001, Chapter 8, this paper evaluates ionic contamination measurement practices, clarifying proper application and common misconceptions to support improved process control and product reliability.

Preserving Interface Integrity in IC Substrates: A Non-Etch Approach to Wedge and Sidewall Reliability
Author: Thomas Thomas, Ph.D., Taiwan Limited, Taoyuan, Taiwan

Co-authors: Thomas Huelsmann, Valentina Belova-Magri, Ph.D., Fabian Michalik, Ph.D., Martin Thoms, Christian Nothlich, Josef Gaida, Frank Bruening, Ph.D.., Christiane Le Tiec, Ph.D., Stefanie Ackermann, Ph.D., Constanze Donner, Ph.D., Christopher Seidemann, Thomas Fischer, Atotech Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin; Andry Liong, Yuan Zou, Atotech China Chemicals Ltd., Guangzhou, China; and Toshio Honda, Atotech Japan K.K., Yokohama, Japan.

This global collaboration introduces a non-etch methodology designed to preserve interface integrity and improve wedge and sidewall reliability in IC substrates used in advanced packaging architectures.

Technical Excellence in Advanced Electronic Packaging

Technical papers presented at the Advanced Electronic Packaging Conference are evaluated based on originality, technical depth, industry relevance, and overall quality. Selected by members of the Technical Program Committee, the awards recognize exceptional research, technical rigor, and meaningful contributions to electronics manufacturing and advanced packaging. The Conference serves as the premier forum for engineers, researchers, and subject-matter experts to share data-driven insights that shape the future of component- to system-level integration in electronics manufacturing.

For more information about APEX EXPO and the Advanced Electronic Packaging Conference 2026, visit www.electronics.org.