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Copper Via-Fill Technology in Development
March 1, 2016 | Tara Dunn, OMNI PCBEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
The use of via-in-pad technology is increasing rapidly in today’s PCB designs. The need for miniaturization, combined with the rapidly decreasing pitch of component footprints, drives printed circuit board designers here. Via-in-pad requires the vias to be filled, planarized and then over-plated with copper. Once a designer has decided to move forward with this technology, the next question to be answered is what type of fill material should be specified. Typically, these vias are filled with either epoxy, conductive epoxy or solid copper plating. All have pros and cons to be considered.
I recently spoke with David Ciufo, program manager for printed circuit board technologies with Intrinsiq Materials, to learn about an exciting new product in development that will dramatically change the existing manufacturing parameters of the filled-copper via option.
Intrinsiq’s nano copper has been formulated into a screen-printable paste that is compatible with commercial via-fill equipment. This paste can be dried and sintered in commercially available ovens and results in pure copper after sintering. The end-product is highly conductive, both thermally and electrically, when sintered.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2016 issue of The PCB Magazine.
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