Nordson MARCH Research Evaluates the Effects of RF Plasma Processing

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Nordson MARCH, a Nordson company, a global leader in plasma processing technology, has recently released a white paper showing the results of RF plasma processing on conformal coating adhesion, the conformity of the coating coverage, and the resulting effects on electrical functionality of a fully assembled printed circuit board. The research was done in conjunction with Nordson ASYMTEK, AirBorn Electronics, and SMART Microsystems (formerly known as Desich SMART Center). The paper can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/MARCH-PlasmaWP.

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of RF plasma processing on the conformity of coverage of conformal coating of the knee of individual Nickel-Palladium-Gold (Ni-Pd-Au) leads on electronic assemblies using an acrylic conformal coating and to determine if any change in electrical functionality occurs.

"The corrosion of Ni-Pd-Au plated terminals in humid environments is known to be reduced with the application of a conformal coating such as acrylic," explained Dave Selestak, senior business development manager, Nordson MARCH and co-author of the article. "Corrosion has a higher rate of occurrence around the terminal 'knee' of a surface mount component, which may be reduced with the application of conformal coatings. We were looking to see whether plasma processing can enhance the quality of the conformal coating as well as increase thickness of the coating around the knee of a terminal."

The evaluation was done in three stages, with objectives for each below:

Stage 1: To test the effect of argon RF plasma process parameters on discrete components in order to mitigate concern of the effect of vacuum pressure and plasma power on electric functionality.

Stage 2: To evaluate the effect of plasma power and process gasses on a semi-populated PCB using optical metrology and electrical testing on the SOIC20 microcontroller.

Stage 3: To evaluate the effect of plasma time and process gas pressure on both semi-populated and fully-populated and functional PCBs using electrical testing and optical metrology.

The research and results can be found in the paper, The Effects of Plasma Treatment Prior to Conformal Coating, by John D. Vanderford, MSEE and Ann E. Paxton, SMART Microsystems, and Dave Selestak, Nordson MARCH.

About Nordson MARCH

Nordson MARCH is the global leader in plasma processing technology for the semiconductor, printed circuit board (PCB), microelectronics, and medical & life science device manufacturing industries. Nordson MARCH has offices and laboratories worldwide, including California, Europe, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. With over 25 years of continuous innovation, Nordson MARCH designs and manufactures a complete line of award-winning and patented plasma treatment systems. An expert staff of scientists and engineers is available to assist in the development of plasma processes that improve product reliability and increase production yields.   

About Nordson Corporation  

Nordson Corporation delivers precision technology solutions that help customers succeed worldwide. Precision dispensing of adhesives, coatings, sealants, biomaterials, and other fluids, plastic extrusion and injection molding, electronics testing and inspecting, and surface preparation are supported by applications expertise and direct global support. Nordson serves consumer non-durable, durable and high-technology markets, specializing in packaging, nonwovens, electronics, medical, energy, transportation, construction, and product assembly. Founded in 1954, headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, USA, Nordson has operations and support offices in 30+ countries.