Marcy’s Musings: Advancing the Advanced Materials Discussion
The Marketing Minute: Cracking the Code of Technical Marketing
Trouble in Your Tank: Implementing Direct Metallization in Advanced Substrate Packaging
Solder Mask for LED Applications: Formulation 101
March 7, 2016 | Josh Goldberg, TAIYO AMERICAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
In 2007, the United States passed legislation to phase out the manufacture and trade of incandescent light bulbs, the EU following passed similar legislation in 2009. The rest of the world has been following suit creating a huge opening in the lighting market for a technology to fill the gap. Fluorescent lights have become more compact with less mercury, but they still contain the heavy metal that could become a problem in landfills in large amounts.
Until recently, LED lights were expensive and poorly designed for general lighting usage. The manufacturing price and, consequently, the retail price have come down significantly in recent years, while the energy efficiency and brightness of LED bulbs have gone up. These improvements in the technology have led to some projections of 45% growth every year for the next five years. With the growth in the industry, there has become a higher demand for LED materials and higher expectations for LED material performance.
Solder masks are traditionally green in color, and are expected to withstand the high temperatures present in solder pots, with a need for a different color like blue, red, or black arising every once in a while. The rise in LED production has called for improvements in the color white and the color stability of the mask in general. For the lighting industry, not only are the solder masks expected to perform well, but the formulator needs to have an understanding of properties such as reflectance in relation to color theory and how this will change as various formula adjustments are made for different applications.
What is Reflectance, and Why is it so Important? The property of reflectance is consistently named as one of the most important properties when considering a white solder mask for LED applications, but what exactly is reflectance? First, we must differentiate between reflectance and gloss.
Continue reading the full article here.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2016 issue of The PCB Magazine.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Best Practices for Electronic Component Salvaging
09/17/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileElectronic component salvaging is the practice of recovering high-value devices from PCBs taken from obsolete or superseded electronic products. These components can be reused in new assemblies, reducing dependence on newly purchased parts that may be costly or subject to long lead times.
Koh Young, Fuji, and Kurtz ERSA Drive Smart Manufacturing Solutions for EV and Automotive Electronics at Kunshan, China Technical Seminar
09/11/2025 | Koh YoungKoh Young Technology, the global leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection solutions, partnered with Fuji Corporation and Kurtz ERSA to host an exclusive technical seminar for leading automotive manufacturers in East China. Held on September 4 at Fuji’s factory in Kunshan, the event gathered participants representing over 35 companies.
MacDermid Alpha Presents at SMTA New Delhi, Bangalore Chapter, on Flux–OSP Interaction
09/09/2025 | MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsMacDermid Alpha contributes technical insights on OSP solderability at the Bangalore Chapter, SMTA reinforcing commitment to knowledge-sharing and industry collaboration.
Electra’s ElectraJet EMJ110 Inkjet Soldermask Now in Black & Blue at Sunrise Electronics
09/08/2025 | Electra Polymers LtdFollowing the successful deployment of Electra’s Green EMJ110 Inkjet Soldermask on KLA’s Orbotech Neos™ platform at Sunrise Electronics in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, production has now moved beyond green.
Absolute EMS: The Science of the Perfect Solder Joint
09/05/2025 | Absolute EMS, Inc.Absolute EMS, Inc., a six-time award-winning provider of fast turnaround, turnkey contract electronic manufacturing services (EMS), is drawing attention to the critical role of 3D Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) in ensuring the reliability of both FLEX and rigid printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).