A new material system — called epoxy flux — is enabling many applications in both semiconductor packaging and printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, as well as some of the emerging device configurations such as package-on-package (POP). Designed to offer process efficiency, epoxy flux underfills deliver a fluxing component that facilitates solder joint formation as well as an epoxy system that offers added device protection by encapsulating individual bumps.

New solder paste formulation technology resolves graping problems.

For applications that require extremely high-reliability, current SAC materials are less than ideal, particularly devices for end use in the automotive and military/aerospace markets. Recognizing the challenges, specialists across industry, material suppliers and the academic community set out to develop an alloy that could meet or exceed the high-temperature, high-reliability requirements necessary for automotive and military applications, yet still be solderable at a reasonable temperature. It would need to be lead-free for high-reliability, high-temperature applications.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications are on the rise. In fact, the MEMs market is currently outpacing overall IC market growth So why the uptick in MEMs use? Consumer and automotive markets hold the answer for now, but other market sectors such as medical are also beginning to incorporate MEMS devices.

Solder Materials Science Gets Small as Miniaturization Challenges Old Rules.Smaller devices, or rather extreme miniaturization, are arguably the industries "biggest" challenge to date. Designing much smaller packages presents its own unique hurdles, but the ability to incorporate these microscopic components into a high-volume, high-reliability production environment for assembly specialists.

Recently, the focus of attention in the IC packaging industry has been squarely on removing costs from the manufacturing supply chain. As the economic recovery accelerates, however, advances in innovative IC package design and manufacture are likely to lead the headlines. IC integration technologies, in particular, such as wafer-level packaging design, through silicon via (TSV) technology — especially in the area of IC/memory integration — and an explosion of new developments in the area of multi-die and die stacking technologies are poised to move the industry further and faster than in recent years. This paper will review how materials suppliers have invested significant resources to deliver market-ready materials aligned with this renewed emphasis on packaging technology development.

LOCTITE GC 10 – the market’s first-ever temperature stable solder paste – offers the unprecedented ability to ship the material via standard shipping and without any cold-packing requirements and can be stored at room temperature – no refrigeration required.

Henkel has developed a new die attach formulation designed for exceptionally fast processing and compatibility with the most widely used encapsulants in the market.

Flip-chip (FC) die attachment has gained significant use in production over the years due to electrical performance and small form factor. However, mechanical stress in FC assemblies continues to be a significant problem for reliability and the assembly of a flat component to the next board-level assembly.