Board-to-Board Connections - Know Your Options (Part 1)

In this white paper, DfR guides you through the process of selecting a board-to-board connection and how to balance cost, size, number of I/O, manufacturability, repairability, and robustness. A concise understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each connection option is provided. For more information, contact Greg Caswell.

Copper, Copper Everywhere

The copper revolution has reached component packaging (just in time for 3D integration!). Copper wirebonds and copper pillars are proliferating like wildfire throughout multiple platforms. Copper is cheaper than gold, but has lower resistance. What's not to like? However, with every material change come potentially unknown risks. Copper wirebonds require special atmospheres, higher bonding forces, and changes in bond pad dimensions. The need for palladium plating can also drive galvanic corrosion. Copper pillars can increase the risk of white bump, drive complete consumption of solder to intermetallic at elevated temperatures, and increase stress states during thermal cycling. For more information, contact Craig Hillman, chillman@dfrsolutions.com.

DfR Solutions in Europe (France, Finland, Sweden, England, Austria, Switzerland: April 11-18)

Responding to overwhelming demand, Craig Hillman will be visiting several companies in Europe to discuss a variety of topics, including QFNs, Pb-free, design for reliability, copper interconnects in component packaging, and wearout of integrated circuits. If you and your associates are interested in an onsite visit and/or presentation on a these topics or others, please contact June Caswell, jcaswell@dfrsolutions.com, as soon as possible.