Quest for perfect

Surface Finish
Markus Leitgeb
Programme Manager, R&D

Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft | Fabriksgasse13 | A-8700 Leoben

www.ats.net Tel +43 (0) 3842 200-0 | E-mail info@ats.net
Agenda

Requirements for the PCB Surface

Which surfaces are available ?

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Enviromental & Recycling

Surface Recommendations from AT&S

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 1

Requirements for the PCB surface
Major Decision drivers

Application ?

Shelf Life ?
Solderability ?
Rework ?

Wire Bond
Cost? process ?

Mechanical
Requirements
?

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 2

Agenda

Requirements for the PCB Surface

Which surfaces are available ?

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Enviromental & Recycling

Surface Recommendations from AT&S

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 3

Surface finish - OSP
Widely used surface finish for all kinds of products

+Easy and „cheap“ process

+Even surface
+Very well known
+Very robust solder joint

-More assembly issues due to LF requirements

-Not suitable for wire bonding or contact pads
-Inspection

Thickness: Thin ones (one solder step) 0,1µm; „normal ones“ 0,2µm
to 0,5 µm

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 4

Surface finish - HAL
Very common surface finish for automotive and industrial applications

+Very cheap and easy process

+Very reliable
+Very easy to solder
+Shelf life
+Less problems

-Uneven surface (thickness range from 1to 40 micrometer)

-Thermal shock for PCB
-Environmental issues (Lead Free)
-Not suitable for small design and contact pads or wire bonding

Thickness: HAL on pad 1 – 40 µm, edge of holes should be covered

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 5

Surface finish – Immersion Tin

More and more common surface finish for industrial and automotive
applications (replacement for HAL)

+Very even surface

+Good solder joint reliability
+Lead free
+Easy to solder
+Perfect for pin in or press fit

-Complex and expensive process

-Aggressive chemistry (attacks solder mask)
-Sensitive to contamination
-Not suitable for contact pads

Thickness: 0,8 to 1,2µm; For LF applications 1,0 to 1,4µm is preferred)

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 6
Surface finish – Immersion Silver
Used for industrial and automotive applications ( North America)

+Very even surface

+Easy process (compared to ENIG+Imm Tin)
+Good solderjoint reliability
+Easy to solder
+Lead free
+Not aggressive process
+Suitable for wire bonding

-Risk of tarnishing (must be packed within short time)

-Sensitive to sulfur
-Not suitable for contact pads
-Studies show that there is the risk of migration, especially in the
precence of copper

Thickness: 0,15 to 0,4µm

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 7
Surface finish - ENIG
Very popular surface finishing for all kinds of PCB (industrial,
automotive, telecom application)
+Even surface
+Reworkable (solderpaste misprinting)
+Long storage time
+„Easy“ to solder
+Multi reflow approved
+Can be used for wire bonding
+For soldering and contact pads
-High process costs (Chemistry and long cycle time)
-Process is very complex
-Ni-Corrosion/Black pad
-Risk of brittle solder joint (Too much Au in solder, P content,…)
-For small BGAs solderjoint reliability is lower as on other surfaces

Thickness: Ni thickness normally 3 – 6 µm, Au thickness 0,05 to 0,12 µm

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 8
Surface finish - ENEPIG
Ceramic substrates (LTCC‘s) with thick film coating (Ag paste) are
widely used for high temperature applications in the automotive
industry e.g. for Transmission Control Units (TCU), Electronic Power
Steering (EPS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESP; ECS/ABS).

The interconnection between the substrate and the components is

usually formed by Au-
Au-wire bonding (Thermosonic Bonding; Ball-Wedge
Bonding) and Al-
Al-wire bonding (Ultrasonic Bonding; Wedge-Wedge
Bonding)

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 9

ENEPIG - Motivation to Replace LTCC

Cost
(LTCC format 8”x8”, PCB format 18”x24”)
Supplier base – competitive environment
(Limited capacities; LTCC suppliers predominantly in high cost
locations)
Lead time
(Initial set up time for LTTC is high)

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 10

Challenges to Produce “Wire Bond Boards”

No solder mask (no protection)

Single card handling (</= 20x40mm)

Mechanical cleaning (before ENEPIG)

Chemical cleaning & rinsing (at and after ENEPIG)

Electrical Test - handling

De-paneling & cleaning - handling

Final Inspection – AVI - handling

Packing process - handling

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 11
Requirements for Bondable PCBs

Requirement: bondable for 23µ/50µ Au-wire and 150µ Al-wire

4 temp-cycles 150°C for 1 hour
:

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 12

Available surfaces
Surface Soldering AL Wire Bondable Gold Wire Bondable Mechanical Strength

OSP Yes No No Poor ( Copper )

High & Reliable

Carbon No No No
( new Ink types )

HAL SNPB Yes No No Poor

HAL Pb-free Yes No No Poor

Imm. Sn Yes No No Poor ( 1µm )

Imm. Au Yes Yes No Ok ( Low Gold Layer )

Imm.Ag Yes Yes Yes Poor

ENEPIG Yes Yes Yes OK ( Low Gold Layer )

Electrolytic High Very Reliable

No Yes No
Ni/Au ( Edge Connector )

Electrolytic
Yes No No Poor
Sn
Electrolytic Ok ( higher Layer of
Yes ( but Risk ) Yes Yes
Soft Gold Gold )

Immersion OOk ( higher Layer of

Yes ( but Risk ) Yes Yes
Soft Gold Gold )

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 13

Agenda

Requirements for the PCB Surface

Which surfaces are available ?

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Enviromental & Recycling

Surface Recommendations from AT&S

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 14

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 15

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver
Cost based on a 2 Layer PTH PCB with Format 160 mm x 100 mm 1,55 mm / 18 µm Copper

240%

220%

200%

180%

160%

140%

120%

100%

80%
OSP HAL ( Lead Free ) Immersion Tin 1 µm ENIG ENEPIG ENIG + Plated Gold

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 16

Agenda

Requirements for the PCB Surface

Which surfaces are available ?

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Enviromental & Recycling

Surface Recommendations from AT&S

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 17

Enviromental & Recycling Information

Water
Energy
Surface consumption Potential Risk Recycling
[kWh/m²]
[l/m²]

OSP 1 23 No significant Risk No

No significant Risk Silver recycling

Imm. Ag 3 0,02
internal

Tin from the process

No significant Risk
HAL Pb-frei 5 19 is recycled and re-
used

Gold Bath and rinse

Kaliumgoldcyanid  high Risk for the employee
Imm. Au 7 0,04 water are external
 high security and control Monitoring needed
recycled

No significant Risk
Imm. Sn 11 63 No

Kaliumgoldcyanid  high Risk for the employee Gold is recycled

ENEPIG 18 0,11
 high security and control Monitoring needed external

Kaliumgoldcyanid – same as Imm.Au

Gold is recycled
Galv. Ni/Au 68 146 Nickel chloride /-sulfate: Risk for cancer  High
external
security needed and regular medical examination

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 18

Agenda

Requirements for the PCB Surface

Which surfaces are available ?

Cost of surfaces & Cost Driver

Enviromental & Recycling

Surface Recommendations from AT&S

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 19

Guideline for Industrial and Automotive Area

 Immersion Tin displays a very good choice for many

applications in Industrial and Automotive

 ENIG is loosing Ground to Cost reasons

 For improved drop-

drop-test performance OSP is the most
favourable surface

 ENEPIG was developed further and displays now a real

„Universal Finish“ that fulfills also the demand for „no
bond failures“
failures“

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 20

However your the needs of your specific
application defines the right surface …

Suface Pros Cons

OSP Cheap, good joint integrity, Poor solder wetability

Organic Surface easy to apply No testing through OSP possible
Preservative

ENIG Best Solder ability, good joint Cost intensive, failure black-pads
Electroless Nickel integrity, multiple reflow Poor resistivity against SO2
Immersion Gold
possible

ENEPIG Similar to ENIG, additional Cost intensive, failure black-pads

Electroless Nickel feature: bonding is possible Poor resistivity against SO2
Electroless Palladium
Immersion Gold

Silver Simple application, multiple
application possible, „mixed
finishes“ possible
Tin Good solder joint, good prize
Mid range solder ability, poor joint
integrity, risk of silver voids
Mid range joint integrity,
discoloration, no multiple reflow
possible

Surface Finishes / Markus Leitgeb 21

AT&S – Well Positioned for the Future