Mechanical Characterization of Solder Mask Materials

Electrochemical migration (ECM) on the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs) continues to pose a significant reliability risk in electronics. Nevertheless, the existing literature lacks studies that address the solder mask and solder pad design aspects in the context of ECM. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of solder mask type with varying roughness and solder pad design on the susceptibility to ECM using a water drop test and thermal humidity bias test. Hot air solder leveling-coated PCBs were tested. Furthermore, the ECM tests were conducted on PCBs with applied no-clean solder paste to evaluate the influence of flux residues on the resulting ECM behavior. The results indicated that the higher roughness of the solder mask significantly contributes to ECM inhibition through the creation of a mechanical barrier for the dendrites. Furthermore, lower ECM susceptibility was also observed for copper-defined pads, where a similar effect is presumed. However, the influence of the no-clean flux residues can prevail over the effects of the solder mask. Therefore, the use of a rough solder mask and a copper-defined pad design is recommended if the PCB is to be washed from flux residues after the soldering process.

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Mechanical Characterization of Solder Mask Materials

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Recent developments in advanced polymeric materials for solder mask application: Progress and challenges

Recent developments in advanced polymeric materials for solder mask application: Progress and challenges

Nanomechanical Characterization of Various Materials within PBGA Packages Subjected to Thermal Cycling Loading

Influence of Solder Mask on Electrochemical Migration on Printed Circuit Boards

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