Publications Details

Parametric study on the solderability of etched PWB copper

Hosking, F.M.; Stevenson, J.O.; Hernandez, C.L.

The rapid advancement of interconnect technology has resulted in a more engineered approach to designing and fabricating printed wiring board (PWB) surface features. Recent research at Sandia National Laboratories has demonstrated the importance of surface roughness on solder flow. This paper describes how chemical etching was used to enhance the solderability of surfaces that were normally difficult to wet. The effects of circuit geometry, etch concentration, and etching time on solder flow are discussed. Surface roughness and solder flow data are presented. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of surface roughness on the solderability of fine PWB surface mount features.