Electronic Components and Assemblies

Material- and Damage Analysis

Evaluation of production materials (solder, solder paste, flux, adhesives), electronic components, printed circuit boards and assembled modules by

• wetting force measurement
• mechanical testings
• determination of layer thickness
• cross-section preparation
• scanning electron microscopy and EDX analysis
• microfocus X-Ray imaging
• computer tomography
• acoustic scanning microscopy
• infrared spectroscopy (FTIR analysis)
• etching of solder joints and copper metallization
• decapsulation of molded packages
• detection of lead
  

Contamination, Corrosion and Residual Substance Analysis

• identification and localization of residual substances
• surface resistance measurements
• evaluation of coatings (thickness homogeneity, curing)

Assessment of Manufacturing Quality according to Industry Standards

Solder joint assessment according to IPC-A610:

• solder meniscus formation
• solder fill in Through-Hole Technology
• de-wetting
• detection of solder joint properties like contact angle, metallurgical structure, grain boundary layers (phase formation), short circuits due to solder bridges and -beads, open contacts, missing solder, infringement of isolation clearance, incomplete liquefaction
• component positioning (lateral displacement, rotation error, polarity, overhang)
• tombstoning
• component damage by thermal overload (popcorning, pad lifting)

Electrical Measurement

• verification of specification datasheet
• high frequency parameter analysis up to 40 GHz
• measurement in climate chamber

Reliability Assessment

Degradation by thermal and/or mechanical loads:

• cracks in solder material by aging
  
• substrate damage
• dissolution effects on printed circuit boards and components
• documentation of solder alloy microstructures and interfaces
• identification of inter-metallic phases