Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1060280
104 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2018 current technologies even better. That's the basis of what that team does, which has resulted in a massive expan- sion of our range over the past four years not just in cur- rent product technology, but in new technology like our phase-change materials (PCMs), for example." Bridges also provides an update on their conformal coatings. "It's another fast-growing market with an increasing variety of ap- plications. Different industries are real- izing that they need some level of pro- tection because of warranties on elec- trical products and the importance that electronics continue to have in our ev- eryday lives. As a result, that means harsher conditions, a longer work- ing life, more thermal cycles or thermal shock conditions, and with conformal coatings—as in many other industries— high throughput." Read the full article here. (Source: Pete Starkey, I-CONNECT007) Recognizing these differences, the engineer will provide recommendations as to which combination of cleaners and microetchants provide optimal surface profiles to meet cur- rent industry criteria including but not limit- ed to: 1. Adhesion performance for sub-5-mil lines and spaces for primary resist (Figure 4) 2. Ability to hold solder mask dams 3. Improve solder mask adhesion under various conditions including the ability to withstand lifting when exposed to ENIG and immersion tin plating 4. Documented yield improvements from customers willing to share data 5. Expand RBP chemical clean and surface preparation process platform with new and improved processes and formulations (i.e., separate project—phase 2) In the end, lines and spaces are only getting finer (Figure 5). PCB007 Michael Carano is VP of technology and business development for RBP Chemical Technology. To read past columns or contact Carano, click here. Figure 5: Sidewall of developed photoresist (20-micron line, 0.8 mils). In an interview with I-Connect007 during the recent electronica 2018 show in Munich, Germany, Jade Bridges, Electrolube's global technical support manager, discuss- es how to manage thermal management interfaces for maximum heat transfer efficiency. She addresses new ap- plications in the market, and how they are addressing the increasing need for thermal manage- ment solutions. "The LED industry is one we've fo- cused on a lot where efficiency is key, and the automotive industry is another important area," says Bridges. "We've looked at the requirements of these in- dustries and how they differ from what we were doing 10, 15, and 20 years ago. It's a growing market, and the range of applications is expanding, so we decid- ed to invest in a thermal management specialist team that solely concentrates on that area. We have chemists devel- oping new technologies and making our Electrolube on Managing Thermal Interfaces and Conformal Coatings Jade Bridges