Semiconductor Industry:
• UBM - Aluminum
• UBM - Copper
• CMOS-compatible
• MEMS Capping

Printed Circuit Industry
Flip Chip Final Finishes
Connector Industry

General Metal Finishing
•Electroless Nickel
• Electroless Gold and Other

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Read
"The Elimination of Whiskers from Electroplated Tin"
from the
Jan/Feb 2012 issue
of Metal Finishing

It is excellent as:

• a soldering surface
• a gold wire bondable surface
• an aluminum wire bondable surface
• a contacting surface

For lead–free solders, Uyemura ENEPIG is the ultimate final finish. See ENEPIG video

What's New?

Raytheon Research Confirms ENEPIG Viability
for Tin-Lead Soldering

Uyemura has published data showing that ENEPIG forms a very robust solder joint with lead-free SAC type alloys, and is a viable gold wire bonding and contacting surface. ENEPIG can virtually eliminate the need for a “selective finish”. The electroless palladium is non-corrosive to nickel, thus eliminating any chance of “black pad”. In addition, it forms a barrier to the diffusion of nickel to the surface, allowing effective gold wire bonding with minimum gold thickness.

At the SMTA meeting in Fort Worth, TX, a paper delivered by Mike Wolverton P.E. added substantial weight to Uyemura's findings. The paper, titled “Quality, Reliability and Metallurgy of ENEPIG Board Finish and Tin-Lead Solder Joints,” describes the evaluation of an ENEPIG board finish for soldering to a ball grid array and chip components using SnPb solder. Read details in the newsletter. You can also watch a short video with Director of Operations Don Walsh and National Accounts Manager
George Milad that discusses IPC's new ENEPIG specification. VIEW NOW

George Milad, Uyemura National Accounts Manager for Technology, received the Committee Leadership Award, and Donald Gudeczauskas, Uyemura Technical Director, received the Distinguished Committee Service Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the 4-14 subcommittee in the development of Amendment 1 to IPC-4554, Specification for Immersion Tin Plating for Printed Circuit Boards. The awards were presented February 29, 2012 by IPC.
Pictured here with other recipients: Brian Madsen, Continental Automotive Systems; Martin Bayes, Dow Electronic Materials; David Hillman, Rockwell Collins; Don Gudeczauskas, George Milad and Mustafa Oezkoek, Atotech.

Copper Treatment for High Frequency PCBs

Uyemura, North America's exclusive representative for MEC Company LTD, announces the commercial availability of MEC FlatBOND GT, a new copper surface treatment process for high frequency PCBs. FlatBOND GT provides a profile-free surface, and high adhesion performance with insulation materials. It can deliver sufficient adhesion strength for low dielectric resin, although the treated surface is flat.

The photo shows the copper pattern before and after treatment. Because the copper remains unchanged, there is no signal loss.

EVF-N: Acid Copper Via Filling in Half the Process Time

EVF-N plates through-holes and vias simultaneously, cutting process times by 50%. It delivers exceptional performance for hole diameters smaller than 150 micrometers. Designed for soluble anodes, it is suitable for both pattern and through-hole plating. For details, contact your Uyemura representative.

The nearly 100 finishing industry executives, owners and managers who attended the 2012 NASF Management Conference in March enjoyed a variety of sessions, including:

• Economic Outlook presented by Dr. Ken Mayland, ClearView Economics
• A Panel Discussion focusing on the 2012 Business Outlook
• NASF “State of the Association” presented by Tony Revier, President, NASF & Christian Richter, Executive Vice President, NASF
• Latest Trends: EPA Criminal Penalties – Can it Happen to You?

Shown, from left are Dean Zentz, Danco;
Dan Cunningham, MFA of Southern California;
Ross Tiamson, Danco;
Tony Revier, President, UIC; and
Lavaughn Daniel and Deb Zentz,
both from Danco.

CL-NC Alkaline Copper for Direct Plating on Aluminum

CL-NC Alkaline Copper from Uyemura is a cyanide-free, semi-bright copper electroplating process that’s compatible with aluminum, and most base metals.

If your goal is to eliminate cyanide in the wastewater . . .
if you’re looking for an aluminum plating system that doesn’t require zincate make-up and maintenance . . .CL-NC Alkaline Copper from
Uyemura is the technology you’ve been looking for.

CL-NC Alkaline Copper can be plated directly on aluminum and most aluminum alloys
that contain less than 1% silicon, without the need for zincate processing.
Aluminum 6061, 5052, 2024 and 1008 are examples of popular alloys that are
successfully plated. CL-NC Alkaline Copper replaces the cyanide copper strike used
prior to zinc die cast plating. Its relatively small grain size means deposits are
more dense; they are also more corrosion resistant, and more resistant to
thermal shock than conventional plating processes.

CL-NC Alkaline Copper offers exceptional adhesion properties, and is ideal as a base for
bright nickel / microcrack / chrome finishing, and, when used with a nickel barrier,
as a base for plating gold. Applications such as bicycle hubs, apparel fasteners and aluminum
extrusions all benefit.

Exceptional versatility:

• Making up the copper and conductivity salts at the low end of the
  recommended concentration range improves throwing power and
  deposit uniformity.
• Making up the copper at the high end of the concentration range
  enhances overall productivity.
• Low pH values will produce very tight deposits.
• Higher pH values produce a darker deposit.

Environmentally, CL-NC Alkaline Copper is ammonia-free, so waste treatment is easier and less costly. It does away with the need for cyanide destruct equipment. And its non-cyanide formula can minimize both fire and liability insurance costs.

Is your alloy plate-able?
Send us a sample, and let’s see what’s possible.