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Teddington, UK, April 11 -- With the forthcoming ban on the use of lead, there is a need to develop a test method to measure the internal stresses in the coatings of electronic components, based on the XRD technique. These internal stresses are a potential cause of whisker growth in lead-free finishes.

According to a recently released report, XRD measurement correlates to measured compressive residual stress on coatings with whisker growth. Three coatings with high compressive residual stress also exhibited whiskering. However, the coatings evaluated were all at least twice as thick as penetration depth of the XRD measurement system, and the measured compressive residual stress values did not start to increase until after the formation of tin whiskers. However, the XRD method did provide some correlation between residual stress in the coatings and the extent of whisker growth.

The findings were released as a part of the National Physical Laboratory's Phase 2 Studio Project to understand tin whiskers.

For more information contact Dr. Chris Hunt: Lchris.hunt@npl.co.uk.

Willow Grove, PA - Albert Soffa, co-founder of Kulicke & Soffa Industries and pioneer of the first wire bonder, died on Sunday. He was 84.

An engineering maverick who helped shape today's modern IC packaging industry, Soffa formed a partnership with Frederick W. Kulicke, Jr. in 1951, which eventually became Kulicke & Soffa Industries.

"Al Soffa was one of the true pioneers in the development of modern semiconductor equipment," noted K& S chairman and CEO Scott Kulicke. "Through his innovation with my father, they introduced the first manual and automatic wire bonders, which opened the doors to the manufacture of more advanced IC technology."

According to estimates by leading players and ITIS research, local Taiwanese PCB makers will suffer a slight margin drop from last year's 13.6% amid tight supply of materials, such as polyimide and glass yarn, and weak demand.

Constrained by weak demand and less working days in February, industry players hinted flexible PCB demand bottomed out in Feb and orders started picking up from March. Industry players expect April orders to grow 20-40% from March orders, DigiTimes said.