Using Plasma Deposition to Create Unique Protective Coatings for Electronic Applications

摘要

The copper surfaces J of printed circuit boards (PCBs)-both bare and containing components-need to be protected from corrosion that can result in the harsh manufacturing environment. Typically, various metal layers are used, depending on the level of hardness and protection required. However, that approach can be expensive and time-consuming. One company-Semblant-is tackling this problem with novel fluoropolymer coatings that are deposited using a plasma polymer process. The purpose of PCBs is to enable the connection of important electronic components within electronic devices. They typically consist of as many as 20 layers of metal separated by different dielectric materials. Each layer is patterned individually and then they are laminated together, with the top and bottom layers being exposed metal. Often copper is used since it is inexpensive and serves as a good conductor. Once manufactured, the bare PCBs are shipped to other facilities where they are used for the assembly of electronic devices.