Abstract:

Surface finishes are used to protect exposed copper metallization in printed circuit boards from oxidation and to provide a solder-able surface on which to mount electronic components. While it is true that some people have called electro-less nickel electro-less palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) a “universal finish” for a wide range of applications from wire bonding to solder interconnects, this paper provides a review of the current literature on ENEPIG and assesses its overall capabilities compared to other surface finishes. Gaps in understanding the performance of ENEPIG as a printed wiring board surface finish are identified and further testing is recommended.

Complete article available from the publisher and to the CALCE Consortium Members.