Shadow^® technology and flexible circuitry

• Introduction
• Case Study of a Shadow^® User
• Shadow^® Advantages Summary
• Shadow^® Cost Savings vs. Electroless Copper

Introduction

Shadow^® remains the process chemistry of choice for the flexible circuitry industry. With approximately 85% market share in the United States, Shadow^® continues demonstrating its versatility with success at companies such as Sheldahl, Parlex, Adflex, FLEXTRONIC Ltd, and many more. These companies continue portraying the advantages of the truly unique Direct Metalization.

OEMs such as Motorola, Nortel, Phillips, Chrysler, Foxboro, Texas Instruments, Siemens, Read Write, Seagate, Storage Tech, Symbol Tech, Compaq, Lucent Tech, and Nokia have tested and qualified the technology on many Flexible Circuitry designs. End user applications include the Automotive, Communication, Computer, Disk Drive, Military, and Telecommunication industries.

Over 3 miles of flex circuitry are manufactured each day with Shadow^®, including over a mile of reel to reel material. That's approximately 50 thousand surface square feet of Polyimide, Epoxy, and many other material types processed every day. Both adhesive, adhesive-less construction are utilized in manufacturing double sided and multilayer flex circuits. Flex and rigid flex packages up to 22 layer multilayers are manufactured with Shadow^®. Through hole and via sizes down to 2 mils, in material from 2 to 40 mils thick are processed routinely. Over 15 million surface square feet of flexible circuitry will be processed through Shadow^® in 1998.

Its easy to see why Shadow^® is the number one Direct Metalization of Flex manufacturers.

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Case Study of a Shadow^® User

• 2.3 million ssf. manufactured per year
• Up to 22 layer rigid-flex
• Materials include epoxy, polyimide, acrylic, and adhesive flexible laminates
• Customer base includes telecom
• Automotive, military computer

Q. What reliability testing have you and your customer performed, and what were the results?
A. Thermal Shock, Thermal Stress, Copper Elongation, and other customer specification testing.
"The results were transparent to Electroless Copper. The positive impact was improved material handling and the elimination of dimensional distortion."

Q. What qualification procedure did you have to follow to qualify with your customer base?
A. "An internal test document was generated. Qualification samples were generated and supplied to customers. Other customers required notification only."

Q. Since dedugging, compare product yields between Electroless Copper and Bound Graphite.
A. "The Bound Graphite process has directly contributed to a 10 to 15 percent yield increase."

Q. Describe any limitations that were overcome, and any added benefits that the Bound Graphite process offered above and beyond the capabilities of Electroless Copper.
A. "Productivity increases were realized immediately. The deposition line had been operating 24 hours, 7 days a week to meet production goals. Shadow^® operates 16 hours, 5 days a week and exceeds these goals. Waste water treatment has been reduced. Chemistry consumption has been reduced. Productivity in the photo area increased due to the elimination of dimensional issues associated with the electroless deposition process."

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Shadow^® Advantages Summary

• No complicated chemical reactions
• No super sensitivity to contaminants
• Shadow^® works on all material types and hole geometries
• Shadow^® does not require flash plating
• Shadow^® has no sensitivity to different acid copper brightener systems
• Shadow^® doesn't require high current densities to initiate and plate in acid copper

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Shadow^® Cost Savings vs. Electroless Copper

• Costs are $/ft² surface
• $0.08/KW Hour
• $3.50/1000 gallons Delivery and Sewer
• Shipping 25% of waste off site