On Sep 22, 2009 Indium Corporation announced:  ”Indium Corporation (Indium) of Clinton, NY, today announced that it has acquired the processes, equipment, and know-how of Reactive NanoTechnologies, Inc. (RNT), developer and manufacturer of NanoFoil®.” — Click here for Press Release

So what exactly is this NanoFoil®?  In brief, it’s a fully patented ~40 micron thick Al/Ni foil that exothermically ignites at up to 2,000 degrees centigrade.  Place this foil between a component and a substrate, surrounded by a top and bottom layer of solder or eutectic, and you have the most locally isolated heat source capable of doing a complete solder or eutectic bond.

On October 26, 2009, Andie Mackie, Global Product Manager Semiconductor Assembly Materials, interviewed Tommy Acchione from RNT, as Tommy joined the Indium Corp team.  Click here for the Interview

While NanoFoil® is still very new to Indium, you can see a couple of very impressive application videos from RNT at Youtube.com.

A most rudimentary attach.  Two tinned copper pieces bonded with a piece of NanoFoil® alone:  Click here for Video

Bonding of a ten foot long sputter target:  Click here for Video

The microelectronic rework reattach potential alone is a very big application in itself.  What will you use NanoFoil® for?

We’re back with old friends.  In 1983 when we first started as manufacturers’ representatives, Malcolm Cox was the U.S. Manager for a European equipment manufacturer.  We had known Malcolm since 1980, only we were Malcolm’s customers back then.  Malcolm hired us on to represent his line, but he left that company shortly afterward to start Royce Instruments.  After just a year or two, we had a conflict of interest, and had to part ways.  Now, twenty plus years later, we’re back together again.  The relationship should be a great one, and one that works best for our customers.  A privately owned semiconductor equipment manufacturer, and personal, technical representation.  We’re looking forward to promoting, selling, and servicing our customers with Royce’s brand new 650 multi-function bond tester, and their semi-automatic and fully automatic die sorting equipment.  Two related technolgies that will both handle up to 300mm wafers.  Who could have thought, back in 1983, that we’d be handling silicon wafers the size of dinner plates?  Stay tuned for more on Royce…

SST International announces the release of the new Model 5100 Programmable Vacuum/Pressure Furnace.  The system is designed to increase production capacity for electronic component manufacturers while still maintaining a high level of process control in a small footprint.

The innovative design starts with the large heated work zone on the Model 5100. The heated area has been increased to 144 in2 (930 cm2), an increase of over 300% from standard systems.

Another innovation designed into the Model 5100 is the optional rapid cooling system which provides forced cooling of the process area while still under a vacuum. Together with the close-coupled planar infrared heating, this provides the ultimate in process control and batch process speed.

If you’d like to receive the model 5100 brochure, or need help with void free/flux free component attach, MEMs vacuum hermetic sealing, or any other packaging project, please contact us and let us know…

There are times when solid bonds (solder/eutectic/epoxy) simply aren’t possible in a heat sinking application. A Flip Chip backside to a hermetic lid interface for example. A copper or copper/tungsten heatsink base bolted to a block may preclude a solid attach. Yet intimate contact is what’s required to get the best thermal dissipation and electrical conductivity to the next component.

Soft Metal Alloy TIMs are in common use today, but are they in full contact – void free? Performing to the best of their ability?

Indium has solved the issue for critical thermal requirements with their patent pending Heat-Spring textured finish TIMs. Now it’s possible to use less thermal interface material with nodule like features that will either compress in tight locations, or reach out and grab your component where a gap might normally exist. Creating nodules in what once was merely a flat TIM promotes plastic deformation which will put more of our TIM in contact with your materials.

What are you waiting for – let’s get the heat out! For a brochure on Indium’s SMA Heat-Spring TIMs click here:

If you are performing either destruct or non-destruct wire pull testing according to Mil-Std-883 method 2011.7 (Destructive Bond Pull Test) or method 2023.5 (Nondestructive Bond Pull) you are probably in need of a reliable source for wire bond pull hooks. Especially for that ever growing list of machines that are ‘no longer supported’ by the factory. Look no further.

Wire Pull Test Equipment we routinely support:

Dage BT-14 wire bond pull test hooks
Dage MCT-15 wire bond pull test hooks
Dage BT-22 wire bond pull test hooks
Dage BT-24 wire bond pull test hooks
Dage BT-2400 wire bond pull test hooks

Not only do we carry wire pull test hooks for all the popular wire pull testers, we also carry printer paper, and an ever growing list of spare parts. We can also calibrate load cells up to 10KGs in force whether it be wire pull, tweezer pull, ball shear, or die shear.
Dage MCT20 BT22 BT14 24 2400 4000

    How many engineers have never seen this one in a lab?

The Indium Alloy chart is the de facto standard quick reference for everything solder and eutectic, and now it’s been completely updated!  At an enormous 33″ x 39″ in size, this one is easily readable, and referenced by many in an engineering lab or workshop.  Have a soldering issue?  By combining the periodic element chart along with all of our soldering solutions, we’ll make quick work of those “what if” scenarios.

To request your very own Indium Alloys Wall Chart, just click here.

Time moves quickly — sometimes too quickly. We couldn’t have made it this far without being continually involved with a great group of PEOPLE. It doesn’t matter if we see each other weekly, monthly, or even annually. We look forward to working with you whenever the opportunity presents itself. In the 25 years we’ve been covering NYS, NJS, and (10 years) Eastern PA we’ve seen people (and sometimes companies) come and go. With jobs being exported all over the world, the manufacturing base is no longer what it was back in 1983. Even still, it is one of the best hi-tech industries to be involved in.

A very big thank you to everyone that has taken a part in our success. Whether you’re new to the industry and have just started your microelectronic career or are now one of our long term retired friends that we’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years.

We can only hope that somehow we’ve made some difference in your personal and/or professional lives. For certain there are countless PEOPLE that have made a difference in ours!

into a brand new facility more than doubling both its manufacturing space and capabilities. The last ten years has been marked by a reduction in the number of thick film screen manufacturers left in the industry through consolidation. As a direct result, Riv has experienced phenomenal growth from customers that prefer the personalized service and fast turn-around that Riv has always prided itself in. The new address for Riv is 31 Railroad Ave, Merrimack, NH 03054. For hard copy or pdf literature on Riv Thick Film Screens and value added services click here.

Job number one at any laser shop catering to the microelectronic industry is providing Alumina, Aluminum Nitride, and BeO substrates. Laser Processing Technology (LPT) offers a whole lot more. Sure they have 500 watt multi-head lasers that do laser scribe and machining of ceramics, metals, and laminates. They also do Diamond Blade Sawing of those same materials and more. But what you want most out of any shop is attention, service, quality and turn around. LPT does whatever it takes to get the job done right, including singularizing your pieces down to final size and special packaging. To request either hard copy or pdf literature on LPT, or to ask for a quotation just click here.

Midas has just released their 5^th generation of package delidder, the D5 Series. As you might expect, the D5 continues to advance the clean room capable hermetic package lid removal process. The D5 comes in 6”, 8” and 10” cutting models (D5L6, D5L8, & D5L10 respectively).

The D5 series works with all types of metal and ceramic hermetic packages, including platform plug-ins, sidewall, TO, optoelectronic, microwave, and BGA style packages. The clean room capability of these machines is especially attractive to military and space subcontractors. Any operator with minimal skill levels can be taught to set-up and operate the equipment in less than 30 minutes.

The quality of the cut is such that no further surface preparation is required in order to reseal the package. Seam sealing and laser welding can take place the moment a cover is removed. To receive literature or a quote on the Midas Technology line of Delidders click here.