Organic solderability preservative or OSP is a method for
coating
A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, or substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. powder coatings.
Paints ...
of
printed circuit board
A printed circuit board (PCB), also called printed wiring board (PWB), is a Lamination, laminated sandwich structure of electrical conduction, conductive and Insulator (electricity), insulating layers, each with a pattern of traces, planes ...
s. It uses a water-based
organic compound
Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...
that selectively bonds to copper and protects the
copper
Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
until
soldering
Soldering (; ) is a process of joining two metal surfaces together using a filler metal called solder. The soldering process involves heating the surfaces to be joined and melting the solder, which is then allowed to cool and solidify, creatin ...
. Compared to the traditional HASL process, the OSP process is widely used in the electronics manufacturing industry because it does not require high-temperature treatment and significantly reduces the risk of metal corrosion, environmental impact and damage to electronic components.
The basic principle of SP to form a protective layer against oxidation and corrosion by applying a layer consisting of a mixture of organic acids and nitrogen compounds, etc.
The OSP process involves delicate steps designed to ensure the uniformity and quality of the protective layer. Although environmentally friendly and suitable for microelectronic manufacturing, the complexity of the process requires strict control of the composition and quality of the coating agent to guarantee consistent board performance.
The compounds typically used are from the
azole family such as
benzotriazole
Benzotriazole (BTA) is a heterocyclic compound with the chemical formula . It can be viewed as the fusion of a benzene and triazole rings. It is a white solid, although impure samples can appear tan. It is used as a corrosion inhibitor for copper. ...
s,
imidazole
Imidazole (ImH) is an organic compound with the formula . It is a white or colourless solid that is soluble in water, producing a mildly alkaline solution. It can be classified as a heterocycle, specifically as a diazole.
Many natural products, ...
s,
benzimidazole
Benzimidazole is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound. This bicyclic compound may be viewed as fused rings of the aromatic compounds benzene and imidazole. It is a white solid that appears in form of tabular crystals.
Preparation
Benzimi ...
s. These
adsorb
Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid to a surface. This process creates a film of the ''adsorbate'' on the surface of the ''adsorbent''. This process differs from absorption, in which ...
on copper surfaces, by forming
coordination bonds with copper atoms and form thicker films
through formation of copper (I) – N–
heterocycle complexes. The typical film thickness used is in the tens to hundreds of
nanometer
330px, Different lengths as in respect to the Molecule">molecular scale.
The nanometre (international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: nm), or nanometer (American spelling
Despite the va ...
s.
See also
*
Electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG)
*
Hot air solder leveling (HASL)
*
Immersion silver plating (IAg)
*
Immersion tin plating (ISn)
*
Reflow soldering
Reflow soldering is a process in which a solder paste (a sticky mixture of powdered solder and flux (metallurgy), flux) is used to temporarily attach anywhere from one to thousands of tiny electrical components to their contact pads, after wh ...
*
Wave soldering
References
* Tong, K. H., M. T. Ku, K. L. Hsu, Q. Tang, C. Y. Chan, and K. W. Yee. “The Evolution of Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) Process in PCB Application.” 2013 8th International Microsystems, Packaging, Assembly and Circuits Technology Conference (IMPACT). Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), October 2013.
doi:10.1109/impact.2013.6706620.
Printed circuit board manufacturing
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