Multilayer Specification: Thermal Analysis Techniques?

During recent years, the PCB industry has become more aware of the use of analytical test techniques to aid in materials testing. Repeatable quality of base materials, together with the monitoring of the production process and the finished product, has caused supplier and fabricator to consider existing methods and to see whether modern instrument techniques can improve such tests. During meetings such as Internepcon and Productronica, the author has presented developments by DuPont which have used Thermal Analysis techniques to evaluate the materials and processes involved in the manufacture of a multilayer printed circuit board. The purpose of this paper will be to give an up to date review of the work. It will discuss the successes to date and will show where modifications to experimental methods have been made to give more practical data. Specific test methods currently used in the industry will be discussed and recommendations will be made showing Thermal Analysis techniques may offer a more objective test as well as giving the user time savings and a reduction in manpower through increased instrument productivity and versatility.