Microjoining Developments for the Electronics Industry

The dramatic expansion in the use and capability of electronic devices in recent years has been facilitated by the substantial development of production techniques. Modern electronic circuits as used in the computer, defence, aerospace, vehicle and domestic appliance industries contain a great many joints and these have to be made reliably and economically without degrading sensitive circuit components. This article describes the major microjoining developments currently of interest to the microelectronics industry, with emphasis on the work conducted by the microjoining section of The Welding Institute, much of which has been directly sponsored by the UK Ministry of Defence (DCVD).