Indium Corp., Clinton, N.Y., offers InForms reinforced solder alloy fabrications consisting of solder and a reinforcing matrix. Together, lateral strength is increased and bondline co-planarity is improved. In addition, superior thermal cycling reliability can be achieved.
When InForms were used to solder direct-bonded copper to the baseplate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, one study showed a four times improvement in thermal cycling reliability compared to a solder preform-only approach. It also doubled thermal cycling reliability compared to a solder preform + Al wirebond stitch approach.
InForms also provides lower cost of ownership, because as a drop-in replacement for a standard preform or solder paste, it require no additional process steps or equipment.
