Apparatus and methods for creating environmentally protective coating for integrated circuit assemblies
View Patent ↗Example methods, apparatus, and products for creating an environmentally protective coating for integrated circuit assemblies are described herein. A preform plastic sheet is places over components of an integrated circuit such that during a reflow process, the preform plastic sheet melts to form a conformal coating over components of the integrated circuit assembly.
1. An integrated circuit assembly comprising:
an integrated circuit having a plurality of contact pads formed therein;
a first preform sheet having holes formed therein corresponding to the location of the plurality of contact pads, the first preform being applied to a substrate side of the integrated circuit and configured to create a conformal coating during a reflow operation;
a printed circuit board;
a plurality of solder balls placed over the plurality of contact pads, the solder balls forming a connection between the integrated circuit and the printed circuit board during the reflow operation,
wherein the first preform sheet melts during the reflow operation to form the conformal coating; and
a second preform sheet being applied over the printed circuit board.
2. The integrated circuit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first preform sheet comprises a petroleum-based plastic sheet.
3. The integrated circuit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first preform sheet comprises a non-petroleum-based plastic sheet.
4. The integrated circuit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first preform sheet comprises a bio-based, non-petroleum plastic sheet.
5. The integrated circuit assembly of claim 1 wherein the first preform layer has a melting point that is greater that a melting point associated with the solder balls and less than a melting temperature profile associated with the reflow operation.
6. A printed circuit board (‘PCB’) comprising:
a substrate comprising a plurality of ball grid array (BGA) holes, each BGA hole coupled to a solder ball of an integrated circuit (IC) during a reflow operation; and
a preform sheet having holes formed therein corresponding to the location of the plurality of BGA holes, wherein the preform sheet melts during the reflow operation to form a conformal coating of a joint between the IC and the PCB,
wherein the preform sheet has a melting point that is greater that a melting point associated with the solder balls and less than a melting temperature profile associated with the reflow operation.
7. The PCB of claim 6 , wherein the preform sheet comprises a petroleum-based plastic sheet.
8. The PCB of claim 6 , wherein the preform sheet comprises a non-petroleum-based plastic sheet.
9. The PCB of claim 6 , wherein the preform sheet comprises a bio-based, non-petroleum plastic sheet.
10. The PCB of claim 6 wherein preform sheet has a melting point that is greater that a melting point associated with the solder balls and less than a melting temperature profile associated with the reflow operation.