Sono-Tek Corporation, developer of ultrasonic atomization technology for nozzle systems, spraying and coating applications, has introduced a new ultrasonic coating system designed to spray EMI shielding silver inks called FlexiCoat EMI. “At a fraction of the cost of sputtering technology, Sono-Tek ultrasonic spray coating systems have been used as sputtering alternatives where cost savings is a significant concern during manufacturing,” the company said. “Sono-Tek coated EMI shielding components have comparable characteristics to sputtered parts both for adhesion and shielding properties.”
Spray-on silver based shielding materials have been in use for several years, the company explained. Thinner, lighter device designs have made the transition from board level shielding to IC Package shielding, enabling higher board density.
Sono-Tek says the benefits of this new system include: complete thin film coverage of geometries with excellent uniformity; high throughput (UPH) with excellent surface conductivity; optimal side wall coverage in tight geometries with flexible, programmable nozzle tilt and rotation, and excellent adhesion with precise thickness control, (top surface to sidewall thickness ratio of: 1.0 to ~0.6–0.7) and no backside contamination. FlexiCoat EMI has many options available as well as modular process stations for a complete EMI Shielding line.
“We expect to see the new FlexiCoat EMI system become a prominent fixture in this new market in the next few years, and look forward to offering this efficient alternative to sputtering in the manufacture of smaller and smaller electronic devices,” said Bennett Bruntil, Sono-Tek’s VP of Sales & Marketing.