Surface mount capacitors 1.1 to 1.3 1.1 - Production process flowchart 1.2 - Syfer reliability grades Ceramic powder Electrode ink High reliability preparation material (space quality) Space Grade (1) ESCC 3009 (2) MIL Grade Multilayer build (3) IECQ-CECC (wet process) (4) AEC-Q200 Fire Standard components Standard reliability Rumble Notes: (1) Space grade tested in accordance with ESCC 3009. Refer to Syfer specification S02A 0100. Internal inspection (2) MIL Grade. Released in accordance with US standards available on request. (3) IECQ-CECC. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components. This is an Termination internationally recognised product quality certification which provides customers with assurance that the product supplied meets high quality standards. View Syfers IECQ-CECC approvals at 1.4 Surface mount capacitors TM Syfer has delivered millions of FlexiCap components and 1.4 - FlexiCap termination during that time has collected substantial test and reliability MLCCs are widely used in electronic circuit design for a data, working in partnership with customers world wide, to multitude of applications. Their small package size, technical eliminate mechanical cracking. performance and suitability for automated assembly makes them the component of choice for the specifier. An additional benefit of FlexiCap is that MLCCs can withstand temperature cycling -55C to 125C in excess of However, despite the technical benefits, ceramic components 1,000 times without cracking. are brittle and need careful handling on the production floor. In some circumstances they may be prone to mechanical Picture taken at stress damage if not used in an appropriate manner. Board 1,000x magnification flexing, depanelisation, mounting through hole components, using a SEM poor storage and automatic testing may all result in cracking. to demonstrate the Careful process control is important at all stages of circuit fibrous nature of the TM FlexiCap termination board assembly and transportation - from component that absorbs increased placement to test and packaging. Any significant board flexing levels of mechanical may result in stress fractures in ceramic devices that may stress. not always be evident during the board assembly process. Sometimes it may be the end customer who finds out - when equipment fails Syfer has the solution - FlexiCap Available on the following ranges: TM FlexiCap has been developed as a result of listening to customers experiences of stress damage to MLCCs from All High Reliability ranges many manufacturers, often caused by variations in production Standard and High Voltage chips processes. Surge Protection and Safety capacitor chips Our answer is a proprietary flexible epoxy polymer termination 3 terminal EMI chips material, that is applied to the device under the usual nickel X2Y Integrated Passive Components TM barrier finish. FlexiCap will accommodate a greater degree X8R High Temperature capacitors of board bending than conventional capacitors. Summary of PCB bend test results Syfer FlexiCap termination The bend tests conducted on X7R have proven that All ranges are available with FlexiCap termination material TM the FlexiCap termination withstands a greater level of offering increased reliability and superior mechanical mechanical stress before mechanical cracking occurs. performance (board flex and temperature cycling) when The AEC-Q200 test for X7R requires a bend level of 2mm compared with standard termination materials. Refer to Syfer minimum and a cap change of less than 10%. application note reference AN0001. FlexiCap capacitors enable the board to be bent almost twice as much before mechanical cracking occurs. Refer to application note AN0002. Product Typical bend performance under X7R AEC-Q200 test conditions FlexiCap is also suitable for Space applications having passed thermal vacuum outgassing tests. Refer to Syfer Standard termination 2mm to 3mm application note reference AN0026. FlexiCap Typically 8mm to 10mm Fired ceramic dielectric Application notes TM FlexiCap may be handled, stored and transported in the same manner as standard terminated capacitors. The TM requirements for mounting and soldering FlexiCap are the same as for standard SMD capacitors. For customers currently using standard terminated capacitors TM Metal FlexiCap there should be no requirement to change the assembly Tin outer electrodes termination layer TM Intermediate process when converting to FlexiCap . base nickel layer Based upon board bend tests in accordance with IEC 60384-1 TM FlexiCap MLCC cross section the amount of board bending required to mechanically crack TM a FlexiCap terminated capacitor is significantly increased compared with standard terminated capacitors. FlexiCap benefits It must be stressed however, that capacitor users must not TM With traditional termination materials and assembly, the chain assume that the use of FlexiCap terminated capacitors will totally eliminate mechanical cracking. Good process controls of materials from bare PCB to soldered termination, provides are still required for this objective to be achieved. no flexibility. In circumstances where excessive stress is applied - the weakest link fails. This means the ceramic itself, which may fail short circuit. The benefit to the user is to facilitate a wider process window - giving a greater safety margin and substantially reducing the 5 typical root causes of mechanical stress cracking. TM FlexiCap may be soldered using your traditional wave or reflow solder techniques and needs no adjustment to equipment or current processes.