Surface mount technology,

SMT
By Ian Poole
What is SMT Surface Mount Technology

- an overview or tutorial about surface mount technology, SMT and surface

mount devices SMDs

SMT Tutorial Includes

Virtually all of today's mass produced electronics hardware is manufactured using surface
mount technology, SMT. The associated
surface mount devices, SMDs provide many
advantages over their leaded predecessors in
terms of manufacturability and often
performance.

It was not until the 1980's that surface mount

technology, SMT became widely used. Once
SMT started to be used, the change from conventional leaded components to surface
mount devices, SMDs took place quickly in view of the enormous gains that could be
made using SMT.

Why SMT?

Mass produced electronic circuit boards need to be

manufactured in a highly mechanised manner to
ensure the lowest cost of manufacture. The
traditional leaded electronic components do not lend
themselves to this approach. Although some
mechanisation was possible, component leads
needed to be pre-formed. Also when the leads were
Typical SMT board with transistors,
inserted into boards automatically problems were
and passive components
often encountered as wires would often not fit
properly slowing production rates considerably.
It was reasoned that the wires that had traditionally been used for connections were not
actually needed for printed circuit board construction. Rather than having leads placed
through holes, the components could be soldered onto pads on the board instead. This
also saved creating the lead holes in the boards which added cost to the production of the
bare PCBs.

As the components were mounted on the surface of the board, rather than having
connections that went through holes in the board, the new technology was called surface
mount technology or SMT and the devices used were surface mount devices, SMDs. The
idea for SMT was adopted very quickly because it enabled greater levels of mechanisation
to be used, and it considerably saved on manufacturing costs.

To accommodate surface mount technology, SMT, a

SMT board with typical IC packages
completely new set of components was needed. New
SMT outlines were required, and often the same
components, e.g. ICs were sold in both traditional
leaded packages and SMT packages. Despite this,
the gains of using SMT proved to be so large that it
was adopted very quickly.

What are SMT components?

Surface mount devices, SMDs by their nature are very different to the traditional leaded
components. They can be split into a number of categories:

• Passive SMDs: There is quite a variety of different packages used for passive
SMDs. However the majority of passive SMDs are either resistors or capacitors for
which the package sizes are reasonably well standardised. Other components
including coils, crystals and others tend to have more individual requirements and
hence their own packages.

Resistors and capacitors have a variety of package sizes. These have designations
that include: 1812, 1206, 0805, 0603, 0402, and 0201. The figures refer to the
dimensions in hundreds of an inch. In other words the 1206 measures 12 hundreds
 by 6 hundreds of an inch. The larger sizes such as 1812 and 1206 were some of
the first that were used. They are not in widespread use now as much smaller
components are generally required. However they may find use in applications
where larger power levels are needed or where other considerations require the
larger size.

The connections to the printed circuit board are made through metallised areas at
either end of the package.

• Transistors and diodes: These components are often contained in a small plastic
package. The connections are made via leads which emanate from the package
and are bent so that they touch the board. Three leads are always used for these
packages. In this way it is easy to identify which way round the device must go.

• Integrated circuits: There is a variety of packages which are used for integrated
circuits. The package used depends upon the level of interconnectivity required.
Many chips like the simple logic chips may only require 14 or 16 pins, whereas
other like the VLSI processors and associated chips can require up to 200 or more.
In view of the wide variation of requirements there is a number of different packages
available.

For the smaller chips, packages such as the SOIC (Small Outline Integrated Circuit)
may be used. These are effectively the SMT version of the familiar DIL (Dual In
Line) packages used for the familiar 74 series logic chips. Additionally there are
smaller versions including TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) and SSOP (Shrink
Small Outline Package).

The VLSI chips require a different approach. Typically a package known as a quad
flat pack is used. This has a square or rectangular footprint and has pins emanating
on all four sides. Pins again are bent out of the package in what is termed a gull-
wing formation so that they meet the board. The spacing of the pins is dependent
upon the number of pins required. For some chips it may be as close as 20
thousandths of an inch. Great care is required when packaging these chips and
 handling them as the pins are very easily bent.

Other packages are also available. One known as a BGA (Ball Grid Array) is used in
many applications. Instead of having the connections on the side of the package,
they are underneath. The connection pads have balls of solder that melt during the
soldering process, thereby making a good connection with the board and
mechanically attaching it. As the whole of the underside of the package can be
used, the pitch of the connections is wider and it is found to be much more reliable.

A smaller version of the BGA, known as the microBGA is also being used for some
ICs. As the name suggests it is a smaller version of the BGA.

SMT in use

SMT is used almost exclusively for the manufacture of electronic circuit boards these days.
They are smaller, often offer a better level of performance and they can be used with
automated pick and place machine that in many cases all bit eliminate the need for manual
intervention in the assembly process.

Wired components were always difficult to place automatically because the wires needed
to be pre-formed to fit the relevant hole spacing, and even then they were prone to
problems with placement.

Although many connectors and some other components still require assisted placement,
printed circuit boards are normally developed to reduce this to an absolute minimum, even
to the extent of altering the design to use components that can be placed automatically. In
addition to this, component manufacturers have developed some specialised surface
mount versions of components that enable virtually complete automated assembly for
most boards.
SMT / SMD Component Packages

- an overview of the different SMD component packages used for surface

mount technology, SMT components

Surface mount technology, SMT components come in a variety of packages.

As surface mount technology has improved many packages have decreased in size.
Additionally there is a variety of different SMT packages for integrated circuits dependent
upon the interconnectivity required, the technology being used and a variety of other
factors.

Standards for surface mount packages

To provide some degree of uniformity, sizes of most SMT components conform to industry
standards, many of which are JEDEC specifications. Obviously different SMT packages
are used for different types of components, but the fact that there are standards enables
activities such as printed circuit board design to be simplified. Additionally the use of
standard size packages simplifies the manufacture because pick and place machines can
use standard feed for the SMT components, considerably simplifying the manufacturing
process and saving costs.

The different SMT packages can be categorised by the type of component, and there are
standard packages for each.

Passive rectangular components

These SMT components are mainly resistors and capacitors which form the bulk of the
number of components used. There are several different sizes which have been reduced
as technology has enabled smaller components to be manufactured and used
 Dimensions Dimensions
SMD Package type
mm inches
1812 4.6 x 3.0 0.18 x 0.12
1206 3.0 x 1.5 0.12 x 0.06
0805 2.0 x 1.3 0.08 x 0.05
0603 1.5 x 0.8 0.06 x 0.03
0402 1.0 x 0.5 0.04 x 0.02
0201 0.6 x 0.3 0.02 x 0.01

Of these sizes, the 1812, and 1206 sizes are now only used for specialised components or
ones requiring larger levels of power to be dissipated The 0603 and 0402 SMT sizes are
the most widely used.

Tantalum capacitors SMD packages

As a result of the different construction and requirements for tantalum SMT capacitors,
there are some different packages that are used for them. These conform to EIA
specifications.

Dimensions
SMD Package type EIA standard
mm
Size A 3.2 x 1.6 x 1.6 EIA 3216-18
Size B 3.5 x 2.8 x 1.9 EIA 3528-21
Size C 6.0 x 3.2 x 2.2 EIA 6032-28
Size D 7.3 x 4.3 x 2.4 EIA 7343-31
Size E 7.3 x 4.3 x 4.1 EIA 7343-43

Semiconductor SMD packages

There is a wide variety of SMT packages used for

semiconductors including diodes, transistors and
integrated circuits. The reason for the wide variety of
SMT packages for integrated circuits results from the
large variation in the level of interconnectivity required.
Some of the main packages are given below
SMD diodes on a printed circuit
Transistor & diode packages

SMD transistors and diodes often share the same types of package. While diodes only
have two electrodes a package having three enables the orientation to be correctly
selected.

Although a variety of SMT transistor and diode packages are available, some of the most
popular are given in the list below.

• SOT-23 - Small Outline Transistor: This is SMT package has three terminals for
a diode of transistor, but it can have more pins when it may be used for small
integrated circuits such as an operational amplifier, etc. It measures 3 mm x 1.75
mm x 1.3 mm.

• SOT-223 - Small Outline Transistor: This package is used for higher power
devices. It measures 6.7 mm x 3.7 mm x 1.8 mm. There are generally four
terminals, one of which is a large heat-transfer pad.

Integrated circuit SMD packages

There are many forms of package that are used for SMD ICs. Although there is a large
variety, each one has the areas where its use is particularly applicable.

• SOIC - Small Outline Integrated Circuit : This SMD IC package has a dual in
line configuration and gull wing leads with a pin spacing of 1.27 mm

• SOP - Small Outline Package: There are several versions of this SMD package:

• TSOP - Thin Small Outline Package: This SMD package is thinner than the
SOIC and has a smaller pin spacing of 0.5 mm

• SSOP - Shrink Small Outline Package: This package has a pin spacing of
0.635 mm
 • TSSOP - Thin Shrink Small Outline Package:

• QSOP - Quarter-size Small Outline Package: It has a pin spacing of 0.635

mm

• VSOP - Very Small Outline Package: This is smaller than the QSOP and
has pin spacing of 0.4, 0.5, or 0.65 mm.

• QFP- Quad flat pack: The QFP is the generic type of flat package for ICs. There
are several variants as detailed below.

• LQFP - Low profile Quad Flat Pack: This package has pins on all four sides.
Pin spacing varies according to the IC, but the height is 1.4 mm.

• PQFP - Plastic Quad Flat Pack: A square plastic package with equal
number of gull wing style pins on each side. Typically narrow spacing and
often 44 or more pins. Normally used for VLSI circuits.

• CQFP - Ceramic Quad Flat Pack: A ceramic version of the PQFP.

• TQFP - Thin Quad Flat Pack: A thin version of the PQFP.

Read more about the QFP - Quad Flat Pack

• BGA - Ball Grid Array: A package that uses pads

underneath the package to make contact with the
printed circuit board. Before soldering the pads
appear as solder balls, giving rise to the name.

By placing the pads underneath the package there is more room for them, thereby
overcoming some of the problems of the very thin leads required for the quad flat
packs. The ball spacing on BGAs is typically 1.27 mm. Read more about the Ball
Grid Array
 • PLCC - Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier: This type of package is square and uses J-
lead pins with a spacing of 1.27 mm. Read more about the PLCC Plastic Leaded
Chip Carrier

SMD package applications

SMT surface mount technology packages are used for most printed circuit designs that are
going to be manufactured in any quantity. Although it may appear there is a relatively wide
number of different packages, the level of standardisation is still sufficiently good. In any
case it arises mainly out of the enormous variety in the function of the components.
SMD Resistor

- an overview of surface mount technology SMT resistors, or SMD resistors,

their packages and properties.

Surface mount device , SMD, resistors are the most widely used electronic component.

Every day many millions of these chip resistors are used to produce the electronic
equipment from cell phones to televisions and MP3 players, and commercial
communications equipment to high technology research equipment.

Basic SMD resistor construction

SMD resistors are rectangular in shape.

Chip resistors have metallised areas at
either end of the body and this enables
them to make contact with the printed
circuit board through the solder.
SMD resistor diagram

The resistor itself consists of a ceramic substrate and onto this is deposited a metal oxide
film. The thickness, and the length of the actual film determines the resistance. In view of
the fact that the SMD resistors are manufactured using metal oxide, means that they are
quite stable and usually have a good tolerance.

Typically the ceramic substrate consists of

a high alumina ceramic element. This gives
a very stable insulating based onto which
SMD resistor cross section
the resistive metal oxide element is set
down.
The SMD resistor terminations are also important. They need to make a good reliable
contact with the resistive element of the chip resistor, while also being able to provide high
levels of solder-ability. This is often achieved by making the internal connection using a
nickel based layer and then the outer layer of the connection uses a tin based layer to
provide good solderability.

SMD resistor packages

Surface mount resistors come in a variety of packages. As the technology has moved
forward so the size of the chip resistor packages has fallen. The main packages with their
sizes are summarised below:

Common Surface Mount Resistor Package Details

Package style Size (mm) Size (inches)
2512 6.30 x 3.10 0.25 x 0.12
2010 5.00 x 2.60 0.20 x 0.10
1812 4.6 x 3.0 0.18 x 0.12
1210 3.20 x 2.60 0.12 x 0.10
1206 3.0 x 1.5 0.12 x 0.06
0805 2.0 x 1.3 0.08 x 0.05
0603 1.5 x 0.08 0.06 x 0.03
0402 1 x 0.5 0.04 x 0.02
0201 0.6 x 0.3 0.02 x 0.01

It can be seen from the dimensions in Imperial measurements, that the package names
correspond to the dimensions in hundredths of an inch. This an SMD resistor with an 0805
package measures 0.08 by 0.05 inches.

SMD resistor specifications

SMD resistors are manufactured by a number of different companies. Accordingly the

specifications vary from one manufacturer to the next. It is therefore necessary to look at
the manufacturers rating for a specific SMD resistor before deciding upon exactly what is
required. However it is possible to make some generalisations about the ratings that might
be anticipated.
Power rating: The power rating needs careful consideration in any design. For designs
using surface mount resistors, the levels of power that can be dissipated are smaller than
those for circuits using wire ended components. As a guide typical power ratings for some
of the more popular SMD resistor sizes are given below. These can only be taken as a
guide because they may vary according to the manufacturer and exact type.

Typical SMD Resistor Power Ratings

Package
Typical Power Rating (W)
style
2512 0.50 (1/2)
2010 0.25 (1/4)
1210 0.25 (1/4)
1206 0.125 (1/8)
0805 0.1 (1/10)
0603 0.0625 (1/16)
0402 0.0625 - 0.031 (1/16 - 1/32)
0201 0.05

Some manufacturers will quote higher power levels than these. The figures given here are
typical.

Tolerance: In view of the fact that SMD resistors are manufactured using metal oxide
film they available in relative close tolerance values. Normally 5%, 2%, and 1% are widely
available. For specialist applications 0.5% and 0.1% values may be obtained.

Temperature coefficient: Again the use of metal oxide film enables these SMD resistors
to provide a good temperature coefficient. Values of 25, 50 and 100 ppm / C are available.

Applications

SMD resistors are used in many designs. Their size not only means that they are suitable
for compact circuit boards, and for automatic assembly techniques, but it also ahs the
advantage that they perform well at radio frequencies. Their size means that they have
little spurious inductance and capacitance. Nevertheless care has to be taken when
calculating their power dissipation as they can only dissipate small levels of power.
Surface Mount SMD Resistor Codes &
Markings

- details of the SMD or SMT resistor markings and codes with the systems
used to indicate the resistor values and information - including EIA SMD
resistor marking / coding scheme.

Although not all SMD resistors, or SMT resistors are marked with their values, some are,
and in view of the lack of space the SMD resistor code systems may not always provide an
obvious indication of the resistor value.

The surface mount resistor code systems provide

are mainly used to enable service, repair and
fault-finding. During manufacture the resistors are
held either in tapes that are reeled, or in hoppers
used for the surface mount machines. The SMD
resistor markings can be used as a check to Typical surface mount resistor code
ensure the correct values are being fitted, but normally the reels or hoppers will be suitable
marked and coded.

SMD resistor code systems

Many SMD resistors do not have any markings on them to indicate their value. For these
devices, once they are loose and out of their packaging it is very difficult to tell their value.
Accordingly SMD resistors are typically used within reels or other packages where there is
no chance of different values being mixed.

Many resistors do have markings on them. There are three systems that are used:

• Three figure SMD resistor coding system

• Four figure SMD resistor coding system
• EIA96 SMD resistor coding system
3 figure SMT resistor code system

A three figure SMT resistor coding system is the one that is normally used for standard
tolerance resistors.

As the name indicates this SMD resistor marking system uses three
figures. The first two figures in the code indicate the significant figures,
and the third is a multiplier. This is the same as the coloured rings used for Three figure
SMD resistor
wired resistors, except that actual numbers are used instead of colours. code

Therefore an SMD resistor with the figures 472 would have a resistance of 47 x 10 2 ohms,
or 4.7kΩ. However beware of resistors marked with figures such as 100. This is not 100

ohms, but it follows the scheme exactly and it is 10 x 10 0 or 10 x 1 = 10 Ω.

Where resistance values less than ten ohms are used, the letter "R" is used to indicate the
position of the decimal point. As an example, a resistor with the value 4R7 would be 4.7Ω.

4 figure SMT resistor code system

The four digit or four figure SMT resistor marking scheme is used for marking high
tolerance SMD resistors. Its format is very similar to the three figure SMT resistor making
scheme, but expanded to give the higher number of significant figures needed for higher
tolerance resistors.

In this coding scheme, the first three numbers will indicate the significant
digits, and the fourth is the multiplier.
Four figure
Therefore an SMD resistor with the figures 4702 would have a resistance SMD resistor
code
of 470 x 102 ohms, or 47kΩ.

Resistors with values of less than 100 ohms are marked utilise the letter 'R', as before, to
indicate the position of the decimal point.
EIA96 SMD resistor code system

A further surface mount resistor code scheme or SMD resistor coding scheme has started
to be used, and it is aimed at 1% tolerance SMD resistors, i.e. those using the EIA96 or E-
96 resistor series. As higher tolerance resistors are used, further figures are needed.
However the small size of SMT resistors makes the figures difficult to read. Accordingly the
new system seeks to address this. Using only three figures, the actual characters can be
made larger than those of the four figure system that would otherwise be needed.

The EIA SMD resistor coding scheme uses a three character code: the first 2 numbers
indicate the 3 significant digits of the resistor value. The third character is a letter which
indicates the multiplier. In this way this SMD resistor marking scheme will not be confused
with the 3 figure markings scheme as the letters will differentiate it, although the letter R
can be used in both systems.

To generate the system the E-96 resistor series has been taken and each
value or significant figure set has been numbered sequentially. As there
EIA SMD
are only 96 values in the E-96 series, only two figures are needed to resistor code
number each value, and as a result this is a smart way of reducing the
number of characters required.

The details for the EIA SMT resistor code scheme are tabulated below:

EIA SMD Resistor Code Scheme

Code Multiplier
Z 0.001
Y or R 0.01
X or S 0.1
A 1
B or H 10
C 100
D 1 000
E 10 000
F 100 000

EIA SMT resistor code scheme multipliers

 EIA SMD Resistor Code Scheme Multipliers
Code Sig Figs Code Sig Figs Code Sig Figs Code Sig Figs
01 100 25 178 49 316 73 562
02 102 26 182 50 324 74 576
03 105 27 187 51 332 75 590
04 107 28 191 52 340 76 604
05 110 29 196 53 348 77 619
06 113 30 200 54 357 78 634
07 115 31 205 55 365 79 649
08 118 32 210 56 374 80 665
09 121 33 215 57 383 81 681
10 124 34 221 58 392 82 698
11 127 35 226 59 402 83 715
12 130 36 232 60 412 84 732
13 133 37 237 61 422 85 750
14 137 38 243 62 432 86 768
15 140 39 249 63 442 87 787
16 143 40 255 64 453 88 806
17 147 41 261 65 464 89 825
18 150 42 267 66 475 90 845
19 154 43 274 67 487 91 866
20 158 44 280 68 499 92 887
21 162 45 287 69 511 93 909
22 165 46 294 70 523 94 931
23 169 47 301 71 536 95 953
24 174 48 309 72 549 96 976

EIA SMT resistor code scheme significant figures

For example a resistor that is marked 68X can be split into two elements. 68 refers to the
significant figures 499, and X refers to a multiplier of 0.1. Therefore the value indicated is
499 x 0.1 = 49.9Ω.
MELF Resistor

- details of the MELF resistor a surface mount device, SMD used to provide
superior performance over SMT resistors in certain applications.

Another form of SMD resistor that can be used is known as the MELF resistor - Metal
Electrode Leadless Face. These resistors are not nearly as widely used as the standard
SMD resistors, but in some instances they provide advantages and can be used.

MELF resistor basics & construction

The MELF resistor is cylindrical in shape and have metallisation on both ends. Land
pattern sizes for MELF resistors are the same as SMD chip resistors.

The manufacture of MELF resistors is more complicated than the more standard thick film
SMD resistors. A metal film is deposited onto a high dissipation
ceramic former. To make the terminations tin plated terminating
caps are fitted. The resistor is then adjusted to the correct value MELF Resistor Outline
by producing a helical cut in the film. The body of the MELF resistor is finally protected by
a lacquer coating.

The MELF SMD resistors are used for a number of reasons:

• MELF resistors provide a high level of reliability.

• A MELF resistor has a more predictable pulse handling capacity than other SMD
resistors
• MELF resistors can be manufactured with tolerances as tight as 0.1%
• They can be manufactured with very low levels of temperature coefficient,
sometimes as low as 5 ppm/°C
Although the standard flat chip resistors are cheaper and much easier to handle during
manufacture, the performance of MELF resistor can be an overriding factor making them a
cost effective solution
MELF resistors in electronics manufacture

While MELF resistors provide some significant and compelling technical advantages for
use in certain applications, they are not always the easiest to handle in manufacture.

The most common form of SMD resistor by far is the flat or cuboid format. These require
one form of nozzle on a pick and place machine, however MELF resistors require a
different one that allows the cylindrical shape of the MELF resistor to be accommodated.
They also require a higher level of vacuum on the pick and place machine.

MELF SMD resistor markings

MELF SMD resistors are used on occasions in some designs. These resistors are
cylindrical and do not lend themselves to characters being printed on the surface, although
coloured bands are easy to use. As such the MELF SMD resistor marking code is
effectively the same as that used for leaded resistors.

There are three variations used:

• Four band code: This system is used for

resistors with tolerances up to 5% using the
E24 resistor
series. The first
two bands
provide the
significant digits.
MELF Resistor 4 band code
The third band
provides the multiplier and the fourth, normally wider,
Alternative MELF Resistor 4
provides the tolerance. band code

Sometimes an alternative colour banding system may be used where the bands are
all grouped towards one end of the MELF resistor rather than having a wider band
at the far end.
• Five band code: This system is used for higher tolerance resistors typically better
than 1% that use the E48, E96 or E192 series values. The first three bands provide
the significant figures. The fourth band gives the multiplier and the fifth band gives
the tolerance.

MELF Resistor 6 band code

Tables showing the various colours and figures are given below:

Colour Code
Colour Digit Multiplier Tolerance
None ±20%
Silver 10-2 ±10%
Gold 10-1 ±5%
Black 0 100
Brown 1 101 ±1%
Red 2 102 ±2%
Orange 3 103
Yellow 4 104
Green 5 105 ±0.5%
Blue 6 106 ±0.25%
Violet 7 107 ±0.1%
Grey 8 108
White 9 109

Temperature Coefficient Marking

Colour Code
TCR ppm/°K
(6th Band)
Brown ± 100
Red ± 50
Yellow ± 25
Orange ± 15
Blue ± 10
Violet ±5
SMT / SMD Capacitor Tutorial

- Surface Mount Device, SMD capacitors, often referred to as Surface Mount

Technology, SMT capacitors are small, robust and easy to place
automatically which makes them ideal for today's manufacturing environment.

SMD capacitors are used in vast quantities within the manufacture of all forms of electronic
equipment.

After SMD resistors they are the most widely used type of component.

There are many different types of SMD capacitor ranging from ceramic types, through
tantalum varieties to electrolytics and more. Of these, the ceramic SMD capacitors are the
most widely used.

SMD capacitor basics

Surface mount capacitors are basically the same as their leaded predecessors. However
instead of having leads they have metallised connections at either end.

This has a number of advantages:

• Size: SMD capacitors can be made very much smaller than their leaded relations.
 The fact that no wired leads are required means that different construction
techniques can be sued and this allows for much smaller components to be made.

• Ease of use in manufacturing: As with all other surface mount components,

SMD capacitors are very much easier to place using automated assembly
equipment.

• Lower spurious inductance: The fact that no leads are required and components
are smaller, means that the levels of spurious inductance are much smaller and
these capacitors are much nearer the ideal component that their leaded relations.

Multilayer ceramic SMD capacitors

The multilayer ceramic SMD capacitors form the majority of SMD capacitors that are used
and manufactured. They are normally contained in the same type of packages used for
resistors.

Multilayer Ceramic SMD Capacitors Dimensions

Size Measurements Measurements
designation (mm) (inches)
1812 4.6 x 3.0 0.18 x 0.12
1206 3.0 x 1.5 0.12 x 0.06
0805 2.0 x 1.3 0.08 x 0.05
0603 1.5 x 0.8 0.06 x 0.03
0402 1.0 x 0.5 0.04 x 0.02
0201 0.6 x 0.3 0.02 x 0.01

Construction: The multilayer ceramic SMD capacitor consists of a rectangular block of

ceramic dielectric in which a number of interleaved precious metal electrodes are
contained. This multilayer structure gives rise to the name and the MLCC abbreviation, i.e.
Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor.

This structure gives rise to a high capacitance per unit volume. The inner electrodes are
connected to the two terminations, either by silver palladium (AgPd) alloy in the ratio 65 :
35, or silver dipped with a barrier layer of plated nickel and finally covered with a layer of
plated tin (NiSn).
Ceramic capacitor manufacture: The raw materials for the dielectric are finely milled
and carefully mixed. Then they are heated to temperatures between 1100 and 1300°C to
achieve the required chemical composition. The resultant mass is reground and additional
materials added to provide the required electric properties.

The next stage in the process is to mix the finely ground material with a solvent and
binding additive. This enables thin sheets to be made by casting or rolling.

For multilayer capacitors electrode material is printed on the sheets and after stacking and
pressing of the sheets co-fired with the ceramic compact at temperatures between 1000
and 1400°C. The totally enclosed electrodes of a multilayer capacitor ceramic capacitor,
MLCC guarantee good life test behaviour as well.

Tantalum SMD capacitors

Tantalum SMD capacitors are widely used to

provide levels of capacitance that are higher
than those that can be achieved when using
ceramic capacitors. As a result of the different
construction and requirements for tantalum
SMT capacitors, there are some different
Tantalum SMD capacitor Note the bar across
packages that are used for them. These one end indicating the polarity
conform to EIA specifications.

Tantalum SMD Capacitors Dimensions

Size designation Measurements (mm) EIA Designation
Size A 3.2 x 1.6 x 1.6 EIA 3216-18
Size B 3.5 x 2.8 x 1.9 EIA 3528-21
Size C 6.0 x 3.2 x 2.2 EIA 6032-28
Size D 7.3 x 4.3 x 2.4 EIA 7343-31
Size E 7.3 x 4.3 x 4.1 EIA 7343-43
Electrolytic SMD capacitors

Electrolytic capacitors are now being used increasingly in SMD designs. Their very high
levels of capacitance combined with their low cost make them particularly useful in many
areas.

Often SMD electrolytic capacitors are marked with the value and working voltage. There
are two basic methods used. One is to include their value in microfarads, µF, and another
is to use a code. Using the first method a marking of 33 6V would indicate a 33 µF
capacitor with a working voltage of 6 volts. An alternative code system employs a letter
followed by three figures. The letter indicates the working voltage as defined in the table
below and the three figures indicate the capacitance on pico-farads. As with many other
marking systems the first two figures give the significant figures and the third, the
multiplier. In this case a marking of G106 would indicate a working voltage of 4 volts and a
capacitance 0f 10 times 10^6 pico-farads. This works out to be 10µF

Electrolytic SMD Capacitor Codes

Letter Code Voltage
e 2.5
G 4
J 6.3
A 10
C 16
D 20
E 25
V 35
H 50
SMD capacitor codes

Comparatively few SMD capacitors have their values marked on their cases. This means
that great care must be taken when handling them to ensure they are not misplaced or
mixed. However a few capacitors do have markings. The capacitor values are coded. This
means that it is necessary to know the SMD capacitor codes. These are simple and easy
to decode.

A three figure SMT capacitor code is normally used as there is usually little space for
anything more. In common with other marking codes the first two indicate the significant
figures, and the third is a multiplier.

SMD capacitor code

Here the two figures 47 indicate the significant figures and the 2
SMD capacitor code
indicates the multiplier of 2, i.e. 100.
SMD Quad Flat Pack QFP

- the quad flat pack or package, QFP provides an excellent format for high pin
count SMD integrated circuits.

The Quad Flat Package, or Quad Flat Pack, QFP, is a package used for surface mount,
SMD integrated circuits.

The QFP, Quad Flat Package is widely used because it enables SMD ICs with high
numbers of interconnections to be used within electronics circuits.

The Quad Flat Package is an industry standard package format although a number of
formats are available. These include variations on the number of pins, and also variations
on other aspects of the package as well.

Typical Quad Flat Package, QFP

Quad Flat Package, QFP Basics

The quad flat pack consists of a rectangular package a few millimetres thick. The package
may be square with the same number of pins emanating from each edge or rectangular
with different numbers of pins on each pair of sides..

The package itself is made from a top and a bottom section which are glue together. The
connections emanate from the join on the side of the package. The pins are bent
downwards towards the printed circuit board in what is termed a gull wing format. The pins
normally just touch the printed circuit board so that they are easy to solder.

Quad flat pack integrated circuits come in a

variety of formats with pins varying in number.
Often the QFP may be square and pin counts
may rise to figures of 256 or even more. A 256
pin QFP would typically have 64 pins on each Quad Flat Package, QFP lead arrangement
side. Some of the smaller quad flat packages
may have pin counts of 32 pins, i.e. 8 pins on each side, assuming the package is square.

Quad flat package variants

There are many different abbreviations for the various formats for quad flat pack ICs.
Some are detailed below:

• BQFP - Bumpered Quad Flat Pack: This form of quad flat package has
extensions at the four corners to protect the leads against mechanical damage
before the unit is soldered. One of the major problems with the QFP is the ease with
which pins can be bent and damaged. Owing to the very fine pitch, it is very difficult
and normally not economically viable to repair a device if the pins are bent.

Bumpered quad flat pack

• BQFPH - Bumpered Quad Flat Pack with Heat spreader: This form of quad flat
package utilises the pin protectors at the corners, it also has heat spreaders to
enable larger levels of power to be dissipated.

• CQFP - Ceramic Quad Flat Pack: This is a high quality version of the quad flat
pack using ceramic for the package.

• FQFP - Fine pitched Quad Flat Pack: A quad flat pack with, as the name
indicates, a fine pitch for the pins.

• HQFP - Heat sinked Quad Flat Pack: With many integrated circuits, especially
those with high pins counts which have a high level of circuitry may dissipate high
levels of heat. This heat may need to be removed. To achieve this a number of the
pins, often in the centre of opposing sides are replaced with a thicker pin which is
soldered to a large pad on the PCB with a large area of copper connected to it. This
will remove a significant amount of heat.

• LQFP - Low profile Quad Flat Pack: The Low Profile Quad Flat Pack is based
upon the metric QFP, MQFP, but it is are thinner with a body thickness or height of
1.4mm. This helps solve problems where component height may be a problem. It
has a standard lead-frame footprint - 2.0mm lead footprint. Lead counts for the
LQFP range from 32 to 256. Body sizes range from 5 x 5mm to 28 x 28mm. Lead
pitches available for LQFP package are 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, & 0.65mm.

• MQFP - Metric Quad Flat Pack: A quad flat package where the measurements
and in particular the pin spacing is defined in metric dimensions. Standard QFPs
normally use Imperial measurements and have pin spacing etc defined in terms of
convenient Imperial dimensions.

• PQFP - Plastic Quad Flat Pack: A quad flat pack where the package material is
plastic. Some QFPs can use ceramic.

• TQFP - Thin Quad Flat Pack: The Thin Quad Flat Pack, TQFP is a form of low
profile quad flat pack. Having a body thickness of 1.0mm and have a standard lead-
frame footprint with 2.0mm lead footprint. The TQFP package material used is
 plastic.

QFP in use

The quad flat pack, QFP is widely used for many electronic circuits and assemblies. This
form of package enables high numbers of interconnections to be accommodated around
the device. With the growing complexity of many integrated circuits, this form of surface
mount package enables the high connectivity levels required to be accommodated in a
convenient format.

Although the QFP, quad flat package works well, there are a number of factors to be
remembered when using it.

• PCB track density: The very high numbers of pins that can be accommodated by
the QFP does mean that great care is required when designing the printed circuit
board. The high pin count can lead to difficulties in track density around the device.
Careful routing and design may be required to ensure that none of the design rules
is violated.

• QFP pin damage: The pins on the quad flat package are small and closely
spaced. It is easy for them to be damaged and deformed by poor handling. It is also
very difficult to reform them correctly. To ensure damage is minimised they must be
stored carefully - they are often shipped in special 'waffle' packing to provide
adequate protection. This packaging can be used on the pick and place machines
for assembling thereby ensuring that handling is minimised and the risk of damage
reduced to the minimum.

In view of their advantages, quad flat packages are widely used within the electronics
industry to enable the highly complex assemblies to be manufactured swiftly, efficiently
and reliably.
Ball Grid Array, BGA

- SMD ball grid array, BGA packages enable high density connections to be
made more easily to integrated circuits by allowing the under-side of a chip
package to be used for the connectivity.

A Ball Grid Array or BGA package is a form of surface mount technology, or SMT package
that is being used increasingly for integrated circuits.

The BGA offers many advantages and as a result it is being used increasingly in the
manufacture of electronic circuits.

The Ball Grid Array, BGA package was developed out of the need to have a more robust
and convenient package for integrated circuits with large numbers of pins. With the levels
of integration rising, some integrated circuits had in excess of 100 pins.

The conventional quad flat pack style packages had very thin and close spaced pins, and
these were very easy to damage, even in a controlled environment. Additionally they
required very close control of the soldering process otherwise the level of solder bridges
and poor joints rose. From a design viewpoint, the pin density was such that taking the
tracks away from the IC also proved to be problematic as there could be congestion in
some areas. The BGA package was developed to overcome these problems, and improve
reliability from the soldered joints.
Ball Grid Array BGA aims

The Ball Grid Array was developed to provide a number of benefits to IC and equipment
manufacturers as well as providing benefits to the eventual users of equipment. Some of
the BGA benefits over other technologies include:

• Efficient use of printed circuit board space, allowing connections to be made under
the SMD package and not just around its periphery

• Improvements in both thermal and electrical performance. BGA packages can offer
power and ground planes for low inductances and controlled impedance traces for
signals as well as being able to route heat away via the pads, etc.

• Improvements in manufacturing yields as a result of the improved soldering. BGAs

allow wide spacing between connections as well as a better level of solderability.

• Reduced package thickness which is a great advantage when many assemblies

need to be made much thinner, e.g. mobile phones, etc.

• Improved re-workability resulting from larger pad sizes, etc.

These advantages have meant that despite initial scepticism about the package, it
provides some useful improvements in many circumstances..

What is a BGA package?

The Ball Grid Array, BGA, uses a different approach to the connections to that used for
more conventional surface mount connections. Other packages such as the quad flat
pack, QFP, used the sides of the package for the connections. This meant that there was
limited space for the pins which had to be spaced very closely and made much smaller to
provide the required level of connectivity. The Ball Grid Array, BGA, uses the underside of
the package, where there is a considerable area for the connections.
 SMD BGA Ball Grid Array
package diagram

The pins are placed in a grid pattern (hence the name Ball Grid Array) on the under-
surface of the chip carrier. Also rather than having pins to provide the connectivity, pads
with balls of solder are used as the method of connection. On the printed circuit board,
PCB, onto which the BGA device is to be fitted there is a matching set of copper pads to
provide the required connectivity.

Apart from the improvement in connectivity, BGAs have other advantages. They offer a
lower thermal resistance between the silicon chip itself than quad flat pack devices. This
allows heat generated by the integrated circuit inside the package to be conducted out of
the device onto the PCB faster and more effectively. In this way it is possible for BGA
devices to generate more heat without the need for special cooling measures.

In addition to this the fact that the conductors are on the underside of the chip carrier
means that the leads within the chip are shorter. Accordingly unwanted lead inductance
levels are lower, and in this way, Ball Grid Array devices are able to offer a higher level of
performance than their QFP counterparts.
BGA package types

In order to meet the variety of requirements for different types of assembly and equipment,
a number of BGA variants have been developed.

• MAPBGA - Moulded Array Process Ball Grid Array: This BGA package is aimed
at low-performance to mid-performance devices that require packaging with low
inductance, ease of surface mounting. It provides a low cost option with a small
footprint and high level of reliability.

• PBGA - Plastic Ball Grid Array: This BGA package is intended for mid- to high-
performance devices that require low inductance, ease of surface mounting,
relatively low cost, while also retaining high levels of reliability. It has some
additional copper layers in the substrate that enable increased power dissipation
levels to be handled.

• TEPBGA - Thermally Enhanced Plastic Ball Grid Array: This package provides
for much higher heat dissipation levels. It uses thick copper planes in the substrate
to draw heat from the die to the customer board.

• TBGA - Tape Ball Grid Array: This BGA package is a mid- to high-end solution
for applications needing high thermal performance without an external heatsink.

• PoP - Package on Package: This package may be used in applications where

space is at a real premium. It allows for stacking a memory package on top of a
base device.

• MicroBGA: As the name indicates this type of BGA package is smaller than the
standard BGA package. There are three pitches that are prevalent in the industry:
0.65, 0.75 and 0.8mm.

BGA assembly

When BGAs were first introduced, BGA assembly was one of the key concerns. With the
pads not accessible in the normal manner would BGA assembly reach the standards that
could be achieved by more traditional SMT packages. In fact, although soldering may have
appeared to be a problem for a Ball Grid Array, BGA, device, it was found that standard
reflow methods were very suitable for these devices and joint reliability was very good.
Since then BGA assembly methods have improved, and it is generally found that BGA
soldering is particularly reliable.

In the soldering process, the overall assembly is then heated. The solder balls have a very
carefully controlled amount of solder, and when heated in the soldering process, the solder
melts. Surface tension causes the molten solder to hold the package in the correct
alignment with the circuit board, while the solder cools and solidifies. The composition of
the solder alloy and the soldering temperature are carefully chosen so that the solder does
not completely melt, but stays semi-liquid, allowing each ball to stay separate from its
neighbours.

As many products now utilise BGA packages as standard, BGA assembly methods are
now well established and can be accommodated by most manufacturers with ease.
Accordingly there should be no concerns about using BGA devices in a design.

Ball Grid Array, BGA, inspection

One of the problems with BGA devices is that it is not possible to view the soldered
connections using optical methods. As a result there was some suspicion about the
technology when it was first introduced and many manufacturers undertook tests to ensure
that they were able to solder the devices satisfactorily. The main problem with soldering
Ball Grid Array devices, is that sufficient heat must be applied to ensure that all the balls in
the grid melt sufficiently for every joint to be satisfactorily made.
The joints cannot be tested fully by checking the electrical performance. It is possible that
the joint may not be adequately made and that over time it will fail. The only satisfactory
means of inspection is to use X-ray inspection as this means of inspection is able to look
through the device at the soldered joint beneath.It is found that once the heat profile for the
solder machine is set up correctly, the BGA devices solder very well and few problems are
encountered, thereby making BGA assembly possible for most applications.

Ball Grid Array, BGA rework

As might be anticipated, it is not easy to rework boards containing BGAs unless the correct
equipment is available. If a BGA is suspected as being faulty, then it is possible to remove
the device. This is achieved by locally heating the device to melt the solder underneath it.

In the BGA rework process, the heating is often achieved removed in a specialised rework
station. This comprises a jig fitted with infrared heater, a thermocouple to monitor the
temperature and a vacuum device for lifting the package. Great care is needed to ensure
that only the BGA is heated and removed. Other devices nearby need to be affected as
little as possible otherwise they may be damaged.

BGA repair / BGA reballing

Once removed, the BGA can be replaced with a new one. Occasionally it may be possible
to refurbish or repair a BGA that has been removed. This BGA repair may be an attractive
proposition if the chip is expensive and it is known to be a working device once removed.
Undertake a BGA repair it needs to have the solder balls replaced in a process known as
reballing. This BGA repair can be undertaken using some of the small ready-made solder
balls that are manufactured and sold for this purpose.

There are many organisations that have been set up with specialist equipment to
undertake this BGA reballing.
PLCC, Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier

- essential notes or overview about the SMD PLCC, Plastic Leaded Chip
Carrier, an SMT package that can be soldered to a board or used with a
socket.

The SMD PLCC or Plastic Leaded Chip carrier is an SMD package that is widely used for
many types of integrated circuit. However the SMD PLCC is particularly useful for
applications where the integrated circuit may need to be removed on a regular basis as,
for example, in the case of a chip containing firmware where no other means of re-
programming may be available.

The SMD PLCC also has the advantage that it can be soldered to the board. Having leads
on all sides of the chip, the SMD PLCC offers a relatively high connection density.

SMD PLCC basics

An SMD PLCC or plastic leaded chip carrier is a four sided flat integrated circuit package
or chip carrier. Rather than using the gull wing leads that are used on the quad flat pack,
the SMD PLCC uses a "J" lead format. Here the leads are in the form of a J that is
positioned on the edge of the SMD PLCC package with the lower section of the J folding
back under the package.

As a result of the lead format the SMD PLCC offers a number of advantages:

• Space saving: The "J" lead of the SMD PLCC provides a useful reduction in
board area when compared to the gull wing lead of the QFP. As the "J" lead
effectively folds back under the package, this provides a significant reduction in real
estate usage.

• Socket compatible: In some areas, especially when developing new products a

socketed chip can be particularly useful, if new builds of a PLD or other chip may be
needed. The PLD can be programmed off the board and added to the board to test
 the overall system operation. While many boards will allow on-board programming,
this may not always be achievable.

• Heat resistance: In some limited instances, the heat experienced during the
soldering process could cause damage to the chip. In this case a socket can be
added to the board, and the PLCC inserted after soldering is completed, and no
high temperatures will be experienced.

The SMD PLCC can have a variety of formats. Lead counts can vary from 20 up to 84 and
body widths range from 0.35 to 1.15 inches. Pin or lead spacing is generally 0.05 inches,
i.e. 1.27 mm.

PLCC sockets

One of the major advantages of an SMD PLCC is that the chip can be connected to the
circuit via a socket. The same chip format can also be used in the standard SMT format,
soldering the PLCC directly to the board. This can have significant advantages when a
replaceable chip is needed for development, but then the same chip can be used in
production where it can be soldered onto the board.

PLCC sockets may either be surface mounted - the most common, or some through hole
versions are also available. Some through hole PLCC sockets may be used with wire wrap
techniques for prototyping.

Although it is often possible to extract PLCCs using a small screwdriver, etc., it is far more
preferable to use a PLCC extractor tool. This will make extraction of the PLCC far easier,
and minimise the possibility of any damage.