Nextreme Gets the Lead Out with RoHS Compliance

Nextreme Thermal Solutions, the leader in microscale thermal and power management products for the electronics industry, today announced that future thermoelectric products will be manufactured using RoHS-compliant assembly methods. The company has developed non-lead-based solder processes for use in the manufacturing of its thin-film thermoelectric product line, meeting a major milestone in contributing to a healthier environment.

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive restricts the use of hazardous materials, including lead-based solder, in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. The directive was adopted in 2003 by the European Union (EU) in an initiative to address the growing global issue of substances found in consumer electronics waste that pose health risks. Although the EU has led the RoHS initiative, companies like Nextreme who are in the global electronics supply chain have followed suit in making their products RoHS compliant.

"RoHS compliance is becoming critical for companies like ours that operate in a global environment," said Dave Koester, vice president of engineering for Nextreme. "In addition to the health and environmental benefits of going lead-free, it's far more cost-effective to offer a product family that conforms to the world standard."

As the replacement for lead-based solder, Nextreme is using a Gold/Tin (AuSn) alloy. AuSn solder provides excellent joint strength and thermal conductivity. With a melting point of 278°C, AuSn enables the use of standard processes for the integration of Nextreme devices into photonic, microelectronic and optoelectronic device packages, such as laser diodes, semiconductor optical amplifiers and sensors, and to operate at higher temperatures.

“Gold/tin’s higher melting point and its acceptance in the optoelectronics market make the use of this alloy advantageous during assembly of our micro-scale thermoelectric products," said Koester. "It's another breakthrough allowing us to offer thin-film thermoelectric devices that conform to standard assembly processes."

Nextreme's thin-film thermoelectric products are manufactured in volume with the Copper Pillar Bump process, an established electronic packaging approach that scales well into large arrays. The Thermal Copper Pillar Bump process integrates thin-film thermoelectric material into the solder bumped interconnects that provide mechanical and electrical connections for today's high performance/high density integrated circuits. The company began production manufacturing of its OptoCooler product line in July 2008.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Han® HC 250 high current contact

A Powerful Solution HARTING has developed the new Han® HC 250high current connector as a powerful interface that impresses by requiring little space, transmitting high current intensities and allowing flexible configuration of the number of poles. The HC 250 one-pole crimp module can be connected in various frame geometries to produce the required number of poles in a compact space – and in the existing Han® HPR housing. Technical details: - Rated current 250 A at a rated voltage of 2000 V - Termination cross-sections are: 35 mm2, 50 mm2 and 70 mm2 - Maximum four-pole interfaces in a size 24 B HPR housing, making it particularly suitable for motor connections - High quality plastic with good smoke and inflammability levels - Removal tool for simple installation and removal of the contacts and inserts - Confusion of a number of interfaces is reliably prevented by multiple coding options for the individual inserts The requirements in the railway industry are changing, as
Read more

EGCS-D0 Accelerometer Now Available in 10,000g Range

Measurement Specialties, Inc. (NASDAQ: MEAS) has recently redesigned the EGCS-D0 accelerometer to enable it to accurately and reliably measure up to ±10,000g. This rugged device is critically damped, which is the ideal mechanism to protect the accelerometer against ±20,000g impacts and prevent sensor ringing. The EGCS-D0 accelerometer is now available in ranges from ±5g to ±10,000g which makes it ideal for both critical low-g measurements and high-g impacts. These units feature a Wheatstone Bridge mV output with a standard compensated temperature range of 20ºC to 80ºC (other options available). The EGCS-D0 was specifically designed for impact and shock testing in auto safety, aerospace, military and civil engineering applications. Designed to be bolt-mounted, this device operates from 2-15Vdc excitation with electrical output ratiometric to voltage input. Optional triaxial mounting blocks (MTG-F4), signal conditioners (Model 101) and auto-zero inline amplifiers (Model 140) are avai
Read more
Ilix Cermet Reamers Are Ideal For Dry Machining Engineers Cutting Tools, the UK agent for Ilix, has introduced Ilix solid-carbide and cermet reamers for the machining of hard metals. The machine reamers 6372C and 6323 allow the production of high-precision holes with good surface finish. Compared with HSS, the solid-carbide qualities enable the increase of cutting parameters and tool life. The quality of the reamers is said to guarantee high performance, even for hard metals with a resistance more than 1200N/mm2. The Ilix carbide 6372C range of hundredth reamers is from 0.98mm through to 12.05mm in increments of 0.01mm. The reamers are manufactured to a tolerance of +0.000 - +0.004mm. The cermet reamers 6323 have new cutting geometry developed by Ilix. These reamers are said to be ideal for steel machining, having high chemical stability during the cutting process. They offer good wear resistance due to the high hardness and have low material adhesion. The Ilix cermet reamer is said to
Read more