Plasma Etch unveils smallest plasma cleaner
US-based Plasma Etch has just released the PE-25-jw, the latest addition to its range of plasma systems.
Touting “an incredibly low” starting price, the company says the system is the smallest in its line of plasma cleaners, promising to be durable, reliable, and giving consistent, repeatable results.
Equipped with PLC control, the system comes with a single gas channel, and has the option of a second channel. It is fully automated with an aluminium chamber.
As the company highlights, plasma can be used to modify a variety of surfaces under precisely controlled conditions, without the safety hazards and liquid waste associated with wet cleaning and etching. This surface treatment is typically used to remove organic and inorganic contamination, increase wettability, increase bond strength, and remove residue.
Plasma cleaning systems are now being used for the cleaning or etching of hybrids, PCBs, SMTs, BGAs, lead frames, and flat panel displays, and will remove organic contaminants and prepare surfaces for adhesive bonding, wire bonding, soldering, and marking.
For example, plasma cleaning of hybrids can dramatically improve wirebond strengths and reduce the likelihood of circuit failure. The company claims, epoxy bleed out, residual photoresist, solvent residues and other organic contaminants are safely removed with a short exposure to plasma.
As Plasma Etch points out, a consistent temperature is maintained throughout the system's entire plasma sequence and is controlled independently of the plasma process. Any temperature within the system's control range can be selected and will then be automatically maintained.
The company claims the etch rates of its plasma systems are 2-3X times faster than competing, comparable plasma systems, as concluded through customer tests.
