Long-Term Conservation and Storage of electronic components
Applied standards
- DIN EN 62404
- DIN EN 62435
HTV-TAB®-Long-Term Conservation Method (Thermal-Absorptive Gas-Barrier):
- Conservation and Storage of electronic parts such as components, assemblies, displays as well as wafers and dies for up to 50 years
- Drastic reduction of aging processes in contrast to conventional storage methods
(see Comparison of storage methods), e.g.:- Extreme reduction of diffusion (e.g. intermetallic phase growth)
- Nearly no corrosion and oxidation processes
- Prevention of whisker formation and tin pest
- Absorption of hazardous substances such as outgassing of plasticizers or corrosive gases
- Cyclic evaluation of goods and comparison with the results of previous evaluations
- Storage in high-security buildings
- Extension of product life cycles
- Securing the after-sales business
The TAB® method, proven for decades and worldwide unique, enables a drastic reduction of the decisive physicochemical aging processes of electronic components through a special conservation with specific storage conditions and an environment which eliminates hazardous substances.
During normal storage the material changes generally take place the fastest in the first few years. Components which are not required immediately should therefore be stored with the TAB® method as soon as possible to ensure a long product life!
Diffusion, a crucial aging factor, is significantly reduced with the aid of TAB® by appropriate adjustment of the storage temperatures and the associated increase of the so-called activation energy. This drastically minimizes the growth of the intermetallic phase (diffusion at the component contacts) between the copper from the inside of the component pin and the tin of the pin surface. TAB® also strongly reduces the aging processes insidethe component (diffusion at chip level). The formation of corrosion and oxidation is almost completely and extremely efficiently stopped for the long-term with specific absorption of moisture, oxygen and material-dependent hazardous substances. The risk of whiskers (tiny single crystal needles growing out of the material, which can lead to short circuits on printed circuit boards or individual components) and tin pest are also controlled.
The packing consists of several layers of various special functional foils developed by HTV, which prevent the penetration of foreign substances and have absorptive properties for the most diverse hazardous substances.
As a complex combination of different methods TAB® inhibits respectively reduces nearly all relevant aging factors.
Depending on the initial condition, electronic components can currently be stored for up to 50 years. he quality, processability and functionality of components and thus also the availability of spare parts are guaranteed for several decades.
Storability according to the storage method
Effectiveness of TAB®-Long-Term Conservation compared to conventional nitrogen storage
Effectiveness of TAB®-Long-Term Conservation compared to conventional nitrogen storage
An exemplary indicator for harmful aging processes is the growth of the intermetallic phase, e.g. between the outer tin coating and the base material of the contact pins: The direct comparison of components stored in N2-drypack and in TAB® shows clear differences in the growth of the intermetallic phase visible during SEM-EDX examination.
While an increase in the intermetallic phase of approx. 1 μm per year can be observed with conventional nitrogen storage, almost no phase growth can be determined with storage according to TAB®.
Almost no phase growth can be determined with storage according to TAB®
Prior to the storing process a detailed examination and evaluation of the components to be stored forms the basis for TAB®-Long-Term Conservation. The current aging condition, the existing hazardous substances and risks are recorded via comprehensive and ultra-modern analytical procedures and the parameters required for Long-Term Conservation of the components are determined.
Process flow of the TAB®-Long-Term Conservation Method
Process monitoring and cyclical product evaluation of the stored components as well as continuous optimization of the storage parameters and regular analysis reports ensure the highest quality and transparency throughout the entire storage process. An archiving of all data and analysis reports for a period of at least 15 years after delivery of the entire goods to the client enables complete traceability far beyond the storage period.
