Abstract: An air outlet device is disclosed herein. The air outlet device includes a plenum body portion, the plenum body portion defining an air chamber therein, the plenum body portion including an air inlet configured to be coupled to a supply air source for supplying air to the air chamber; an air nozzle portion fluidly coupled to the plenum body portion and including a nozzle inlet and an exit orifice, the air nozzle portion configured to discharge the air from the air chamber at a substantially uniform velocity through the exit orifice; and an air nozzle extension fluidly coupling the air chamber of the plenum body portion to the nozzle inlet of the air nozzle portion, the air nozzle extension being configured to increase an efficiency of the air outlet device by decreasing the pressure drop that occurs when the pressure energy of the air is converted to kinetic energy.

Abstract: It has been found that composition containing copper, tin, and silver prevents tin whisker formation on an electronic structure while allowing solders to wet such structures during soldering processes. It has further been found that conventional techniques, such as electrolytic plating, electroless plating, wet dipping and vapor deposition, for forming such materials have undesirable limitations and/or characteristics. However, by forming a Ag/Sn precursor on a copper containing electronic structure and inducing a self-limiting reaction between the precursor and the copper of the structure, the advantageous Ag/Sn/Cu material is formed without the undesirable limitations and characteristics associated with conventional techniques.

Abstract: The electrical and mechanical properties of structures such as lead frames and other electrical/electronic devices containing, during processing, copper/tin interfaces are improved by introduction of nickel to such interface. Typically, a weight percentage of nickel to tin in the range 1 to 12 weight percent yields upon melting of the tin, an intermetallic compound with essentially no occluded, unbound tin. Thus undesirable anomalous structures such as tin needles and substantially non-planar interface compositions are avoided. Advantageously a nickel/tin/copper intermetallic interface that is substantially planar is formed in the substantial absence of needle-like tin structures.

Abstract: A process includes annealing one or more plated conductive leads at a predetermined temperature. The one or more plated conductive leads are plated with one or more layers, where each layer comprises a material. The predetermined temperature is greater than or equal to approximately a melting point of one of the materials. The annealing can reduce growth formations, such as whiskers, on the one or more conductive leads. Lead frames and other devices having plated conductive leads may be subjected to the process, and the resultant plated conductive leads will have fewer growth formations than plated conductive leads not subjected to the process. The plated conductive leads may be trimmed and formed prior to or after the anneal.

Abstract: The present invention includes tab supports on the solder ball side of a BGA package substrate. The tab supports are preferably sized in a height direction to avoid or prevent a warped corner or edge of a BGA substrate from excessively pressing down on the solder balls when warping occurs, most often during the high temperature solder-reflow process. Exemplary tab supports comprise small standoff tabs placed in all four corners of the lower substrate of a BGA package, and/or on all four edges of the lower substrate. The invention has particular application to a plastic BGA (PBGA) package.