Abstract: A system and method for supporting an electronic component attached to a circuit board. Solder paste is applied to a solder pad underneath and aligned with a non-wetting region of an electronic component to form a support formed of solder to prevent electronic component lead flexing. The amount of solder for forming the support and the size of the solder pad are selected to bring the support into contact with, or in close proximity to, the non-wetting region.

Abstract: An improved process for assembling a plurality of power packages and a thermal heat sink to a printed circuit board involves securing the power packages to the heat sink before soldering the electrical leads of the power packages to the printed circuit board. The improved process allows the electrical leads of the power packages to move freely in lead holes in the printed circuit board as intimate planar surface to planar surface contact between the heat sink and the power packages is achieved, thereby eliminating or at least substantially reducing lead bending that occurs in conventional processes wherein attachment of the heat sink to the power packages occurs after the leads of the power packages have been soldered to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An improved thermal interface material for conducting heat away from an integrated circuit device into a heat sink is a composite material including a metal screen defining openings and a hardened structural bonding agent incorporated into the openings of the metal screen. The improved composite thermal interface material achieves outstanding bonding properties superior to conventional thermal interface materials, while also exhibiting exceptional thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device characterized by a field limiting ring formed by a number of field limiting cells that define wells which are laterally diffused to form a continuous equipotential ring between interior and exterior regions of a semiconductor device. A number of active cells are formed in the interior region, and are therefore delineated from the exterior region of the device. Each of these active cells is a transistor, and preferably a field-effect transistor, whose structure is essentially identical to the field limiting cells, except that their wells are not merged but instead are isolated from each other. The field limiting ring increases the breakdown voltage and the ruggedness of device, and therefore enables the device to sustain high voltages when the device is in the off-state. The process does not require masking, implanting and diffusion steps for the sole purpose of forming the field limiting ring, but is instead fully integrated with the semiconductor process for forming the active cells.

Abstract: A method of suppressing adherence of silicon particles to IC bond pads, and corrosion thereof, during the dicing of silicon wafers by sawing. An anion of an organic acid is added to saw coolant water.