2020 Vision: Vacuum Coatings

Across all industries – medical device, automotive, electronics, military and aerospace ‑ electronic components are becoming smaller in size, but more complex in application capabilities. As electronics continue to migrate from FR4 boards to MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) and other micro-technologies, those that design with these innovations have a challenge – how to protect the micro-devices.

Standard conformal coatings that were sufficient for FR4 board assemblies are simply insufficient to protect MEMS assemblies due to the nano-size of these devices, which simply can not handle a spray, dip or brush-on conformal coating.

Parylene conformal coatings offer an alternative that is ultra-thin and extremely lightweight, and provides protection for the full life of the product. Parylene coatings are ultra-thin, pinhole-free and truly conform to components due to their molecular level polymerization - basically “growing” onto substrate surfaces one molecule at a time. Because Parylene coatings are formed from a gas, they penetrate into the most minute crevices, regardless of how seemingly inaccessible.

Parylene coatings are extremely lightweight, offering excellent moisture, chemical and dielectric barrier properties without adding significant dimension or mass to delicate components. Parylene is typically applied in thickness ranging from 500 angstroms to 75 microns, making it a superior conformal coating to protect today’s, and tomorrow’s, innovative technologies.

Alan Hardy is Market Manager for SCS Electronics