A Study of the Effect of Ultrasonic Cleaning on Component Quality — Hybrid Devices

The effect of ultrasonic agitation on hybrid devices during PCB cleaning has long been suspected as leading to device malfunction. However, little or no data exist to substantiate or quantify these effects. This paper describes a limited study into these effects using both test vehicles and commercial products, and discusses their variation with exposure time, the types and mechanisms of failure, and the rle of the hybrid package construction. It is demonstrated that the design of the hybrid package is critical in determining its susceptibility to ultrasonic damage.