Drop Test Performance of Isotropic Electrically Conductive Adhesives

Drop test survival is a crucial element of isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) reliability. Drop test data are presented for four different ICA materials, with varying cure profiles. Only one of the materials passes the ad hoc standard (including none of the "snap cure" formulations, although performance is improved by extended cure times). Drop test performance deteriorates when the sample has survived a series of smaller drops, leading to a cumulative damage model based on crack initiation at interface bubbles, and is improved by a pre-cure heat soak to drive off the bubbles. (c) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2008