So, what do you think about this micro robot? (You can read the full story here.) It has a solar cell, an ASIC, flexible circuitry and it’s all packaged together. Sounds like I’d be all for this thing right? Well, yes and no…
According to the author: “…instead of using solder to mount electrical components on a printed circuit board as in the conventional method, the researchers use conductive adhesive to attach the components to a double-sided flexible printed circuit board using surface mount technology.” That is the type of interconnect I expect from people who do not realize the options and alternative processes available with different solder alloys.
To the inventors I pose this question: Did you know that it is possible to form a high quality solder bond at room temperature that will safely operate in environments reaching 125ºC? …A bond that is compliant enough to handle any CTE mismatch that flex substrates can throw at it, and has an order of magnitude better thermal and electrical properties?