Electronic Marterials Inc.

OPTOCAST

Currently there are four groups of products within the OPTOCAST family. In order to clarify these and bring everyone up to speed, the current family members are described below: The 3400 series are single component UV and/or thermally cured systems with substantial filler loadings. These systems exhibit low to extremely low CTE and shrinkage values. OPTOCAST 3400 Very low shrinkage upon cure and very low C.T.E. For fixturing and focussing to maintain critical alignments, low stress and high Tg. UV and/or thermal cure. OPTOCAST 3401 A lower viscosity and higher flow version of OPTOCAST 3400. OPTOCAST 3402 Lower Tg and lower modulus than OPTOCAST 3400. UV cure. OPTOCAST 3410 Very low shrinkage on cure. High Tg. UV and/or thermal cure. OPTOCAST 3411 Low C.T.E. and a very flowable viscosity, UV and/or thermal cure. OPTOCAST 3415 Lowest C.T.E. and shrinkage available, UV and/or thermal cure The 3500 series are single component UV cure systems which are clear or unfilled. They have refractive indecies in the 1.5 to 1.53 range, high Tg and good moisture resistance. Note: The 3500 series are also available with a secondary thermal mechanism known as “-HM”. OPTOCAST 3505 The original UV cure epoxy for opto-electronic uses. Very low viscosity and high Tg. OPTOCAST 3506 A lower Tg and higher viscosity version of 3505. Use where a lower modulus is needed. OPTOCAST 3507 A higher viscosity version of 3505 where less flow is needed. OPTOCAST 3508 A higher viscosity version of 3507 for minimal flow. OPTOCAST 3553 The newest member of the 3500 family, exhibits excellent moisture resistance and bond strength. The 3600 series are two component room temperature and thermal cure systems for applications where UV cure conditions are not possible. OPTOCAST 3601 A clear low viscosity and durable epoxy that is hard but not brittle. OPTOCAST 3602 A lower viscosity and slightly softer version of OPTOCAST 3601, which is durable. OPTOCAST 3653 Designed for high temperature applications, OPTOCAST 3653 has excellent resistance to moisture and many types of chemicals and solvents. The 3700 series are extremely fast curing UV systems for encapsulating or bonding. All are sulfur free. OPTOCAST AC-3723V Very low viscosity free flowing liquid pre-polymer for sealing, coating, bonding, or encapsulating where good wicking action is required. OPTOCAST AC-3723L Low viscosity pre-polymer for sealing, coating, bonding or encapsulating a slightly higher viscosity of AC-3723V OPTOCAST AC-3723M Medium viscosity version with less wicking action. OPTOCAST AC-3723T Thixotropic non-flowing gel

The Bellcore Bogey

The Bellcore spec. of 85/85 has been quoted to us innumerable times; but each time we ask the question –What constitutes pass/fail?- no one knows. We have even searched for the Bellcore spec. through NERAC, the ex-NASA, now commercial, information retrieval service -but still no spec. Finally on a visit to an opto-electronics company in Ontario, a gentleman let us in on the secret. This isn’t really a spec., but rather an accelerated test condition of 85C and 85rel, for hundreds even thousands of hours. The individual manufacturer decides what constitutes pass/fail for their individual systems or device. Perhaps weight gain after five hundred hours, or drop off in lap shear after a thousand hours. We have also run into another test condition quoted to us, described as JEDEC level one humidity life test method. More fully described, I learned it is JEDEC standard #22-A101, 85/85 steady state humidity life test. Happily this is also 85C/85rel and level one is apparently one hundred and sixty eight hours, which is seven days.

NEW TOY

We have a new arrival - a humidity cabinet capable of conditions from –12 to +93C and from 20%-98% relative humidity. It is a Tenney model TH JR and will be up and running by mid June. This considerably improves our abilities to supply pertinent data to you and on a more timely basis since the specimens don’t have to be sent outside for testing.