phoenix|x-ray Breaks Sub-Micron Barrier With Nanofocus X-Ray Tube

Tube provides images of bondwires, microvias, etc. in finest detail down to 500 nanometers. Will be demonstrated for the first time in the US at APEX (Booth #1849) in January of 2002 and at Productronica (Hall A2, Booth 3.44) next month.

Camarillo, CA (October 30, 2001) - phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc, a recognized leader and manufacturer of ultra high resolution X-ray technology for the global electronics and semiconductor industries, today introduced the first true nanofocus x-ray tube capable of obtaining images down to 0.5 micrometers (500 nanometers), small enough to sharply and clearly image microvias. Called the xs|series nanofocus (nf), the new x-ray tube is a successful result of a dedicated development-project formed by the company in August of last year to develop a tube to meet a customer's need and first demonstrated in May of this year. The technological leap made offers the company's x-ray systems easy migration into all products and is targeted to meet the growing needs for analysis of submicron features existing in today's products and industrial applications.

Now being offered as an option on the company's line of x-ray systems, the xs|series nf provides the highest magnification possible and does so with vivid, crisp, sharp image resolution. Combined with the capabilities offered via x-ray technology and the image resolution, the new nanofocus tube opens doors previously closed to submicron technology and the need to provide quality checking and failure analysis to increase productivity and reduced scrap.

The technology itself provides a simple technique for a wide variety of high-magnification X-ray applications to analyze such defects as fine bond wire cracks or tiny voids that occur in flip chip solder balls of merely 25 microns in diameter and display at this extremely high resolution. Even after electrical tests have been made and breaks in bond wires occur and are thermically destroyed by overcurrent, the xs|series nf provides superior resolution to find exactly where failures occurred. Apart from the fact that almost every high-resolution application becomes easier, the nanofocus resolution is a precondition for detailed inspection of microvias, finest pitch solder joints, and high-resolution computer tomography.

As component sizes decrease, traces become micron paths, and board layer density and board population increases all while board space decreases, the nanofocus tube provides a new focus for determining failures in production of multilayer boards, BGA and uBGA integrity, chip and board prototyping and micro mechanics. In combination with the recently launched high-contrast|detector which multiplies the contrast of the X-ray image, phoenix|x-ray now offers the non-plus ultra for image resolution and detail detectability in all three dimensions.

Price and Availability
The xs|series nanofocus is available on all phoenix|x-ray open tube systems. Upgrade prices start at $35,000 for new systems, $65,000 for field retrofits.

About phoenix|x-ray
phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. is the North American sales, service, and applications engineering subsidiary of the Germany-based microfocus X-ray system manufacturer, phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services GmbH. This group of companies offers both sealed tube and open tube microfocus X-ray systems dedicated to PCB assembly, Back-end and multilayer inspection applications. As an open-tube design and manufacturing house, phoenix|x-ray holds technology leadership for ultra-high resolution and magnification.

Customer contact
For more information on phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. or its products, customers should contact David K. Lehmann, Vice-President of Sales at 3883 Via Pescador, Unit A; Camarillo, CA 93012; Toll Free: 877-PHX-XRAY (877.749.9729); Telephone 805.389.0911, ext. 11; Fax 805.445.9833; Email: dklehmann@phoenix-xray.com; website: http://www.phoenix-xray.com.