Steve,

        We use the solder mask defined pads on copper planes very successfully on
SMT chip caps and resistors, without any thermal relief on the pads.  It
works well as long as your reflow oven can maintain low delta T's across
such a board.  Some of the older, predominately IR ovens will create
problems due to reflowing the thermally light pad solder deposit before the
pad that's on the ground plane, thereby causing tombstoning.  This may be
one area where you can agree with your EE's, there aren't many such
instances in the RF world.

Larry Morse
Celwave RF

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From:           Steve Collins <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:        [TECHNET] DES: Chip Caps & Chip Resistors