If you would like a paper look into the proceedings
that occurred last Sept at IPC Surface Finish Summit in St. Paul,MN.
There was a paper presented there that discusses the issues
behind electroless Ni/ immersion gold and why it is not compatible
with soldered BGA's.

Good luck,

At 01:30 PM 5/13/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi Steve, thank you for your comment! What I really want to know is the
>reliability of the product by using immersion gold PCB, including solder
>joint reliablity and integrity of the PCB after process. Do you know whether
>IPC has any standard or publication on this topic? Is it Bellcore compliant?
>What is the issue with BGA for immersion gold?
>
>Thanks again!
>
>Fulton Feng
>
>> ----------
>> From:
>> "STEVE_O\\'HARA"@HP-Vancouver-om10.om.hp.com[SMTP:"STEVE_O\\'HARA"@HP-Vanc
>> ouver-om10.om.hp.com]
>> Sent:         Wednesday, May 13, 1998 10:01 AM
>> To:   Feng, Fulton [MPK:5221:EXCH]
>> Cc:   [log in to unmask]
>> Subject:      Re: [TN] Reliability of Immersion Gold PCB
>>
>>      What do you want to know??
>>
>>      Raw Board Reliability (solderability)
>>      Contact Resistance Reliability?
>>      Solder Joint Reliability
>>
>>      With regards to Solder Joint Reliability, the solder interface of the
>>
>>      nickel to solder forms tin intermetallics which will not be as strong
>>
>>      as solder to solder. These joints will still be acceptable for most
>>      smt components but immersion gold and BGA's should be avoided.
>>
>>      Regards:
>>
>>      Steve O'Hara  HP
>>
>>
>> ______________________________ Reply Separator
>> _________________________________
>> Subject: [TN] Reliability of Immersion Gold PCB
>> Author:  Non-HP-Fulton.Feng.ffeng ([log in to unmask]) at
>> HP-Vancouver,mimegw10
>> Date:    5/12/98 5:39 PM
>>
>>
>> Hi
>> Has anyboy done any reliability study on Gold Immersion PCB finish?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Fulton Feng
>>
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