Operations

Natel can work both from your specifications and our Statement of Work. For those customers who request more assistance, we offer a generic Statement Of Work (SOW) as a starting point for a new product. Additionally, Natel has developed a protocol which we have termed "Process Characterization." This protocol allows us to examine carefully each process step that is of particular concern to our customers or us.

"Process characterization" includes:

• Identifying the process steps and their customer-desired outputs
• Identifying the key parameters in each step
• Creating an experiment for each step and key parameters
• Conducting the experiments
• Evaluating the data for each experiment with our customer
• Comparing the data to previously established outputs
  

Once these procedures are complete, we determine, with our customer's involvement, whether additional experiments are required or whether we can lock-in each particular process step.
The following describes our typical manufacturing operations as well as various operation capabilities available at Natel.

• Kitting
• Component Attach and Curing
• Plasma Cleaning
• Interconnects
• High Frequency Assembly
• Visual Inspection
• Pre-seal Testing
• Package Seal
• Environmental Screening (as required by customer)
• Burn-in
• Final Electrical Testing
• Final Inspection & Shipment
  

Kitting

• Receiving inspection verification
• Record for traceability
• Quality review

Component Attach and Curing

• Epoxy Attach
• Epoxy die and substrate attach
• Manual and automatic epoxy dispense/preforms
• Solder Attach
  • Solder and eutectic die and substrate attach
  • Reflow by Dap sealer or hydrogen furnace

Plasma Cleaning

• Automatic program capability
• Large volume chamber
• Automatic gas mixing system

Interconnects

• Manual and automatic 0.7 to 3-mil gold wire
• 1 to 20-mil aluminum wire
• Manual and automatic half mil to 3 mil thick by 1 to 15-mil wide gold ribbon
• Tab and flip-chip bonding
• Manual gap weld / tack weld

High Frequency Assembly

• Fine pitch and controlled impedance assembly
  • Controlled and repeatable bond lines
  • Controlled and repeatable wire and ribbon bonds

• Special handling procedures for:
• MMIC Chips
• Air Bridge Technology Chips
• Thin GAS Die (.003")

Visual Inspection

• Component accuracy
• Die attach accuracy
• Wire bond accuracy
• Workmanship
• Cleanliness

Pre-seal Testing

• 20+ automatic and manual RF hybrid test stations
• Auto test UTS-625W power test system
• IEEE 488 Rack & Stack
• HP3060A (in-circuit test)
• Active laser trim
• Analog Devices LTS2020
• Lorlin double impact, discreet semiconductor tester
• Custom testing

Package Seal

• Dap Sealer (SST)
• Projection welder (Taylor Winfield)
• Linear belt hydrogen furnace (B.T.U)
• Manual & automatic linear welders (SSECs and Benchmark)
• Glob Top (junction coating)

Environmental Screening

• Stabilization bake
• Temperature cycling
• Centrifuge testing
• PIND
• X-ray
• Fine and gross leak testing
  

Burn-in

• 35 fully equipped burn-in chambers
• Case, ambient or junction temperature
• Steady state; power cycling or custom dynamic
• Two liquid burn-in chambers
  

Natel is a fully-qualified MIL-STD-883 burn-in facility. The capacity per oven is package-dependent, meaning that the size of the package will indicate how many parts can be put into a single oven. Our ovens are large, floor-type ovens that stand about 6 to 7 feet tall. Our screening is fully compliant to MIL-STD-883 test methods and our screening flow is per MIL-PRF-38534 and MIL-PRF-19500.

Final Electrical Testing

• 20+ automatic and manual RF hybrid test stations
• Auto test UTS-625W power test system
• IEEE 488 Rack & Stack
• Analog Devices LTS2020
• Lorlin double impact, discreet semiconductor tester
• Custom testing

Final Inspection & Shipment

• Inspection:
  • Visual inspection
  • Video inspection system
  • Quality review
  • X-Ray

• Shipment:
  • Quality review
  • Data package
  • Source inspection (as required)