0.2 mm PCB thickness is not usual for printed circuit board , is very thin , easy to break , special when PCB manufacturing process, should be taken care .
Minimum thickness PCB is a term used to describe that the thickness of a printed circuit board is much thinner than normal PCB. The standard thickness of a circuit board is currently 1.5mm. The minimum thickness is 0.2 mm for the majority of circuit boards. Due to the market demand for continually thinner devices, there is a demand for minimum thickness PCB boards such as 0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm ,0.8board, etc. These circuit boards can be used in sensor cards, SIM cards, and so on.
0.2 mm PCB is normal for flexible PCB, The production process is different, so flex PCB 0.2 mm or 0.1mm is easy to produce , Japan lamilate company also start to supply 0.1mm rigid PCB raw material , that most use in camera or some special sensor components .
Choosing a very thin PCB thickness may limit the choice of surface finishes available. Each surface finish has a different manufacturing process based on the material properties and production method. Our standard immersion gold surface finish does support 0.2mm minimum thickness PCB, while Lead Free HASL can only be applied for a minimum thickness of 0.6mm. Immersion Tin and Silver have a minimum thickness of 0.4mm.
Rayming PCB production Thickness range :
0.2mm PCB 0.4mm PCB 0.6mm PCB 0.8mm PCB
1.0mm PCB 1.2mm PCB 1.5mm PCB 1.6 mm PCB
2.0mm PCB 2.4mm PCB 3.0mm PCB 3.2mm PCB
3.6mm PCB 4.8mm PCB 5.6mm PCB
Introduction
As electronics devices continue getting smaller and more portable, demand is rising for ultra-thin PCBs using 0.2mm laminates. However, reliably producing multilayer boards with 0.2mm thin dielectrics poses immense fabrication challenges. Partnering with an experienced PCB manufacturer that has mastered quality production of 0.2mm thin boards is key to ensuring flawless performance.
This article provides electronics design engineers an overview of 0.2mm thin PCB capabilities, manufacturing process requirements, quality benchmarks, and the benefits of selecting a premier thin PCB supplier.
What is a 0.2mm Thin PCB?
Standard PCB dielectric thicknesses range from 0.4mm to 2.0mm. High density interconnect (HDI) PCBs drove dielectric thicknesses down to 0.3mm-0.2mm over the last decade enabling miniaturization. Some common thin laminate thicknesses are:
- 0.8mm – Standard thickness
- 0.4mm – Common thinner material
- 0.3mm – Typical HDI dielectric
- 0.2mm – Ultra-thin laminate
So a 0.2mm thin PCB uses dielectric core and prepreg materials with 0.2mm thickness. This provides the ultimate in compact, thin profile PCB constructions necessary for small, lightweight devices and tight space electronics packaging.
Benefits of 0.2mm Thin PCBs
Key advantages of 0.2mm thin PCBs versus standard 0.5mm-1.0mm boards include:
- Thinnest profile – Enables slimmest possible electronics constructions.
- Lighter weight – Minimal material mass for lightweight mobile devices.
- High density – Thinner dielectrics allow greater routing density.
- Small via diameters – Thinner boards permit smaller microvias.
- Buried passives – Allows integration of thin film capacitors/resistors.
- Low z-axis CTE – Reduces likelihood of via barrel cracks.
- Fine lines – Thinner cores enable finer lithographic trace geometries.
- High layer count – More layers can be accommodated in a given thickness.
- Embedded actives – Allows embedding tiny active components.
- Flexibility – Easier to produce slightly flexible constructions.
0.2mm PCBs provide the ultimate in dense, thin, lightweight circuit integration.
Challenges in 0.2mm PCB Fabrication
Fabricating 0.2mm PCBs poses substantial production difficulties including:
- Filler starvation – Insufficient resin fill of thin cores during lamination.
- Layer registration – Tolerance control across many thin laminates.
- Plating adhesion – Copper bond strength on low filler content thin cores.
- Surface finish – Uniform plating thickness on flexed thin panels.
- Hole wall quality – Resin smear and adequate resin fill of drilled holes.
- Fine line etching – Defining 1 mil lines and spaces on 0.2mm cores.
- Via reliability – Avoiding cracks from z-axis CTE and drilling stresses.
- Lamination bonding – Bonding strength between thin dielectric layers.
- Handling – Preventing damage like scratches and dents on thin cores.
- Stiffness – Maintaining panel stability without excessive flexing.
These factors require stringent process controls and inspection capabilities to produce reliable 0.2mm PCBs.
Key 0.2mm PCB Manufacturing Capabilities
To reliably fabricate 0.2mm multilayer PCBs, manufacturers must demonstrate several advanced capabilities:
- Registration accuracy – Within 0.05mm between layers.
- Plating adhesion – Copper pad peel strength over 4.5N on 0.2mm cores.
- Lamination – Precision pressure control and resin fill optimization.
- Fine line etching – 0.1 mm lines and spaces.
- Hole wall quality – Minimal resin smear inside drilled holes.
- Surface finish – Uniform electrolytic plating across thin panels.
- Via reliability – Thermal shock and drop/shock testing of microvias.
- Interlayer bonding – Lamination peel strengths above 3.5N/mm.
- Handling processes – Automation and special carriers to avoid damage.
- Stiffness and flatness – TECA & LEICA flatness measurement.
- Reliability testing – Extensive temperature cycling, HAST, bias/humidity testing.
Meeting these benchmarks validates a company’s capabilities in high quality 0.2mm PCB manufacturing.
Benefits of Partnering with a Premier Manufacturer
Selecting an established PCB company with proven expertise in 0.2mm boards provides key advantages:
- Mitigate Technology Risk – Avoid initial issues during 0.2mm adoption by leveraging robust qualified processes.
- Accelerate Time-to-Market – Get cutting-edge products to market faster through on-demand prototypes and rapid scaling.
- Increase Performance Margins – Achieve maximum possible routing density and electrical performance.
- Ensure Reliability – Mature process and quality systems deliver ultra-reliable 0.2mm boards.
- Control Costs – Leverage accumulated 0.2mm manufacturing learning and economies of scale.
- Simplify Logistics – Single expert source for prototypes through high volume production.
- Strategic Alignment – Roadmap technology innovations jointly.
For companies looking to harness the advantages of 0.2mm PCBs, the right manufacturing partner provides immense strategic value in capabilities, time-to-market, performance and costs.
Conclusion
While enabling unprecedented miniaturization, reliably producing 0.2mm thin multilayer PCBs poses immense process challenges. Partnering with an elite PCB company that has proven expertise in this highly specialized niche is key to mitigating risks and ensuring success when implementing leading-edge 0.2mm thin PCB technology.
