A layer of plating is formed through a chemical oxidation-reduction reaction. This method, known as immersion gold, produces a thicker gold layer compared to other methods. Immersion gold is a type of chemical nickel-gold deposition technique that achieves a more substantial gold layer.
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Difference Between Immersion Gold Plate and Gold-Plated Plate
1. Immersion gold differs in crystal structure from gold plating. It is generally thicker and exhibits a more intense golden yellow color compared to gold plating, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
2. The crystal structure of immersion gold is distinct from that of gold plating. Immersion gold is easier to weld and less likely to cause poor soldering issues that lead to customer complaints. Its stress is easier to control, which is advantageous for bonding applications. However, immersion gold is softer than gold plating, making it less wear-resistant, especially in gold finger applications.
3. Immersion gold plating only covers the pads with nickel and gold. Signal transmission primarily occurs on the copper layer, thus not affecting signal integrity.
4. Immersion gold has a denser crystal structure than gold plating, which makes it more resistant to oxidation.
5. With denser wiring and line widths and spacings reaching 3-4 MIL, gold plating is more prone to short circuits. Immersion gold, which only covers the pads with nickel and gold, prevents gold wire short circuits.
6. The immersion gold board has nickel and gold only on the pads. This ensures a stronger bond between the PCB solder mask, circuit, and copper layer, preventing issues with spacing during compensation.
7. Immersion gold is generally used for high-demand boards, offering better flatness and longevity. It typically does not develop black pads after assembly and provides comparable performance to gold-plated boards in terms of flatness and durability.