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CONFERENCE AWARDS
The SMTA International Technical Conference Awards recognize outstanding achievements in electronics manufacturing, honoring individuals and teams who have demonstrated exceptional innovation, leadership, and contribution to the field.
2024 Conference Award Winners
Best of Proceedings Award
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
"A Comparison of Thermal Cycling and Thermal Shock for Evaluating Solder Joint Reliability"
WINNER: Pradeep Lall, Ph.D., Auburn University
"Potted Assembly Interfacial Reliability and Predictive Models Under Inclined 25000g Mechanical Shock" (Co-authors include Aathi Pandurangan, Padmanava Choudhury, Ken Blecker, Auburn University
WINNER: Jean-Baptiste Libot, Ph.D., Hooke Electronics
"A New Efficient and Easy-to-Use Thermomechanical Reliability Model for Lead-Free Solder Joints" (Co-authors include Philippe Milesi, Hooke Electronics)
Honorable Mention: Burton Carpenter, NXP Semiconductors
"Panel Level Package (PLP) – Scaling up Fan-Out Packaging" (Co-authors include Mollie Flick, KH Mao, Cliff Kuo, Vanessa Tan, NXP Semiconductors)
Honorable Mention: Jayse McLean, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group
"Thermal Shock Testing of High-Reliability Mixed BGA Solder Joints"
Honorable Mention: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
"Thermal Cycling Hybrid, Homogeneous, and Resin Reinforced Low Temperature Solder Ball Grid Array Interconnects at a High Homologous Temperature"
Best Practical and Applications Based Knowledge Award
WINNER: Kenneth Church, NScrypt, Inc.
"Additive Manufactured Electronics for Next Generation Microelectronics"
Honorable Mention: Pradeep Lall, Ph.D., Auburn University
"Sensors and Process-Performance Interactions for Additive In-Mold Electronics in Automotive Applications"
Honorable Mention: Miles Moreau, KIC
"Exploring Thermocouple Attachment Techniques for PCB Thermal Profiling" (Co-authors include Chrys Shea, Shea Engineering; Martin Anselm, Ph.D., Rochester Institute of Technology)
2023 Conference Award Winners
Best of Proceedings Award
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
"A Collaborative Consortia Project to Assess the Effect of Thermal Cycling Dwell Time on the Reliability of High-Performance Solder Alloys" (The work was a joint effort by a large group of co-authors as part of an iNEMI & HDPUG project)
Honorable Mention: Pradeep Lall, Ph.D., Auburn University
"Study of the FCBGA Package Interfaces Reliability Under Monotonic and Fatigue Loads after Sustained High Temperature." (Co-authors include Aathi Pandurangan, Padmanava Choudhury, and Madhu Kasturi, Auburn University)
Honorable Mention: Keith Sweatman, P.E., Nihon Superior
"A Path to Ductile Low Temperature Solders for Mass production of Electronic Assemblies" (Co-authors include Xin Fu Tan, Qichao Hao, Stuart D. McDonald, Michael Bermingham, Kazuhiro Nogita, The University of Queensland; Qinfen Gu, ANSTO; and Tetsuro Nishimura, Nihon Superior)
Honorable Mention: Prabjit Singh, Ph.D., IBM Corporation
"Comparison of Electromigration in Tin-Bismuth Planar and Bottom Terminated Component Solder Joints" (The work was a joint effort by a large group of co-authors as part of an iNEMI project)
Best Practical and Applications Based Knowledge Award
WINNER: Maurice Dore, Valeo
"Managing Thermomechanical Behaviour in Automotive Electronics."
Honorable Mention: David Hillman, Hillman Electronic Assembly Solutions
"Intermetallic Compounds in Solder Alloys: Common Misconceptions." (Co-authors include Tim Pearson, Collins Aerospace; and Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs)
Honorable Mention: Chrys Shea, Shea Engineering Services
"Performance Comparison of Contemporary Stencil Coatings and Under Wipe Solvents on 0.4mm BGA Packages." (Co-authors include Debbie Carboni, KYZEN Corporation; and John Hanerhoff, Garmin International)
2022 Conference Award Winners
Best of Proceedings Award
WINNER: Andrew Mawer, NXP Semiconductors
“Assembly and Reliability of a Novel High Density Dual Row MaxQFP." (Co-authors include Mollie Benson, X.S. Pang, Stephen Lee, J.Z. Yao, Alvin Youngblood, NXP Semiconductors)
WINNER: Keith Sweatman, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd.
"Effect of Strain Rate on the Ductility of Bismuth-Containing Solders." (Co-authors include Tetsuro Nishimura, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd.; Stuart McDonald, Xiaozhou Ye, Qichao Hao, Beatrice Negura, Xin Fu Tan, Kazuhiro Nogita, The University of Queensland)
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
“Thermal Fatigue of QFN and Chip Resistor Solder Joints Assembled with SnPb, SAC305, and SnBi Solders." (Co-authors include Faramarz Hadian, Eric Cotts, Binghamton University; Xinzhi Feng, Martin Anselm, Ph.D., Rochester Institute of Technology; Richard Popowich, Nokia; Lenora Clark, ESI Automotive)
WINNER: Tim Pearson, Collins Aerospace
“Thermal Fatigue Reliability of a 1206 Chip Resistor with High-Performance Pb-Free Solder Alloys." (The work was a joint effort by a group of co-authors as part of the iNEMI Alternative Alloys Program and the High Density Package (HDP) User Group)
Honorable Mention: Aileen Allen, HP Inc.
“A Review of the Impact of Dopants in Sn-Bi Solder Alloys." (Co-authors include Helen Holder, Elizabeth Benedetto, HP Inc.)
Honorable Mention: Jean-Paul Clech, EPSI Inc.
“Predicting the Saturation of Solder Joint Cycles to Failure with Thermal Cycling Dwell Times."
Honorable Mention: Tae-Kyu Lee, Ph.D., Cisco Systems
“Low Melting Temperature Solder Interconnect Thermal Cycling Performance Enhancement using Elemental Tuning." (Co-authors include Kendra Young, Portland State University; Nilesh Badwe, Raiyo Aspandiar, Satyajit Walwadkar, Intel Corporation; Young-Woo Lee, Hui-Joong Kim, Junk-Tak Moon, MK Electron Co., Ltd.)
Honorable Mention: Kevin Byrd, Intel Corporation
“Functional System Observations of Tin-Bismuth Low Temperature Solder Electromigration Behavior." (Co-authors include Brian Franco, Intel Corporation)
Honorable Mention: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
"Improved Thermal Fatigue Reliability of SAC305 due to Mixed Metallurgy Assembly with a High-Performance Bi-Bearing Solder Paste." (Co-authors: Larry Mercanti, John Davignon and Robert Smith, High Density Packaging User Group Project)
2021 Conference Award Winners
Best of Proceedings Award
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D. Nokia Bell Labs
"The Effect of Peak Reflow Temperature on Thermal Cycling Performance and Failure Mode of Hybrid Low Temperature Solder Joints" (Co-authors: Martin Anselm, Faramarz Hadian, Sahana Kempaiah, Anto Raj, Richard Popowich, Lenora Clark, Jason Fullerton, Charmaine Johnson)
WINNER: Luke Wentlent, Universal Instruments Corporation
"Solder Ball Drift Behavior of Hybrid SnAgCu/LTS Solder Interconnects in Accelerated Thermal Cycling" (Co-authors: James Wilcox, Michael Meilunas, Universal Instruments Corporation)
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D., Nokia Bell Labs
"Interim Thermal Cycling Report on Hybrid and Homogeneous LTS Solder Joints" (Co-Authors: Members of the iNEMI LTSPR Project Team)
Honorable Mention: Jean-Paul Clech, EPSI Inc.
"A Modified Coffin-Manson Methodology for Predicting Solder Joint Life in Eutectic Tin-Lead and Lead-Free Assemblies"
Honorable Mention: Andrew Mawer, NXP Semiconductors Inc.
"Hybrid Assembly and Reliability of Conventional Pb-Free BGAs Using Low Temperature Solder Paste for Temperature Sensitive IC Applications" (Co-authors: Mollie Benson, A R Nazmus Sakib, Nihaar Mahatme, Anirban Roy, Paul Ngan, Catherine Pronga)
Honorable Mention: Jagadeesh Radhakrishnan, Intel Corporation
“Mechanical Shock Testing And Failure Analysis On Mixed SnAgCu-BiSn And Full Stack BiSn Solder Joints Of CABGA192 Components" (Co-authors: Members of the iNEMI LTSPR Project Team)
2020 Conference Award Winners
Best of Proceedings Award
WINNER: Richard Coyle, Ph.D. Nokia Bell Labs
"Enhancing Thermal Fatigue Reliability of Pb-Free Solder Alloys with Additions of Bismuth and Antimony" (Co-authors: Charmaine Johnson, Dave Hillman, and Tim Pearson, Collins Aerospace; Michael Osterman, CALCE; Joe Smetana, Nokia; Keith Howell, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd.; Hongwen Zhang and Ji Geng, Indium Corp.; Julie Silk, Keysight Technologies; Derek Daily, Senju Comtek Corp.; Babak Arfaei, SUNY-Binghamton; Ranjit Pandher, Alpha Technologies; Andre Delhaise, Celestica; Stuart Longgood, Delphi Technologies; Andre Kleyner, Aptiv)
Honorable Mention: Andrew Mawer, NXP Semiconductors
"Miniaturized Stacked Die QFN for Tire Pressure Monitoring System Applications" (Co-authors: Mollie Benson, Dwight Daniels, A R Nazmus Sakib, and Vishrudh Sriramprasad, NXP Semiconductors N.V.)
Honorable Mention: Jennifer Bennet, P.E., IBM Corporation
"CBGA and CCGA Field Reliability Predictions Confirmed" (Co-authors: Jim Bielick, Marie Cole, IBM Corporation)
Honorable Mention: Karen Tellefsen, Ph.D. MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
"Advanced SIR Testing for Trapped Solder Paste Flux Residue" (Co-authors: Aurkie Ray, Anna Lifton and Paul Salerno, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions)
Honorable Mention: Keith Sweatman, Ph.D. Nihon Superior Company
"Behaviour and Strengthening Effects of Sb in a Low-Bi Sn-Cu Solder Alloy" (Co-authors: Tetsuro Nishimur, Nihon Superior Co., Ltd.; Sergey A. Belyakov and Christopher M. Gourlay, Imperial College London)
Conference Award Winners
Previous - 2019
Please contact SMTA Headquarters for full listing of previous conference award winners.