| Alignment |
To be lined up - row-by-row, line-by-line, in precise order for accurate placement |
| Adapter |
A socket that provides a thru-hole pin-out for a SMT device |
| Articulating (arm) |
One independently movable section of two-sectioned arm |
| Assembly |
Refers to fitting of parts together into an end product, i.e. Assembly Line |
| Au |
Periodic table's reference to gold |
| BeCu |
Beryllium Copper - commonly used pin plating |
| Bent-and-formed |
Same as stamped & formed. Low-cost machine-crimped socket pins |
| BGA |
Ball Grid Array, with solder bumps instead of leads in pin grid arrays. |
| Burn-In |
Stress-testing at accelerated temperature. |
| Carrier |
For sockets, it is a plastic, ceramic |
| Chip Carrier |
Package with I/O connections on 4 sides, may be leaded or leadless. |
| Conductive |
Carrier of static rapidly to ground |
| Contact |
Conductive element in a socket that transfers electrical energy |
| Converter |
Providing a change in package from one to another (QFP to BGA) |
| CPGA |
Ceramic pin grid array. |
| CSP |
Chip Scale Packaging. A style of IC package with contact pads instead of pins or wires. When near the size of the silicon die, it is known as wafer-level chip scale packaging (WL- CSP). |
| DDR |
Double Data Rate SDRAM memory |
| Diopter |
Refers to the curvature of the lens 3-diopter = 75% bigger than eye |
| DIP |
Dual-Inline Pin; two rows lined up horizontally |
| Dissipative |
Carrier that attracts static quickly, diffusing it and directs it to ground. |
| EIAJ |
Japanese equivalent of JEDEC. |
| Emulator |
An instrument, which makes it possible to imitate the behavior of a microprocessor. |
| EEPROM |
Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory |
| Ergonomic |
Design for body comfort without strain or muscle tension over time |
| ESD |
Electro-Static-Discharge |
| Extraction Force |
Force necessary to separate a device lead from socket contact. |
| Fab |
Abbreviation for fabrication, the process of inserting parts into circuit boards. |
| Fine Pitch |
Pad centers of .025” or less on chip carriers. |
| Flat Pack |
Surface-mount package with leads on both sides, on .050" centers. |
| Flux |
Material used to promote the fusion or joining of metals in soldering. |
| FCPGA |
Flip-Chip Pin Grid Array - Similar to the PPGA except the silicon core is facing up and the heat slug is exposed. |
| Grid |
A matrix of north-south, east-west points of contact, on .100 or .050 ctr. |
| Gull-Wing |
Wire SMT contact formed into horizontal outstretch, bent down and out again. |
| High Density |
Usually refers to contacts very close together (.050) on a PC board. |
| High Reliability Socket |
Constructed for long service, reliability. Sockets such as screw-machined types have barrel contacts with a clip insert for multiple touch-points and meet high quality control levels. |
| IC |
Integrated Circuit (semiconductor device). Includes microprocessors and memory chips. |
| Insulator |
Plastic carrier for socket pins. |
| Interposer |
Plastic carrier that facilitates one footprint to be converted to another . |
| Interstitial |
PGA with staggered leads on alternate rows to provide .050 spacing. |
| JEDEC |
Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council. Established standards for chip carriers. |
| J-Lead |
Wrap-around leads sequenced around the edges of PLCC devices. |
| Joint (solder) |
Point where two metals are joined together in solder application. |
| Kelvin Contact |
Combination of two contacts making connection with power device lead. |
| LCC |
Leadless chip carrier |
| LIF |
Low Insertion Force, the minimum amount of force needed to insert or extract a chip processor. |
| Matrix |
Another term for Grid; example: 15x15 matrix, or 15x15 grid |
| Meg |
1 million |
| MegOhm |
1 MegOhm resistor in wrist straps limits current flow. |
| Microinches µ |
Refers to amount of metal plating on contacts or terminals. |
| Mils |
Increments in 10th of inch; Vs mm (millimeters) |
| Microinches µ |
Refers to amount of metal plating on contacts or terminals. |
| MLF |
Socket also known as QFN socket. |
| NiBo |
Nickel Boron, lower cost alternative to gold plating of contacts in test sockets. |
| OEM |
Original Equipment Manufacturer |
| Ohm |
Measurement of resistance to current flow. |
| Package |
Refers to type of IC device housing, i.e. BGA Package. |
| PCB |
Printed Circuit Board |
| PGA |
Pin Grid Array |
| Prototype |
First article, initial production run. |
| PQFP |
Plastic Quad flat pack. JEDEC approved package for chips from 44-304 leads. |
| Quad Pack |
Another term for PLCC's, (plastic leaded chip carriers). |
| QFN |
Quad flat package with no leads. |
| QFP |
Quad flat package |
| Pin Pattern |
Placement design of pins for PGA pkg., or balls on BGA package. |
| Pitch |
Spacing from pin to pin 1.00=100 mils; 1.27-.050 mils. |
| Plating |
Metal coating around contact, or around terminal. |
| Population |
Refers to number of pins filing the holes on a socket grid plate. |
| Receptacle |
Also called, "socket saver". Used for socketing a costly socket to avoid replacement. |
| Rework |
Refers to the removal and replacement of components or interconnects. |
| SDIP |
Skinny Dual In-Line Package. 24 & 28 pin DIP devices. Row spacing is .300". |
| SIP |
Single In-Line Package |
| Slam Pack |
Square ceramic package, always socketed. Looks like an LCC. |
| SMT |
Surface Mount Technology, direct mounting. |
| SMD |
Surface Mount Device (such as QFP, BGA, SOIC, TQFP). |
| SOIC |
Small Outline Integrated Circuit |
| Socket |
Ordered array of female receptacle contacts for receiving or being plugged into. |
| Solder Process |
Soldering method using rosin core, water-soluble, or no clean solder. |
| Spacing |
Refers to distance between rows, or between pins (pitch). |
| Surface Mount |
Direct mount of sockets and chip carriers onto the surface of a PC board. |
| Test Socket |
Designed for testing multiple insertions of an IC in two types: clam shell and open top. |
| TO |
Transistor Outline - discrete devices such as TO 220, PSIP |
| TQFP |
Thin Quad Flat Package with gull-wing leads, used especially for space conscious applications. |
| Thru-Hole |
Pins affixed to device through holes in printed circuit board. |
| Universal DIP |
A dual-in-line socket that accommodates both .300 and .600 width spacing. |
| Wetting |
Keeping a solder tip coated with tin (tinned) to prevent oxidation. |
| Wick |
Copper braid used to absorb molten solder for PCB repairs. |
| Wicking |
Migration of solder up the socket contact into the device, shorting it. |
| Wire Wrap |
Technique of winding wire either 2 or 3 times around a terminal. |
| ZIF |
Zero Insertion Force. Same as Zero Insertion Pressure. Designed for easy insertion and removal of IC's. |
| ZIP |
Zig-Zag In-Line Package. DIP leads are all on one edge in staggered .050 pattern. |
| ZIP DIP |
Zero Insertion Pressure Dual In-line (Dip) sockets for test and burn-in. |