Apr 04, 2011 
Dr. Dietz has conducted tutorials and seminars at major events globally (CPCA, IPC, JPCA, PCMI, TPCA) as well as at private company meetings throughout Germany, Brazil, Taiwan, China and the United States (e.g., Unimicron, KSG Leiterplatten GmbH, Microelectronica, CCTC and Orbotech).
Dr. Dietz is an expert in the area of material and process technology for printed circuit boards (PCB) and substrates. A 43-year veteran of DuPont he has written and presented nearly 300 papers on materials and process technology on these topics. These have appeared globally in trade journals and conference proceedings. Karl has been an invited speaker to more than 50 technical symposia and industry events around the world. He is the author of the landmark book Dry Film Photoresist Processing Technology. He also is the author of the world’s longest continuing technical column appearing in CircuiTree magazine where he is a technical editor. To round out his accolades, he has been named as one of the PCB industry’s 50 most influential people.
There are eight tutorials that comprise the suite:
- Prelamination Surface Preparation: This tutorial introduces the different types of copper surfaces encountered in PCB fabrication. Important chemical and topographical characteristics of surfaces are presented.
- Dry Film Resist Lamination and Resist Tenting: This describes the process of hot roll lamination. Important process parameters affecting resist conformation and adhesion are covered.
- Exposure and Exposure ― LDI (Laser Direct Imaging) & Other Alternatives To Contact Printing: These tutorials cover the generation, storage and proper use of phototools and controls as well as alternatives to contact printing including LDI of photoresist, laser ablation processes and inkjetting of resist. Processes that can generate recessed conductor lines also are presented as well as a variety of other nonconventional circuitizing technologies.
- Plating: This tutorial covers all the various plating processes commonly encountered in PCB fabrication. So-called direct metallization processes also are presented.
- Stripping, Environmental and Health Aspects of Dry Film Resist Processing: This covers all aspects of the dry film resist stripping process, including chemistries and controls.
- Photoresist Aqueous Development: Explains all aspects of aqueous development, including chemistry and controls. Equipment and process parameters such as spray nozzles, conveyor systems, rinsing and rinse water quality are discussed.
- Etching: This tutorial covers copper etching, including different etchant chemistries (e.g., acid cupric chloride, alkaline etchant, ferric chloride and hydrogen peroxide), as well as etchant concentration controls and replenishment.
- HDI, Fine Line Processing and Related Topics: This tutorial covers HDI (high definition imaging) with emphasis on microvia processes, materials and equipment. The more advanced HDI technologies practiced in substrate fabrication will find acceptance in conventional HDI boards and, therefore, will be covered in this tutorial. Additionally, proprietary processes that allow the formation of stacked microvias, core-less structures and "parallel processing" are introduced.
For further information contact Gene Weiner, President of Weiner International Associates at gene@weiner-intl.com; 508-209-2318 or Dr. Karl H. Dietz at karl@weiner-intl.com.
Weiner International Associates (WIA) is a highly focused consultancy serving high-technology corporations and investors in the printed circuit and semiconductor fabrication and contract assembly industries, and their chemical, material, and equipment suppliers.
