RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

A Look at the Protective Capabilities of Parylene Coating

The surfaces of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are protected with parylene

coating because of the excellent protective features of the coating. As

a conformal coating process, it is one of the ways you can keep the circuit

board components safer.

In this article, we let you into some of the protective capabilities of the

parylene c coating process.

Table of Contents

What is PCB Coating?

Let us start by understanding the meaning of coating. When a PCB is said

to be “coated,” it means that it has had some thin, protective materials

applied to the surface. These materials are responsible for preventing a

direct contact between the PCB components and the environment. To this

end, important parts like the exposed metal, component leads and solder

joints are protected with the help of the coating.

What is Parylene Coating?

It is one of the different types of coating options you can explore to

protect the circuit board’s components.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Parylene coating is defined as a conformal coating comprising of a thin

film coating technology, which is used to improve the capabilities of

devices. You can also use parylene coating to integrate excellent moisture

and chemical protection on these devices.

Request Parylene Coating PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Step-by-Step Parylene Coating Process

Parylene Coating PCB

The steps to coating a device or a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) with the

parylene coating is divided into four processes.

Each of these processes are important and when followed to the latter;

helps to bolster the device or PCB component’s protection.

1. Adhesion Process

This is the initial process and it entails the solidification of the bond

between the underlying substrate and the parylene.

2. The Masking Process

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

The creation of a mask is for two purposes. The first is to demarcate or

create a space between the protected areas on the PCB and the other

areas that were not coated. The second purpose is to prevent the

extension of the parylene to the areas or surfaces that needed to be kept

free of the coating.

3. The Coating Process

The main coating process starts after the mask has been applied. It is

preceded by the placement of the PCB components or parts on a fixture.

This fixture is then loaded into the vacuum deposition chamber.

The following are some of the techniques used in the parylene coating

process:

 The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process is used for the

coating. The deposition method includes the vaporization of the

parts up to 150-degree Celsius, followed by the pyrolyzed process of

up to 650-degree Celsius. It is to be followed by the use of up to

22-degree Celsius of vapor-deposition into the parts.

 Room temperature must be used during the coating process.

 A specialized vacuum deposition equipment should be used too.

4. Post-Coating Processes

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

This refers to the different implementations to be made after the PCB

components have been coated.

The post-coating processes include, but are not limited to:

 Parylene Coating Thickness Measurement: the thickness of the

parylene films is to be measured. The measurement process

requires the direct placement of spectral reflectance on the PCB

parts.

 Remove the Mask: when the parylene coating thickness’

measurement is completed, you can then remove the mask. Take

care not to fracture the coating’s fixture while at it.

 Inspection: after the parylene coating removal, the PCB parts would

then be inspected. The inspection is carried out for a wide range of

reasons, such as validating the presence of the quality attributes

and the meeting up with the client’s requirements. Some of the

quality attributes specify the adhesion-testing, coating thickness

and area of coverage.

 Product Labeling: the completion of the microscopic-inspection of

the components ushers-in the packaging of the parts. Proper

labeling, as per the client’s requirements must be followed.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Shipping: we can help ship your parylene-coated PCBs in real-time.

Depending on the volume or quantity, you should expect to have

the parts in a couple of days.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Parylene Deposition Method

There are a couple of things you need to know about how the deposition

of parylene conformal coating is done.

1. Temperature Consideration

The deposition process is done at ambient temperature. For this purpose,

a specialized vacuum deposition equipment or specialized vacuum system

is used.

2. Molecular Level Basis

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

The deposition process takes place at a molecular level, which signifies the

deposition or placement of molecules on each of the parts placed in the

vacuum chamber.

The molecular deposition process is also significant for the following

reasons:

 It leads to the creation of an even conformal coating that covers the

sharp points, grooves, gaps and crevices on the parts.

 The molecular deposition process also aids the excellent control of

the thickness.

 It also bolsters the growth of the films, a molecule at a time.

3. The Parylene Deposition Process

The steps involved in placing the molecules via the deposition include:

 Parts’ Fixture: the parts are fixed into a vacuum coating chamber.

 Dimer Heating: “dimer” refers to the solid, granular/powdery

material, which is used for the process. It is placed inside the

vaporizer, and heated at a higher temperature. The process leads to

the losing of the “double-molecule structure,” and the outcome is

the reduction to a “single molecule vapor.” The heating process

leads to the turning of the dimer from the solid state to a dimeric

gas.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Vapor Polymerization: the gas is then pyrolized to cleave the dimer

to its “monomeric form.” It is important to mention that the process

typically requires the flow of the dimer into the pyrolysis furnace,

where additional heat is added to the dimer. This is what leads to

the conversion to monomer vapor.

 Gas Deposition: it is then time to deposit the gas or monomer gas

onto the PCB parts’ surface. It is first moved into a

room-temperature deposition chamber, where the vapor

polymerizes onto the substrate. The deposition is in the form of thin,

transparent and uniform polymer film.

Types of Parylene Coating

Up to four (4) different types are available for parylene coating PCB. They

include:

1. Parylene C

It is a type of parylene coating comprising of a combination of carbon and

hydrogen. This is why it features both the dielectric and barrier properties.

The composition of an atom of chlorine in place of one hydrogen atom per

molecule is the reason why it features low permeability. Some of the

characteristics are:

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Higher moisture resistance.

 Support for thicker layer application.

 It offers better protection from corrosive gases and chemicals.

 Parylene C has cost and processing advantages, especially due to

the less machine time.

2. Parylene D

Although it is much like Parylene C, the Parylene D coating type use two

atoms of chlorine in place of two hydrogen atoms. It also features a

slightly higher temperature tolerance and up to 100-degree Celsius of

assembly protection.

The benefits of choosing it include:

 It holds high when exposed to higher temperatures.

 It features improved electrical properties and physical strength

characteristics.

3. Parylene F

This type of parylene coating comes in handy for the applications where

the Parylene D don’t hold up. For example, it is more resistant to

Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure than the Parylene D.

The properties include but are not limited to:

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 The formation of four (4) fluorine atoms on the aromatic carbons.

 It has good crevice penetration.

 It is capable of operating at higher temperatures.

Note: it is better to use the Parylene F coating for the medical

device applications, especially those requiring higher temperatures. On

the flipside, the raw materials are quite expensive and it has a slower

deposition time.

4. Parylene N

As one of the most popular parylene coating types, Parylene N has a linear

structure and has a carbon-hydrogen combination on each of the

molecules. It is often considered to be the basic structure of the Parylene

coating types, due to the following properties:

 Low dielectric constant that doesn’t change due to frequency

discrepancies or changes.

 During the deposition process, it becomes more molecular-active.

 Low dissipation factor.

 The increased crevice penetration prepares the way for the coating’s

penetration into smaller openings and tubes.

 It is typically used with applications or devices requiring higher

frequencies.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 The melting point is up to 788˚F or 420-degree Celsius.

 It has a higher dielectric strength.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Parylene Coating vs. Non-Conformal Coating

PCB Assembly conformal coating

There are two (2) major coating processes for Printed Circuit Boards

(PCBs). These are the conformal and the non-conformal processes.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

For the conformal, which is what the parylene coating process is all about,

it entails the application of a non-conductive material on a thin coating

over the PCB’s surface. Some of the covered surfaces are the components,

substrate, solder joints and exposed metal.

On the other hand, the non-conformal coating process requires a thicker

coating procedure that covers the entirety of the board.

Thus, the difference between the two is that the parylene coating process

covers only specific surfaces, while the non-conformal coating procedure

covers most of the board’s surfaces.

Conclusion: Work with Parylene Coating Companies

The process of applying a parylene coating on the board’s surface requires

precision and the technical know-how. This is why working with RayPCB is

a step in the right direction. We are one of the few companies you can

trust on to apply the thin conductive material all over the required

surfaces on your PCB, while making sure that the material conforms to the

board area’s contours.

Contact us today with your requirements to get started.

Related Posts:

1. What is The most advanced PCB Manufacturing Capability ?

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

2. Capabilities and Benefits of MLO PCB

3. What are the Capabilities and Processes Involved in Custom PCB

Assembly?

4. Advanced Capabilities, Features, and Benefits of Proteus PCB

https://www.raypcb.com/parylene-coating/

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/