Nov 6 2009
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This article briefly describes the other applications of gold. In addition to gold-based finishes on contacts and connectors, and gold-bonding wires in semiconductor devices, gold is also used in other applications.
These applications include:
- Gold-based solder alloys
- Sputtered gold metallization
- Thick- and thin-film gold paste applications
- Solderable gold-based coatings for printed circuit boards
Solder Gold
With the help of a melt, solder gold alloys are used for joining the metallic surfaces. This melt reacts with both the surfaces to be linked, and forms a bond after solidification. Most often, alloys are based on gold along with either gallium, nickel, copper, silicon, or germanium.
Thick- and Thin-Film Gold Pastes for Printed Circuits
Additional uses of gold are thick- and thin-film pastes, wherein a circuit is printed on a ceramic base by using an ink-like paste. This paste contains gold and sputtering targets that are used in the production of thin metallization coatings.