International Business Machines Corporation

Yvan Bessette

Nicolas Boyer

Eric Bouchard

Eric Dube

Sarah Turgeon

Camille Dube

A system and method for removing an electronic component from a substrate is described. In one embodiment, a system includes a heating device to heat a substrate, wherein an electronic component such as a microchip is attached to the substrate by one or more solder connections. A thermally conductive picker head is placed in physical contact with the electronic component to apply tension to the electronic component and draw heat away from the electronic component through a thermally conductive interface between the electronic component and the thermally conductive picker head. This ideally generates a uniform temperature gradient across the solder connections. This will allow the electronic component along with most or all of the solder to be removed from the substrate.

System for removing an electronic component from a substrate

A system and method for removing an electronic component from a substrate is described. In one embodiment, a method in accordance with the invention includes initially preheating a substrate, wherein an electronic component (such as a microchip or discrete electronic component) is attached to the substrate by one or more solder connections. A thermally conductive picker head is applied to the electronic component to quench the electronic component and generate a temperature gradient across the solder connections. Tension is applied to the electronic component using the picker head. The substrate is then heated until a melting point is reached at the interface between the substrate and the solder connections. When the melting point is reached, the tension applied by the picker head removes the electronic component from the substrate. Most if not all of the solder associated with the solder connections is removed with the electronic component.

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Granby, Canada

Yvan Bessette