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What is SMT Footprint?

Introduction

Surface mount technology (SMT) has become the predominant method of

electronics assembly and component packaging, replacing older

through-hole technology. In SMT, components are directly mounted onto

the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs) without passing leads through

holes. The land pattern or pads on the PCB that connects the component

is known as its “footprint”.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of SMT footprints

encompassing pad geometries, sizes, mask openings, orientations,

specialty pads and how footprint design accommodates components

packaging and joining methods. Guidelines for optimizing and

standardizing footprints are also discussed. By understanding SMT

footprint design, PCB engineers can layout robust and manufacturable

boards.

SMT Footprint Elements

A typical rectangular surface mount component is soldered onto the PCB

through metallized terminals or leads on the underside. The

corresponding SMT footprint consists of the following elements:

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 Pads: Copper pads connect each component terminal to

a conductive trace on the board.

 Soldermask openings: Expose the copper pads while covering other

traces for solder control.

 Silkscreen outline: Indicates component placement and orientation

for assembly.

 Text markings: Identify component designation, polarity etc.

 Fiducials: Alignment markers for pick and place machines.

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Pad Geometries

Pads come in different shapes with dimensional attributes tailored to

component needs:

 Rectangular: Most common pad shape suited for perimeter leads.

 Rounded rectangular: Rounded pad corners reduce stress

concentration.

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 ** Oval**: Accommodates pitches down to 0201 sizes while

allowing sufficient solder volume.

 Square: Used for area-array packages like BGAs, CSPs etc.

 Donut: Ring pad for shielding cans to allow visual solder inspection.

Key pad dimensions include length, width, corner radii, and finished

copper thickness. Typical length/width ratios are 1:1 to 1:1.5. Rounded

corners use 20-25 mil radii. Pad thickness aims for 1-2 oz finished copper.

Pad Sizes

Pad sizes primarily depend on three factors:

1. Lead dimensions: Pad size should match component lead width and

provide sufficient overlap for wetting and adhesion. Excessive

extension beyond the lead is avoided.

2. Solder volume: The pad must accommodate adequate solder to

form a reliable joint. IPC-7351 guidelines provide minimum volumes

based on lead sizes.

3. Solder mask openings: Pads sizes account for

registration tolerances by exceeding mask openings to avoid open

circuits. A 25-50 μm annular ring is typical.

High density components may use smaller pad sizes passing minimal

solder current to maintain soldering yield across adjoining pads.

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Soldermask Openings

The soldermask opening dimensions relative to pads control solder flow

and bridging:

 Width/Length: 25-100 μm greater than pad ensures alignment

tolerance. Too large increases bridging risk.

 Shape: Match pad shape but enlarged evenly on all sides for

uniform wetting.

 Expansion: Can enlarge openings in high vibration areas prone to

solder masking separation from pads.

 Clearance: Minimum 50 μm spacing from adjacent pads, or

proportional to voltage difference.

 Corners: Right-angled corners simplify masking process capability

over rounded.

Orientation Markers

Footprints visually indicate component placement and orientation on the

board using:

 Silkscreen outline: Indicates footprint edges and aligns component

body.

 Polarity marker: Rectangles or triangles denote orientation of

polarized components.

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 Text markings: Component designators and values marked adjacent

to placement.

 Fiducials: Crosshairs or circles designate pick-and-place locations.

Specialty Pad Types

Unique pad configurations are designed to accommodate different

packages:

 Castellated: Edge pad extensions bond to castellated leads

of MEMS and LED packages.

 Thermal: Exposed thermal pads provide enhanced thermal

dissipation path from packages.

 Metal core: Directly bonds components onto exposed metal core

PCBs.

 Compliant interface: Provides stress relief between rigid

components like connectors and PCBs.

 Gull wing: Formed pad recesses allow flush bonding of protruding

gull wing leads.

 Press fit: Plated through holes accept press fit pins for mounting

connectors.

Standardized Footprints

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elegantly

arrange PCB silkscreen

PCB software libraries contain vast collections of manufacturer approved

footprints for common components and packages. Standardized

footprints enable:

 Correct dimensions: Meets component requirements for reliable

assembly.

 Interchangeability: Allows substituting components from different

vendors.

 Design reuse: Eliminates reinventing footprints for repeated

components.

 Manufacturing compatibility: Provides compatible known-good

footprints for fabrication.

However, non-standard custom footprints may still be needed for

innovative package designs.

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Footprint Design Guidelines

Strategies for optimizing SMT footprints include:

 Match pad sizes to lead dimensions with sufficient tolerances. Avoid

overly large pads.

 Incorporate appropriate rounded corners and radii to reduce solder

voiding.

 Utilize polarized markers, fiducials and text for clear component

orientation.

 Expand solder mask openings beyond pads for solder release and

bridging prevention.

 Increase pad spacing in vibration-prone regions.

 Thermally connect large pads to inner plane layers for heat

dissipation.

 Allow for rework and repair access in placement and routing.

 Verify footprints against manufacturer recommendations and PCB

standards.

Conclusion

Designing suitable SMT footprints requires expertise in combining pad

geometries, soldermask openings, thermal considerations and assembly

practices into an optimal layout matching the component. Standardization

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using verified footprints saves time while avoiding field issues. SMT will

continue to evolve with components getting smaller, pads becoming

denser and higher assembly precision requiring even better

understanding of good footprint design principles by engineers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FQA)

Q1: What is the typical copper thickness used for surface mount pads?

A1: 1 oz (35 μm) is suitable for most SMT pads. Higher current pads may

use 2 oz (70 μm) thickness. Electroless nickel-immersion gold (ENIG)

plating provides solderability.

Q2: How are soldermask openings aligned to pads in actual PCB

fabrication?

A2: Soldermasks are photo-imaged using the same copper pad images on

the PCB layers to achieve self-aligned openings. This removes need for

precise registration of separate soldermask layers.

Q3: Why should thermal pads be connected to inner plane layers?

A3: Connecting exposed thermal pads directly to internal ground

or power planes allows heat conduction from components through vias

into the planes for effective spreading and cooling.

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Q4: What is the typical clearance between copper pads and neighboring

soldermask openings?

A4: A minimum 50 μm clearance is typical to avoid solder bridging

between adjacent traces. Higher voltage differences require larger spacing

proportional to voltage.

Q5: How does footprint design accommodate densely packed fine

pitch ICs and components?

A5: Miniaturized pads, tighter spacing and pitch matching, smaller

rounded corners, and thin soldermask expansion gaps enable mounting

fine-pitch components. Laser direct imaging improves resolution.

Related Posts:

1. What’s the Difference Between SMD and NSMD in BGA Footprint?

2. The Significance of a Footprint in PCB Design

3. AD7998BRU-0’s Small-Footprint TSSOP FPGA Design

4. What is the best waterproof coating for electronics?

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