AIM Your Partner in LED Electronics

AIM Solder is committed to offering high-quality solder alloys and flux chemistries for the LED, miniLED, high power LED and novel microLED industries. Our partnerships with global leaders in assembly technology and manufacturing help AIM develop solutions for the rapidly expanding LED lighting and display market. Read more to learn about our LUX line of products designed to solve your LED assembly challenges. 

AIM offers solutions for LED applications including automotive, commercial lighting, and innovative display technologiesAs one of the world’s largest suppliers of Type 6 solder paste, AIM has the experience to provide process development guidance combined with innovative product offerings to miniLED display assemblers.

AIM’s LUX line of products: REL alloys, silver-free, and void-free solder pastes combined with Type 6 alloy powders are formulated to improve existing LED technologies and address future needs. 

 

Click here to view the AIM LUX Product Line Card

 

 


Recommended AIM LUX LED Solder Products

Below please find a list of AIM's recommended products designed primarily for LED applications.

 

AIM REL22TM Solder Alloy

• 2.5X Increased Thermal Cycling Performance Compared to SAC Alloys

• Voiding <5% for Improved Thermal Management 

 Outperforms First Generation High Reliability Alloys

 Available in Bar, Solder Wire & Solder Paste

 

AIM REL61TM Solder Alloy

 Low Silver, Cost Saving Alloy

 Reduces Void Formation Preventing LED Overheating

 Passes LED HTOL Testing

 Available in Bar, Solder Wire & Solder Paste

 

AIM SN100C Solder Alloy

• Silver-Free

 Widely Accepted Replacement for SAC Alloys

 Available in Bar, Solder Wire & Solder Paste

 T6 and Finer Powders Available

 

AIM NC259 T6 Series Solder Paste

 Precise Print Definition and High Print Transfer Efficiencies  

 Nitrogen Reflow Compatible

 Improves Wetting

 High Shear Strength Solder Joints

 High Tack Force 

 T6 and Finer Powders Compatible 

 

AIM M8 Solder Paste

 High Print Transfer Efficiencies for 01005 and Low Area Ratio Components

 <5% Voiding Reduces LED Overheating

 Minimal, Transparent Residue on White Substrates

• 8+ Hour Stencil Life 

 

AIM NC273LT Low Temperature Solder Paste

 Formulated for use with Bismuth Low Temperature Alloys

 <170°C Reflow 

 Reduces Component Warpage

 Excellent Wetting, No Solder Balls 

 Low Residue – Low Voiding

 8+ Hour Stencil Life 

 

AIM Tacky Flux

 High Tack for Mini LED Assembly

 Improves Wetting

• Suitable for Dipping/Pin Transfer/Mass Transfer

 Compatible with all AIM No Clean Solder Pastes

 


 

MiniLED and MicroLED Applications 

Ultra-miniature LED technology is creating new boundaries for component assembly technology.  From print to reflow, traditional SMT technologies need to be rethought and refined to satisfy the needs of miniLED assembly.  Novel equipment and practices require equally innovative materials to construct the latest display technology.  AIM has a dedicated staff of R&D chemists and field engineers working with our industry partners to develop products to meet emerging needs.  

The single most challenging aspect of miniLED assembly is scale.  The small scale of these miniLED components and the massive scale of the assembly.  Tens if not hundreds of thousands of devices must be precisely placed and reflowed on a single display panel at production line speeds.  This requires solder pastes that are capable of printing fifty thousand paste deposits whose size is measure in microns with a single squeegee stroke with no skips and no misses twenty-four hours a day.  AIM NC259 series of solder pastes has proven this is possible.

Reflow of miniLED presents new challenges.  With Type 6 solder paste quickly becoming commonplace and Type 7 applications predicted soon, the reflow equation is changing.  Reflow in nitrogen is required to facilitate the use of these ultra-fine powders.  This places new demands on solder pastes and represents new opportunities.  Entirely new classes of fluxes are in development to maximize solder joint quality and to improve flux residue characteristics.

In addition to traditional solder pastes, new materials are being deployed for new assembly processes.  Tacky fluxes which are used to fix components in place prior to reflow and to provide the fluxing chemistry during reflow are a new variant of an existing technology.  AIM TF series of fluxes have properties specially developed to application requirement.  Whether component mass-transfer, pin-transfer or flux dipping, AIM has a Tacky Flux material optimized for your application.

 

AIM’s LED Technology Roadmap

01005, M0201 and MiniLED

• 100% first pass yield on 100um x 100um pads

• SAC and silver-free alloy options

• Full coalescence of T6 and finer powders

• REACH and RoHS compliant formulas ensure worldwide environmental compliance

• High reliability/Shear testing

• Long stencil life

• Compatible with tacky flux

• Clear minimal residue

 


 

LED Display Applications

 

Major competitors in the display market today fit into two categories: OLED and LCD. The main difference between OLED and LCD components is that OLED pixels illuminate independently while LCDs illuminate using a direct LED backlight. The backlight of LCDs causes the blackest blacks to still appear greyish, while OLED pixels shut off completely.

Engineers have created darker darks and brighter brights in LCDs by increasing the number and reducing the size of LED components, hence Mini LED, and by creating local dimming zones. Local dimming zones reduce the blooming or haloing effect of a bright object in the dark by reducing the power to the components surrounding the bright pixels. New mini LEDs achieve a higher lumen level, or higher peak brightness than OLEDs, which allows them to create a greater contrast ratio and can be found in smart watches, tablets and Tvs today.

Following the trend of miniaturization, micro LEDs may just sound like smaller mini LEDs, but are more like OLEDs. OLEDs contain an organic compound layer to emit light while micro LEDs contain an inorganic compound layer which requires less power to produce the same or increased brightness (lumens). The mutual benefit of the technology they share is that each pixel may be lit independently. What sets them apart from OLEDs is that they do not pose the same “burn in” risk. Burn in can occur in OLEDs when an image is shown for so long that the image is permanently visible or “burnt in” to the screen. Micro LED assembly takes place on a new scale of miniature. AIM’s R&D understands the challenges faced in the field which helps keep us on the cutting-edge of product development. AIM’s LUX line of products for LED assembly combined with our global technical support enables us to be the world’s largest T6 solder paste supplier. 


 

High Reliability and Automotive LED Applications 

 

The experience of driving a vehicle is evolving rapidly and miniLEDs are lighting the way. Whether it’s the backlight display on a dashboard, infotainment systems, rearview mirror displays, or advanced dynamic beam (ADB) systems, miniLEDs have found their spot in the automotive market. MicroLEDs are also finding their way into cars as they are proving to keep up with the durability requirements of the automotive industry while delivering some of the best picture quality available on the market. MicroLEDs are found in applications like Head Up Displays (HUDs) and can produce a great enough contrast to view the display on a sun-light background.

The automotive industry maintains some of the strictest reliability standards since their products are exposed to extreme temperature changes, humidity, sunlight, and vibration. AIM is an ideal partner in the high reliability and automotive lighting industry. Our products have been developed to perform in harsh environments and our technical support engineers are prepared to solve the challenges posed by LED, miniLED and microLED implementation in high reliability and automotive assemblies. 

AIM’s Lux line for LED assembly includes high reliability REL22™ alloy and M8 No Clean Solder Paste which offers improved mechanical performance and surface insulation compared to SAC305 and competitor pastes.  

 

High Power and Harsh Operating Environments:

• AIM’s REL22™ solder alloy combined with our advanced flux formulations more than double thermal cycling performance for longer LED lifespan

• Low voiding pastes and alloys improve thermal dissipation on BTC LED packages

• REACH and RoHS compliant formulas ensure worldwide environmental compliance

• 1000+ hour electrochemical testing reduces risk of electrical failures

• Passes HTOL testing


 

Industrial and Commercial LED Applications

 

The push to become more environmentally friendly and the desire to reduce energy costs has increased the need for LED lighting in the industrial and commercial lighting market segments. Applications that require significantly higher light levels (lumens) without high heat output have made the switch to high power LEDs. The unique thermal management structure of LEDs allows them to be used in extreme environments for long periods of time. Making them an ideal choice for many industrial applications.

LEDs emit light in narrow wavelengths, which enables their superior energy efficiency. They are also much smaller and are highly customizable. They produce a wide range of brighter colors that can be fixed onto flexible substrates and can be found in a variety of commercial lighting applications.

AIM offers high-quality and energy efficient solutions for industrial and commercial LED applications. Our formulations are designed for use in high performance environments and aid in thermal management of high-power LED components. AIM’s REL61™, a low silver, cost saving alloy reduces void formation which prevents LED overheating. AIM also offers reduced/low temperature soldering solutions which helps reduce component warpage during reflow. No matter the application, AIM’s Applications Lab is available to investigate your LED assembly challenges using state-of-the-art equipment and analysis techniques. 

 

High Yield Low-Cost LED Lighting Products: 

• High reliability, SAC, and silver-free alloy options

• AIM’s REL22™ solder alloy combined with our advanced flux formulations double thermal cycling performance for longer LED lifespan

• A drop-in for SAC305 processes, AIM’s REL61™ solder alloy dramatically reduces cost with no loss of production yields or product reliability

• AIM’s NC273LT low temperature solder paste or <170°C reflow temperature

• Low voiding solder paste and alloys improve thermal dissipation on BTC LED packaging

• REACH and RoHS compliant formulas ensure worldwide environmental compliance

• 1000+ hour electrochemical testing reduces risk of electrical failures

• Passes HTOL testing