Connecting up very small, curved pins.

[AG12]

As part of an engineering project I have got two nanosecond clock modules for measuring time-of-flight of radio signals, but I'm unsure how to connect them as the pins are unlike any I have seen before.

The clock module itself is about 12.5mm square, with 7 pins on each side, the pins step from about 0.7mm at the top to 0.4mm at the end (see datasheet here: http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/308/MC10E137-D-96374.pdf) the spacing between the pins is around 0.5mm.
The tricky part is how to solder to these pins as they are curved underneath the chip (see pictures). Currently I can only think of bending the pins to act as through-hole pins, bending them further to act as surface-mount pins or soldering single core wire directly to them (very weak, messy and generally a bit of a bodge...).
If anyone has any experience of using similar components or can think of any better way to do it then please let me know.
Kind regards,
Andy

 

[davenn]

Currently I can only think of bending the pins to act as through-hole pins,

NOOOOOO please don't

bending them further to act as surface-mount pins

they can already be used for that as they are
or use the correct IC socket like this wi8th the appropriate pin count

I don't know of any in that style that are designed for through board mounting

some one else may do so


Dave

 

[Audioguru]

Many ICs today are not made for people to solder them. Robots do it. Some ICs are soldered in an oven.

 

[(*steve*)]

This package is certainly not impossible to hand solder. A surface mount socket for it may be (but isn't too hard with an oven).

 

[HellasTechn]

I agree with Audioguru, only above kind of chips are around ever since i remember myself (more than 30 years). I think this specific kind needs stencil and hot air station to be soldered.

You could try soldering them directly on the PCB by creating a solder "hill" between the side of the chip and the PCB surface. Here is a video that may help a little.

I don't know of any in that style that are designed for through board mounting

I beleave you can bend the legs straight, underneath and mount it on a BCB through hole.

 

[(*steve*)]

some one else may do so

I have some, so I know they were available at some stage.

https://www.rockby.com.au/catresultsSql_12.cfm?Stock_no=40628

Just an example. This is a plcc-32 socket, but I have no reason to think that plcc-28 are not similarly available.

I just checked and the same place has them listed as out of stock.

 

[(*steve*)]

Oh, and the pitch is 1.27mm, comparatively huge and almost trivial to hand solder if you know what you're doing.

 

[AG12]

Thank you everyone for the helpful and informative replies, I think I will get hold of two of the plcc-28s just because connecting to them is a lot easier and less permanent than soldering directly to the chip (and I haven't got the means to manufacture a breakout board).

Another question I have is regarding connecting the counter to a raspberry pi so as to use it's 1.2 GHz clock. I know that there can be problems with signal attenuation at such high frequencies in longer wires. Would anyone know what I'll need to do regarding impedance or a maximum length of a connector?

Andy

 

[Externet]

Soldering "J" pins instead of using the socket ---->