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The explosion of SMT and highly-density packages has resulted in more complex and higher density board designs in order to incorporate more features into products while reducing overall package size. This has, in tum, created major challenges for the surface mount manufacturing process, particularly in solder screen printing, component placement, and reflow soldering. Investigation into these areas will contribute to our understanding of the origin of post reflow defects in surface mount assembly and improvement in product quality. The thesis particularly explores empirically the relationship between screen printed paste deposit, the final joint geometry and the fluxing behaviour within the reflowing solder. The thesis also demonstrates the effect of modified screen printing parameters and the lead geometry.

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Two novel microreactor cells for the investigation of catalysts by in-situ infrared spectroscopy under microwave and conventional heating are presented. A transmission infrared microreactor cell is demonstrated which holds a pressed catalyst disc in a controlled atmosphere and allows study of reactions from ambient temperatures to over 473 K. A cell that allows diffuse reflectance spectroscopy under reaction conditions up to 373 K under microwave heating and 423 K under conventional heating is also described. The optical characteristics of these cells are determined by the choice of CaF2 as the window material, allowing transmission from 77000-1110 cm−1. An oscillating microwave power heating regime was used to study the oxidation of carbon monoxide in air over the supported platinum catalysts EUROPT-1 and EUROPT-3, and their support oxides in these cells. The reaction was followed by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Both displayed a number of features that oscillated with the same frequency as the microwave perturbation. Production of CO2 appeared to vary with temperature in the same manner whether the catalysts were heated conventionally or with microwave radiation. Although no specific microwave effect for this reaction was observed, accurate thermometry within the cells was limited through the constraints imposed by microwave heating. Preliminary infrared emission and liquid phase experiments using the transmission cell are also reported.

This thesis presents analysis and characterization of performance of a newly designed, multicolor quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP). Specifically, it focuses on a detector capable of detecting infrared emissions in the near infrared (NIR), mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR). Through photocurrent spectroscopy and performance analysis, this prototype detector can be classified and prepared for possible future use within the U.S. Armed Forces. Certain military applications require a highly accurate, reliable, sensitive, and multispectral infrared detector to identify targets and ensure mission success. By designing and fabricating a multicolor quantum well infrared photodetector, simultaneous detection of targets in the near infrared, mid-wavelength infrared and long-wavelength infrared is possible using only one detector. In addition, power and cooling requirements for quantum well infrared detectors makes them suitable for use in the field. / US Navy (USN) author.