Traceability of printed circuit board assemblies using embedded electronic components

Abstract

Modern electronic industry requires simultaneous monitoring of electronic devices from their production, usage, up to their recycling. Therefore, the traceability system is becoming more and more popular in this modern electronic industry. In this study, such a system working in the ultra-high frequency range was demonstrated. A functional part of the system (sensor) was produced using different technologies that aim to embed chips inside printed circuit boards. The sensors were examined under changing temperature conditions. The achieved results showed that the laminated sensors were more resistant to temperature cycles, although some voids were observed in their structures, which may influence their mechanical properties. All the tested samples remained fully functional after 500 temperature cycles (−40°C to +105°C). The values of the received signal strength indicator measured before and after the temperature exposure did not reveal significant differences. Bearing this in mind, it can be stated that the proposed system can be successfully used in the electronic industry to monitor the operation of different types of devices.