to zif or not to zif this is the question

[Paul Jorden]

Posted to CCD-world:
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We used 'RS' style multiple turned pin sockets in the past.  However,
after the pin count gets towards 30 or more, the insertion force is large,
and risky.  Thus for things like Tk1024 and more recent multi-pin CCDs, I
think a ZIF is desirable.
I fully agree with the comments about water, and outgassing, but to some
extent these can be tolerated.  A broken CCD is harder!  
Good luck!

BTW, as Paddy has pointed out, RGO closes down this month, and our email
access has almost dissapeared.

I'd like to take this opportunity of saying thanks to all my friends and
colleagues for cooperation and an interesting time whilst I woprked at
RGO.

I have now accepted a post with EEV, Chelmsford.  I therefore look forward
to keeping in contact with many of my friends and colleagues in the
future, and also with dealing with you all on behalf of EEV.

Best Regards,
Paul
------------
Paul R.Jorden	E-mail:  prj at ast.cam.ac.uk
Royal Greenwich Observatory, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EZ, UK.
Phone: +44 (0) 1223 374000  [direct dial, use -374811]
Fax:   +44 (0) 1223 374700

On Fri, 2 Oct 1998, Peter Moore wrote:

> Posted to CCD-world:
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> Dear Dan,
> 
> I commend your reluctance to use zif sockets and research alternative 
> ways to solve this common problem. Personally I feel that the less 
> 'plastic' there is inside the vacuum space, the better the reliability and 
> the cleaner the enviroment.
> 
> I have never had the opportunity to experiment in this area but suggest 
> that the sprung contacts used for pcb probing might make an excelent 
> detector pin connector. These devices (available from your local rs store 
> :-) are gold coated, bronze telescoping cylinders with a helical spring 
> inside to provide force in making contact to solder pads on pcb's under 
> test. They are available with serrated cup heads that would mate to the 
> bottom of the detector pins and allow z axis travel to absorb the 
> tolerence of the pins and allow the detector to be seated to a reference 
> plane. The disadvantage would be that a 'top down' retaining clamp would 
> be needed to hold the detector against the reference plane and conteract 
> the total pin loading from the sprung contacts. The main unknown is 
> whether the spring force would degrade with 'low' temperature. 
> 
> Hope this may help,
> 	Peter.
> 
>    =+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+ ING +===+===+===+===+===+===+===+=
>  =     Peter Moore, Isaac Newton Group, La Palma Observatory, Spain.     =
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