It al started when I found the LMC555CTP on Farnell, a 555 timer packaged in a chip scale DSBGA 1.4x1.4mm housing. Quite soon after that, mikeselectricstuff posted a small blinkie based around a supercap and microcontroller, I could do that with an 555! Then recently Ted Yapo made an article about the 555 in which he wrote "dead-bugging the DSBGA version would be quite a feat" This all concluded in me dead-bugging this blinkie together.
I started by creating a dead bug style schematic. I flipped the chip and stuck it down to some tapes because physics get weird once you get to chip scale. I then started putting on the 01005 passive components which was quite easy with a JBC C105101 tip. the hardest part came up next, making the wire bridges. If you heat up one of the sides, the other side instantly also heats up. Next up I put the capacitor underneath and soldered the 0201 LED on. I charge the circuit up to 3V and it will blink for about a minute.
Details
Components
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LMC555CTP
Clock and Timer ICs / Timer ICs
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RC0100FR-0710KL
01005 10k resistor
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CRCW01001M00JREL
01005 1M resistor
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APG0603SECTT
0201 LED
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CPH3225A
Capacitors / Electric Double-Layer (EDL)
I see the IC layout is visible. Is it supposed to be covered with epoxy by user (builder) after placing? Is there a danger of accidentally connecting to internal nodes of the circuit?
It seems like there is an electric isolating layer over the bare die, it doesn't take much mechanical force to damage it though. The exposed die can be problematic when it comes to photo-electrics. Dave did a nice video on that, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrDfRCi1UV0
Thanks, I steady my hand by supporting my fingers as close to the chip as possible, i kind of create a leverage which acts as an attenuator for my movements. I have about 100mm working distance with my quite basic stereo microscope, I have included a picture of my setup in the project. I would like to film and explain how I solder this but i don't have any means to film and solder at the same time.
You're not trying to get nearly the same level of magnification when you're soldering as when you're trying to look at something on the cellular level. The stereo scope on our bench only goes up to x4. For biology, you really want to get up in the 100s - 1000s of magnification.
Damn, dude. :-D