LP5996

If you are the field application engineer for this product- Never Mind, you are slow in your response.

 The problem seems to be related to TEXAS INSTRUMENTS quality control department.

The PADS on the devices I have here in the lab are irregular. This results in shorting while in the oven.  Texas Instruments Engineers were unhelpful regarding earlier questions - COMPLETELY as in no response was ever received.

They did manage to send me a survey however, asking what I thought about the support I supposedly was given.

So, If you are having trouble with an LP5996 part, and its too late in the game to switch to a Murata LDO or something similar, you may consider this:

LP5996 pads are not clean and squared. Small tendrils of tin are observable, extending towards the center ground pad. This results in solder paste having a heat path to follow at a key time in the oven profile.

The recommended land pattern (footprint) does not account for this. Try reducing the pad length per lead, it will make a solder bridge less likely.

This was observable on the bench. Do not follow the land pattern under the DSC001A heading of the datasheet.

Reduce the pad length from .6 to .4, this will provided the needed clearance.

Your post was forwarded to the Package Engineering group for their feedback.

Their response:

" As described this is not a drawing problem but a potential Quality problem. The package design is clean. The space between I/O pads and thermal pad is etched, there should not be any burrs extending between them unless there is a problem in the tin plating process after molding. The I/O to DAP space is more than adequate at 0.3mm, lead length is also very standard at 0.4mm, the pad length of 0.6mm mentioned in the comment is extended outside of the package, away from the problem described.”

The Package Engineering qroup requests that you send some pictures of the problem, or better still some bad parts for physical inspection.

If you elect to send photos via this E2E thread, use the 'Rich Text' format, and select the 'Insert/Edit Media' function to upload the photos.  Otherwise, email photos directly to me <Donald.P.Jones@ti.com> and I will forward to the Package Engineeering group.

If you elect to send parts to Santa Clara CA for physical inspection, I will need to get an appropriate contact name and address.