Polarity effect of electromigration on intermetallic compound formation in SnPb solder joints

The polarity effect of electromigration on the interfacial reactions of micro ball grid array (μBGA) solder joints was studied in terms of microstructural evolution. A dummy μBGA package with the same pair of solder joints was used to obtain reproducible results for a practical application. The μBGA package with Ni(P)/SnPb/Ni(P) structure showed a polarity effect on intermetallic compound (IMC) formation after stress by a current density of 3.0 × 10³ A cm^?2 at 120 °C, compared to the no-current case. Electric current enhanced the growth of Ni₃Sn₄ at the anode and retarded it at the cathode because of the change in Sn diffusion induced by electromigration. The IMC growth at the anode was about one order of magnitude faster than that at cathode. The growth of IMC at the anode had a parabolic dependence on time since the square of thickness of IMC increases linearly with time. The real μBGA package has unique and more complicated geometry compared to ordinary diffusion couples. So not only the polarity growth of IMC but also the fast dissolution of Cu and Ni at specific positions was found with the μBGA package. The unique geometry of μBGA solder joints caused heat generation at the upside interfaces due to Joule heating. Because of the heat generation and the high interfacial energy at the triple point of upside interfaces, the electroless Ni(P) finishes and Cu trace are consumed rapidly in the region where the current is crowded. Thus electromigration induced the rapid dissolution of Ni and Cu into solder and then formed (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ at the triple point of the current crowding region at high temperature. This is a rapid failure process because the localized fast dissolution of Ni and Cu accelerated the solid-state reaction between solder and electroless Ni(P) or Cu trace.     

Retarding the electromigration effects to the eutectic SnBi solder joints by micro-sized Ni-particles reinforcement approach

Electromigration (EM) has become one of the reliability concerns to the electronic solder joint due to its increasing capacity to bear the high current density (10⁴ A/cm²). Although the failure induced by EM can trigger a large void across the entire cathode interface, no effective solutions are presented throughout years of effort on this problem. Here, the composite solder joints are addressed to demonstrate their potential roles on solving the EM issue in the eutectic SnBi solder joints. Micro-sized Ni particles were selected to intentionally add into the solder matrix due to their extensive application as a barrier layer in the under-bump-metallization (UBM) of flip chip solder joints. The ultimate results illustrated that the Ni particles can react with Sn to form the cluster-type Sn-Ni intermetallic compounds (IMCs) inside the solder matrix after the first reflow. Accordingly, the phase segregation of Sn and Bi was significantly inhibited during the current stressing, demonstrating the Sn-Ni IMCs can act as the obstacles to obstruct the movement of dominant diffusion entity (Bi atoms/ions) along the phase boundaries.     

The creep properties of lead-free solder joints

This paper describes the creep behavior of three tin-rich solders that have become candidates for use in lead-free solder joints: Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu, and Sn-0.7Cu. The three solders show the same general behavior when tested in thin joints between copper and Ni/Au metallized pads at temperatures between 60‡C and 130°C. Their steady-state creep rates are separated into two regimes with different stress exponents. The low-stress exponents range from ∼3–6, while the high-stress exponents are anomalously high (7–12). Strikingly, the high-stress exponent has a strong temperature dependence near room temperature, increasing significantly as the temperature drops from 95°C to 60°C. The anomalous creep behavior of the solders appears to be due to the dominant tin constituent. Research on creep in bulk samples of pure tin suggests that the anomalous temperature dependence of the stress exponent may show a change in the dominant mechanism of creep. Whatever its source, it has the consequence that conventional constitutive relations for steady-state creep must be used with caution in treating tin-rich solder joints, and qualification tests that are intended to verify performance should be carefully designed.     

The orientation imaging microscopy of lead-free Sn-Ag solder joints

Orientation imaging microscopy was used to identify solidification microstructures and early stages of damage evolution in tin-silver eutectic solder joints on copper and nickel substrates after aging, creep, and thermomechanical fatigue. A visco-plastic self-consistent plasticity model was able to simulate texture changes when work hardening occurred at higher strain rates, but not with lower rates, where grain boundary sliding dominated the deformation and slip occurred predominantly on one or two slip systems that could be predicted using a Schmid (Sachs) analysis. A.U. Telang (currently employed at Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, Oregon) completed his Ph.D. in 2004, with Associate Professor     

无铅焊点力学性能的研究现状与趋势

综述了“无铅化”背景下无铅焊点力学性能研究的热点问题,着重讨论了无铅焊点的拉伸、剪切、蠕变、疲劳性能以及微观力学响应的特性,以达到获得高强度、高可靠性无铅焊点的研究目的.国内外大量的研究表明,无铅焊点的强度特性、塑性变形行为、微观组织演化、失效机理等相互紧密联系,是所含材料的宏观个认识已经深入到微米及纳米的层次.对无铅焊点力学性能在多学科交叉,新技术不断应用的背景下的研究与发展趋势进行了展望.     

Aspects of the structural evolution of lead-free solder joints

Studies of the formation of intermetallic compounds at some lead-free solder/metallization interfaces are briefly reviewed in this article. SnAgCu/Ni and SnAgCu/Cu interfaces are examined in particular. It has been found that (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ forms at SnAgCu/Ni interfaces until copper is depleted from the solder matrix. This article also contrasts the formation of (Au,Ni)Sn₄ and related compounds in PbSn/Ni solder joints and lead-free solder joints.     

The inspection of solder joints on printed circuit boards by phase-shift holographic interferometry

The principle of inspecting solder joints on printed circuit boards (PCBs) by phase-shift holographic interferometry is described. By using this technique, defective solder joints can be easily distinguished from good ones without analysing complicated holographic interferograms. Experiment shows that most defects in solder joints, such as breaks and voids, can be detected successfully.     

引线框架铜合金材料与SnAg3.0Cu0.5的界面组织

采用扫描电镜和能谱分析等手段研究了3种不同引线框架用铜合金材料与SnAgCu钎料的界面结构,3种铜合金引线框架材料与SnAg3.0Cu0.5焊膏焊后未经时效的界面组织相似.焊点在160℃恒温时效300 h后,Cu-0.1Fe-0.03P合金、Cu-0.36Cr-0.03Zr合金、Cu-0.38Cr-0.17Sn-0.16Zn合金与SnAg3.0Cu0.5焊膏的界面金属间化合物厚度分别为8.7、7.4、6.2μm,其成分主要为Cu6Sn5,靠近铜合金一侧均有少量Cu,Sn生成.结果表明,Cu-0.38Cr-0.17Sn-0.16Zn合金比Cu-0.1Fe-0.03P合金和Cu-0.36Cr-0.03Zr合金具有更好的焊接可靠性能,Cu-0.38Cr-0.17Sn-0.16Zn合金中的Zn元素在焊点界面的富集有效减缓了界面处原子的相互扩散,使金属同化合物的增长速度降低.     

Rheological characterisation of solder pastes and isotropic conductive adhesives used for flip-chip assembly

Solder pastes and isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) are widely used as a principal bonding medium in the electronic industry. This study investigates the rheological behaviour of the pastes (solder paste and isotropic conductive adhesives) used for flip-chip assembly. Oscillatory stress sweep test are performed to evaluate solid characteristic and cohesiveness of the lead-free solder pastes and isotropic conductive adhesive paste materials. The results show that the G′ (storage modulus) is higher than G″ (loss modulus) for the pastes material indicating a solid like behaviour. It result shows that the linear visco-elastic region for the pastes lies in a very small stress range, below 10 Pa. In addition, the stress at which the value of storage modulus is equal to that of loss modulus can be used as an indicator of the paste cohesiveness. The measured cross-over stress at G′ = G″ shows that the solder paste has higher stress at G′ = G″ compared to conductive adhesives. Creep-recovery test method is used to study the slump behaviour in the paste materials. The conductive adhesive paste shows a good recovery when compared to the solder pastes.     

Electromigration performance of Pb-free solder joints in terms of solder composition and joining path

The electromigration (EM) performance of Pb-free solder joints is investigated in terms of solder composition (Sn-0.5Cu vs. Sn-1.8Ag) and joining path to Cu vs. Ni(P) under bump metallization (UBM). In the double-sided joints of Ni(P)/solder/Cu, the micro-structure of solder joints and the interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) layers are significantly affected by solder composition and joining path. The as-reflowed microstructure of Sn-0.5Cu joints consists of small columnar grains with thin IMC layers at both UBM interfaces, independent of the joining path, while Sn-1.8Ag joints have a few large grains of low-angle grain boundaries with thick IMC layers when joined first to Ni(P) UBM, but a few 60° twins with thin IMC layers when joined first to Cu UBM. The EM stressing under high current densities at 150°C reveals that Sn-1.8Ag joints have a superior lifetime compared to Sn-0.5Cu joints. In addition, the EM lifetime of Sn-1.8Ag joints reflowed first on Ni(P) UBM is the longest among four groups of the solder joints examined.     

Factors of effecting creep rupture of SMT solder joints

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Creep properties of Sn-Ag solder joints containing intermetallic particles

The creep behavior of the eutectic tin-silver joints and tin-silver composite solder joints containing 20 vol.% of Cu₆Sn₅, Ni₃Sn₄, and FeSn₂ intermetallic reinforcements introduced by in-situ methods was investigated. These creep tests were carried out using single shear lap solder joints at room temperature, 85°C, and 125°C. The creep resistance was similar in magnitude for all alloys, and with increasing temperature, the stressexponents decreased in a manner consistent with power-law breakdown behavior. The FeSn₂ intermetallic reinforced composite solder was found to be the most creep-resistant alloy at room temperature. Creep failure was observed to occur within the solder matrix in all these solder joints. Although a detailed analysis of the processes involved was difficult because of smearing of the features in the fracture surface, there were indications of grain-boundary separation, ductile fracture, and interfacial separation. For more information, contact K.N. Subramanian, Michigan State University, Department of Materials Science and Mechanics, 3536 Engineering Building, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1226; (517) 353-5397; fax (517) 353-9842; e-mail subraman@egr.msu.edu.     

Anand本构方程在焊点可靠性研究中的应用

焊点可靠性直接决定了电子产品的使用寿命.因此,在微电子领域,对焊点可靠性提出了更高的要求.有限元模拟技术是研究焊点可靠性的重要手段.综合评述了一种统一了蠕变和塑性变形的非线性本构方程-Anand本构模型;概述了其发展演变过程及研究现状;介绍了该本构方程中9个参数的计算规则,并进一步分析了目前国内外对于本构方程参数的确定以及进一步的改进情况.在焊点可靠性研究方面,评论了该模型在无铅QFP、BGA焊点应力-应变分析及焊点疲劳寿命预测方面的应用,为焊点可靠性的研究提供了理论指导.同时,为了更好的研究无铅焊点的可靠性,对该模型的构建及修正提出了新的需求.     

Creep behavior on Ag particle reinforced SnCu based composite solder joints

1 Introduction The EU had issued the WEEE mandate that aimed to prohibit the use of SnPb solders by 2006. Under the pressure of legislation and trade competitions, large electronic manufacturers and research institutes studied substitutes for SnPb solders…     

RE对SnAgCu钎料合金及焊点性能的影响

利用JSM-5610LV扫描电镜（SEM）及能谱分析（EDS）等测量方法,研究了微量RE对Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu无铅钎料的显微组织、润湿特性、拉伸强度及焊点剪切强度和蠕变断裂寿命的影响。结果表明,向Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu中添加0.1%RE可明显细化钎料合金的显微组织,改善钎料合金的润湿特性,提高钎料合金的抗拉强度、伸长率及焊点剪切强度,增加焊点的蠕变断裂寿命。当RE添加量为0.5%时,由于形成了RE化合物而明显恶化钎料合金的性能。     

The effects of additives to SnAgCu alloys on microstructure and drop impact reliability of solder joints

The impact reliability of solder joints in electronic packages is critical to the lifetime of electronic products, especially those portable devices using area array packages such as ball-grid array (BGA) and chip-scale packages (CSP). Currently, SnAgCu (SAC) solders are most widely used for lead-free applications. However, BGA and CSP solder joints using SAC alloys are fragile and prone to premature interfacial failure, especially under shock loading. To further enhance impact reliability, a family of SAC alloys doped with a small amount of additives such as Mn, Ce, Ti, Bi, and Y was developed. The effects of doping elements on drop test performance, creep resistance, and microstructure of the solder joints were investigated, and the solder joints made with the modified alloys exhibited significantly higher impact reliability.     

Development of solver system for FEM analysis of solder joints

This study was aimed at establishment of a model that can predict tensile shear strength and fracture portion of laser-welded lap joints in the tensile test. To clear the influence of bead length and bead width on them, the joints that used steel sheets with a thickness in the range of 0.8–1.2 mm were evaluated. It was found that the tensile shear strength increases with the bead size, and the fracture occurs at base metal (BM), weld metal (WM) or a portion between them with a curvature heat-affected zone (HAZ), in the tensile test. Also to clarify the rotational deformation process around WM during the tensile test, cross-sections of joints were observed, which were applied to several loads in the tensile test. This observation derived the relationship between the radius, R_i, at the inner plane of the HAZ and the rotational angle at the centre of the sheet thickness. Furthermore, the relationship between Ri and the applied load was obtained by linear regression. A plastic analysis for deformation of the joints was carried out based on these functions and some assumptions. These assumptions consider that the joint consists of BM, WM and HAZ, which are under a simplified stress mode. Finally, estimation of the tensile shear strength and the fracture portion of the joints was achieved. This estimation made good accordance with the experimental results.