Cure shrinkage measurement of nonconductive adhesives by means of a thermomechanical analyzer

The conductivity of a nonconductive adhesive (NCA) flip chip interconnect is completely dependent on the direct mechanical contact between the integrated circuit (IC) bump and substrate pad. Cure shrinkage of NCA is critical for the formation of the final contact force in the contacts. However, measurement of the cure shrinkage during cross-linking reaction is fairly difficult. This paper introduces a new, yet simple, approach to measure cure shrinkage of adhesives using a thermo-mechanical analyzer. Isothermal studies of shrinkage change as a function of curing show four distinct regions. First, the thickness of the epoxy decreases due to decreasing viscosity and applied load, followed by a stage where the dimension change is constant as the cross-linking reaction is yet to set in. Once cross-linking begins, the shrinkage reaches a maximum followed by a plateau where the cross-linking reaction has completed. Sharp changes of the slope of cure shrinkage versus degree of cure were observed to coincide with gelation and vitrification. After gelation, a linear relationship between the cure shrinkage and degree of cure was observed to extend until the occurrence of vitrification, which quenches the cross-linking reaction. Applied load in the range of 0.05 N was found to be optimal to minimize measurement errors.     

Effect of elastic recovery on the electrical contact resistance in anisotropic conductive adhesive assemblies

The successful design of anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACA) assemblies depends mainly on the accurate prediction of their electrical contact resistance. Among the parameters that influence this resistance, the bonding force used to compress the conductive particles against the conductive tracks during the assembly process is very important. This paper investigates how the contact resistance changes as the bonding force is removed at the end of the assembly process when the epoxy resin used to bond the surfaces has cured. The final contact resistance is determined by examining, through theoretical, experimental and numerical analyzes, the evolution of the residual stress as the elastic recovery of the compressed conductive particles and tracks takes place when the bonding force is removed. An iterative algorithm derived from methods found in fracture mechanics analysis is used to determine the relationship between the contact resistance, the adhesive strength and the stiffness of the cured resin. It is shown that smaller values of adhesive strength yield higher contact resistance values; and similarly, smaller values of modulus of elasticity of the resin lead to higher contact resistance values.     

Theoretical Prediction and Experimental Measurement of the Degree of Cure of Anisotropic Conductive Films (ACFs) for Chip-On-Flex (COF) Applications

The degree of cure of anisotropic conductive films (ACFs) was theoretically predicted and experimentally measured to investigate the effect of the degree of cure of ACFs on the electrical and mechanical stability of ACF joints and the␣reliability of chip-on-flex (COF) assemblies. The cure reaction of ACFs, observed by an isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, followed an autocatalytic cure mechanism, and the degree of cure of ACFs as a function of time and temperature was mathematically derived from an autocatalytic cure kinetics model. To simulate the ACF temperature field accurately during the COF bonding process, the thermal properties of the ACF such as the thermal diffusivity (α), specific heat capacity (C _p), and thermal conductivity (λ) were characterized experimentally. The degrees of cure of ACFs as functions of the bonding time during the COF bonding process were theoretically predicted by the incorporation of autocatalytic kinetics modeling and ACF temperature simulation. The predicted degrees of cure of ACFs were well matched with the experimental data measured by attenuated total reflectance/Fourier-transform infrared (ATR/FT-IR) analysis. The contact resistances of the ACF joints and the peel adhesion strengths of the COF assemblies were evaluated for electrical and mechanical interconnection stability. According to these results, the ACF contact resistances decreased and the ACF peel adhesion strengths increased as the degree of cure of ACFs increased. In addition, to investigate the effect of the degree of cure of ACFs on the reliability of COF assemblies, an 85°C/85% relative humidity (85°C/85% RH) test was performed. These results showed that the reliability of COF assemblies also strongly depends on the degree of cure of the ACFs.     

Development of process modeling methodology for flip chip on flex interconnections with non-conductive adhesives

This paper presents a comprehensive methodology to model the assembly process of flip chip on flex interconnections with non-conductive adhesives (NCAs). The methodology combines experimental techniques for material characterization, finite element modeling, and model validation. A non-conductive adhesive has been characterized using several techniques. A unique experimental technique has been developed to measure the cure shrinkage. A 2D axisymmetric finite element model is used for analysis of flip chip on flex package with the non-conductive adhesive (NCA), which takes into account assembly force, cure shrinkage, adhesive modulus buildup, removal of assembly force, and cooling down to room temperature. The relationship between the bump contact resistance and the bump pressure has been established through the development of a dedicated experimental setup, which uses a micro-force tester combined with a digital multimeter and a nano-voltmeter. The process modeling has been validated by comparing the predicted bump contact resistance value and the measured bump contact resistance value after assembly process. The approach developed in this paper can be used to provide guidelines with respect to adhesive material properties, assembly process parameters, and good reliability performances.     

Conductivity mechanisms of isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs)

Isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) are usually composites of adhesive resins with conductive fillers (mainly silver flakes). The adhesive pastes before cure usually have low electrical conductivity. The conductive adhesives become highly conductive only after the adhesives are cured and solidified. The mechanisms of conductivity achievement in conductive adhesives were discussed. Experiments were carefully designed in order to determine the roles of adhesive shrinkage and silver (Ag) flake lubricant removal on adhesive conductivity achievement during cure. The conductivity establishment of the selected adhesive pastes and the cure shrinkage of the corresponding adhesive resins during cure were studied. Then conductivity developments of some metallic fillers and ICA pastes with external pressures were studied by using a specially designed test device. In addition, conductivity, resin cure shrinkage, and Ag flake lubricant behavior of an ICA which was cured at room temperature (25°C) were investigated. Based on the results, it was found that cure shrinkage of the resin, rather than lubricant removal, was the prerequisite for conductivity development of conductive adhesives. In addition, an explanation of how cure shrinkage could cause conductivity achievement of conductive adhesives during cure was proposed in this paper     

微波芯片元件的导电胶粘接工艺与应用

导电胶常用于微波组件的组装过程,其粘接强度、导电、导热和韧性等性能指标严重影响其应用范围.分析了导电胶的国内外情况和主要性能参数,总结了混合微电路对导电胶应用的指标要求.通过微波芯片元件粘接工艺过程,分析了导电胶的固化工艺与粘接强度和玻璃化转变温度的关系、胶层厚度与热阻的关系、胶点位置和大小与粘片位置控制等方面的影响关系.测试结果显示,经导电胶粘接的芯片元件的电性能和粘接强度等指标均满足设计和使用要求,产品具有较好的可靠性和一致性.     

Adhesion strength and contact resistance of flip chip on flex packages––effect of curing degree of anisotropic conductive film

The use of anisotropic conductive adhesives film (ACF) as an interconnect materials for flip-chip joining technique is increasingly becoming a vital part of the electronics industry. Therefore, the performances of the ACF joint turn into an important issue and depend mostly on the curing condition of the ACF matrix. ACF is a thermosetting epoxy matrix impregnated with small amount of electrically conductive particles. During component assembly, the epoxy resin is cured to provide mechanical connection and the conducting medium provides electrical connection in the z-direction. Therefore, the cure process is critical to develop the ultimate electrical and mechanical properties of ACF. The purpose of the present work is to investigate optimum curing conditions to achieve the best performance of ACF joints. Differential scanning calorimeter was used to measure the curing degree. Adhesion strength was evaluated by 90° peeling test. The contact resistance has also been studied as a function of bonding temperature and curing degree. Results show a strong dependence of curing condition on the electrical and mechanical performances. Adhesion strength increases exponentially with the curing degree. Whereas the contact resistance decreases with the curing degree and achieve the minimum value at 87% of curing. Co-relation of the curing degree of the ACF was also studied through the detailed investigation of the fracture surfaces under scanning electron microscopy.     

Test Structures for the Characterization of MEMS and CMOS Integration Technology

Test structures have been used to study the feasibility of bonding MEMS to CMOS wafers to create an integrated system. This involves bonding of prefabricated wafers and creating interconnects between the bonded wafers. Bonding of prefabricated wafers has been demonstrated using a chemical–mechanical polishing enabled surface planarization process and an oxygen plasma assisted low temperature wafer bonding process. Two interwafer connection approaches have been evaluated. For an oxide bonding approach, interconnects between wafers are established through contact vias, using a standard multilevel metallization process after the wafer bonding process. Resistances of 3.8–5.2 $Omega $ have been obtained from via chain test structures and an average specific contact resistivity of 1.7$,times ,$10$^{-8} Omega {hbox{cm}}^{2}$ , measured from the single via Kelvin structures. For a direct metal contact approach, electrical connections have been achieved during the bonding anneal stage due to stress relief of the aluminium film.      

Evolution of residual-inplane stress during adhesive curing and recuring in chip-on-board packages

The residual stress induced in assembly is a common concern in electronic packaging, especially for those chips sensitive to residual stress. On chip-on-board (COB) packages, bisphenol A-type epoxy adhesive is applied to attach the chip to the substrate board. Silicon piezoresistive sensors are used to record residual stresses and stress evolution during adhesive curing. After 20-days storage in air at room temperature after curing, the residual stresses accumulate significantly in the recuring process, and after additional curing, the residual stress stabilizes at a relatively low level. Thermal analysis of the adhesive was performed to identify the incomplete cure of the adhesive after the first curing process.     

Investigation of cure kinetics and its effect on adhesion strength of nonconductive adhesives used in flip chip assembly

The reaction kinetics of a commercial fast cure nonconductive adhesive has been systematically investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. Samples were isothermally cured at temperatures from 120 to 160/spl deg/C and dynamically cured at ramp rates between 5 and 20/spl deg/C/min. A good agreement between the autocatalytic kinetic model prediction and experimental results was demonstrated. Deviation occurred at high degrees of cure for curing below 140/spl deg/C due to the occurrence of vitrification. Additionally, by comparing the dynamic cure prediction with the isothermal experiment, good agreements and equivalence were demonstrated. As such, it is possible to predict the isothermal reaction behavior of fast cure materials at high temperature provided that the variation between the actual temperature of the heating system and the setting temperature is not large. Furthermore, the effect of curing process on the adhesion strength has been demonstrated by testing the shear strength of lap joint specimens. It was found that the evolution of adhesion strength was largely dependent on the buildup of mechanical properties during the curing process. At low and medium degrees of cure, cohesive and adhesive failures were respectively observed, while at high degrees of cure, adhesion strength surpassing the shear strength of the solder mask was observed. The sharp increase in adhesion strength was observed to coincide with the gelation point marked by the crossover between the storage and loss modulii, thus suggesting that the contributors to adhesion strength include mechanical interlocking as well as chemical bonding, as evidenced by buildup of storage modulus and mechanical strength of the adhesive.     

Effects of different bonding parameters on the electrical performance and peeling strengths of ACF interconnection

The effects of different bonding parameters, such as temperature, pressure, curing time, bonding temperature ramp and post-processing, on the electrical performance and the adhesive strengths of anisotropic conductive film (ACF) interconnection are investigated. The test results show that the contact resistances change slightly, but the adhesive strengths increase with the bonding temperature increased. The curing time has great influence on the adhesive strength of ACF joints. The contact resistance and adhesive strength both are improved with the bonding pressure increased, but the adhesive strengths decrease if the bonding pressure is over 0.25 MPa. The optimum temperature, pressure, and curing time ranges for ACF bonding are concluded to be at 180–200 °C, 0.15–0.2 MPa, and 18–25 s, respectively. The effects of different Teflon thickness and post-processing on the contact resistance and adhesive strength of anisotropic conductive film (ACF) joints are studied. It is shown that the contact resistance and the adhesive strength both become deteriorated with the Teflon thickness increased. The tests of different post-processing conditions show that the specimens kept in 120 °C chamber for 30 min present the best performance of the ACF joints. The thermal cycling (−40 to 125 °C) and the high temperature/humidity (85 °C, 85% RH) aging test are conducted to evaluate the reliability of the specimens with different bonding parameters. It is shown that the high temperature/humidity is the worst condition to the ACF interconnection.     

Development of chip-on-flex bonding using Sn-based bumps and non-conductive adhesive

We developed a reliable and low cost chip-on-flex (COF) bonding technique using Sn-based bumps and a non-conductive adhesive (NCA). Two types of bump materials were used for the bonding process: Sn bumps and Sn–Ag bumps. The bonding process was performed at 180 °C for 10 s using a thermo-compression bonder after dispensing the NCA. Sn-based bumps were easily deformed to contact Cu pads during the bonding process. A thin layer of Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic compound was observed at the interface between Sn-based bumps and Cu pads. After bonding, electrical measurements showed that all COF joints had very low contact resistance, and there were no failed joints. To evaluate the reliability of COF joints, high temperature storage tests (150 °C, 1000 h), thermal cycling tests (−25 °C/+125 °C, 1000 cycles) and temperature and humidity tests (85 °C/85% RH, 1000 h) were performed. Although contact resistance was slightly increased after the reliability test, all COF joints passed failure criteria. Therefore, the metallurgical bond resulted in good contact and improved the reliability of the joints.     

Role of bonding time and temperature on the physical properties of coupled anisotropic conductive-nonconductive adhesive film for flip chip on glass technology

Using thermosetting epoxy based conductive adhesive films for the flip chip interconnect possess a great deal of attractions to the electronics manufacturing industries due to the ever increasing demands for miniaturized electronic products. Adhesive manufacturers have taken many attempts over the last decade to produce a number of types of adhesives and the coupled anisotropic conductive-nonconductive adhesive film is one of them. The successful formation of the flip chip interconnection using this particular type of adhesive depends on, among factors, how the physical properties of the adhesive changes during the bonding process. Experimental measurements of the temperature in the adhesive have revealed that the temperature becomes very close to the required maximum bonding temperature within the first 1 s of the bonding time. The higher the bonding temperature the faster the ramp up of temperature is. A dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) has been carried out to investigate the nature of the changes of the physical properties of the coupled anisotropic conductive-nonconductive adhesive film for a range of bonding parameters. Adhesive samples that are pre-cured at 170, 190 and 210 °C for 3, 5 and 10 s have been analyzed using a DMA instrument. The results have revealed that the glass transition temperature of this type of adhesive increases with the increase in the bonding time for the bonding temperatures that have been used in this work. For the curing time of 3 and 5 s, the maximum glass transition temperature increases with the increase in the bonding temperature, but for the curing time of 10 s the maximum glass transition temperature has been observed in the sample which is cured at 190 °C. Based on these results it has been concluded that the optimal bonding temperature and time for this kind of adhesive are 190 °C and 10 s, respectively.     

Microwave preheating of anisotropic conductive adhesive films for high-speed flip chip on flex bonding

Anisotropic conductive adhesive film (ACF) can be preheated by microwave (MW) radiation in order to reduce the bonding time for flip-chip technology. Due to sluggish and nonuniform curing kinetics at the beginning of the curing reaction, thermal curing of epoxy is more time consuming. Therefore, MW radiation may be more effective, due to its uniform heating rate during the cycle. In this paper, MW preheating (for 1–4 sec) of ACF prior to final bonding has been applied to determine the electrical and mechanical performance of the bond. Powers of 80 and 240 W MW were used to study the effect of the MW preheating. A final bonding time of 6–7 sec can be used for flip chip on flex bonding instead of 10–15 sec (standard time for flip chip bonding) for MW preheating time and power used in this study. The contact resistance (as low as 0.01) is low in these samples, whereas the standard resistance is 0.017 ohm (bonded at 180°C for 10 sec without prior MW preheating). The shear forces at breakage were satisfactory (0.167–0.183 KN) for the samples bonded for 6–7 sec with MW preheating. This is very close and even higher than the standard sample (0.173 KN). For MW preheating power of 80 W and sweeping time of 2 sec, final bonding at 6 sec can also be used because of its low contact resistance (0.019 ohm). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigation of microjoints and fracture surface shows uneven distribution of conductive particles and thick bond lines in samples bonded for 5 sec (with MW preheating). Samples treated with MW radiation (80 W and 2–3 sec time) serve as evidence that well-distributed particles along with thin bond lines cause low contact resistance and high joint strength.     

Highly reliable, fine pitch chip on glass (COG) joints fabricated using Sn/Cu bumps and non-conductive adhesives

We have developed a reliable and ultra-fine pitch chip on glass (COG) bonding technique using Sn/Cu bumps and non-conductive adhesive (NCA). Sn/Cu bumps were formed by electroplating and reflowed, forming dome shaped Sn bumps on Cu columns. COG bonding was performed between the reflowed Sn/Cu bumps on the oxidized Si wafer and ITO/Au/Cu/Ti/glass substrate using a thermo-compression bonder. Three different NCAs were applied during bonding. Bonding temperature was 150 °C for NCA-A and NCA-B, and 110 °C for NCA-C. The electrical properties of COG joints were evaluated by measuring the contact resistance of each joint through the four-point probe method. All joints were successfully bonded and the electrical measurement showed that the average contact resistance of each joint was approximately 30 mΩ, regardless of NCA types. The COG joints were subjected to a series of reliability tests: high temperature storage test (85 °C, 160 h); thermal cycling test (−40 °C/+85 °C, 20 cycle); and a temperature and humidity test (50 °C/90%, 160 h) were sequentially performed to evaluate the reliability of the COG joints. The contact resistance measurement showed that there were no failed bumps in all specimens and all joints passed the criterion after reliability test.     

Effects of the Degree of Cure on the Electrical and Mechanical Behavior of Anisotropic Conductive Films

In this work, the effects of the degree of cure on the electrical and mechanical behavior of an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) were investigated. The degree of cure of the ACF as a function of bonding time was quantified by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study and attenuated total reflectance/Fourier-transform infrared (ATR/FT-IR) analysis. According to the results, the thickness expansion rate of the ACF as a function of temperature decreased and the storage modulus increased as the degree of cure increased. In addition, the contraction stress of a partially cured ACF with a degree of cure below 40% was much smaller than that of an ACF with a degree of cure above 90%. The ACF contact resistance decreased and the ACF peel adhesion strength increased as the degree of cure of the ACF increased. In particular, poor electrical contact was observed when the degree of cure was below 40%. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increased as the degree of cure increased and was closely related to the peel adhesion strength. Furthermore, ACF joints with a degree of cure below 40% had higher contact resistance than those with a degree of cure above 90% during 85°C/85% relative humidity testing.     

Effects of bonding parameters on the reliability performance of anisotropic conductive adhesive interconnects for flip-chip-on-flex packages assembly II. Different bonding pressure

The effects of different bonding temperatures during flip-chip-on-flex (FCOF) assembly in relation to the performance of anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACF) interconnect were investigated. Two types of flip chips were used in this study. It was found that Ni bumps formed better interconnections than bumpless FCOF packages. Aluminium oxide was observed and was thought to be the main cause of the increased in contact resistance after the moisture-soak tests. The conductive particles were not fully compressed by the bumps and pads and gaps were observed between the conductive particles and Cu pads in bumpless packages. Conductive particles in the Ni bump FCOF packages were tightly trapped between the bumps and pads and hence gave better connections. The performance of the ACF interconnects were affected by the degree of curing of the ACF, which was determined by the bonding temperature.     

Process-dependent contact characteristics of NCA assemblies

The physical contact characteristics of a nonconductive adhesive (NCA) type of flip-chip-on-glass (FCOG) assemblies during manufacturing process and temperature variation is explored by using three-dimensional (3D), nonlinear finite element analysis together with the so-called "death-birth" simulation technique. The contact mechanics of two typical types of micro-bump bonding technologies, i.e., the metal (i.e. Au alloy) and composite bumps, are extensively addressed, and substantially compared. The validity of the modeled contact characteristics is further verified by an electrical contact resistance measurement that adopts a four-point probe method and an equivalent circuit approach. Finally, through the parametric study, the dependence of the contact stress at the bumps and the peeling stress at the UV resin on a number of geometry and material design parameters is effectively identified. Both the modeling and experimental results show that the bump height uniformity is a key factor in the overall contact performance of the assembly, and should not be neglected from the analysis. In addition, it is identified that the composite-bump bonding technology outperforms the metal-bump assembly as a whole in terms of the contact consistency and stability due to its better bump uniformity and compliance. Furthermore, it is surprising to find that there is a full disagreement in the parametric results of the bump height and Al thickness between the shorter bump and the taller among those nonuniform bumps, and more importantly, an increase of the bump height or a reduction of the Al overcoat thickness would enhance the overall contact performance of the assembly.     

Effects of bonding parameters on the reliability performance of anisotropic conductive adhesive interconnects for flip-chip-on-flex packages assembly I. Different bonding temperature

The effects of different bonding temperatures during flip-chip-on-flex (FCOF) assembly in relation to the performance of anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACF) interconnect were investigated. Two types of flip chips were used in this study. It was found that Ni bumps formed better interconnections than bumpless FCOF packages. Aluminium oxide was observed and was thought to be the main cause of the increased in contact resistance after the moisture-soak tests. The conductive particles were not fully compressed by the bumps and pads and gaps were observed between the conductive particles and Cu pads in bumpless packages. Conductive particles in the Ni bump FCOF packages were tightly trapped between the bumps and pads and hence gave better connections. The performance of the ACF interconnects were affected by the degree of curing of the ACF, which was determined by the bonding temperature.     

Reliability of Conductive Adhesives as a Pb-free Alternative in Flip-Chip Applications

The temperature-humidity reliability of anisotropic conductive film (ACF) and non-conductive film (NCF) interconnects is investigated by measuring the interconnect resistance during temperature-humidity testing (THT) at 85°C and 85% relative humidity. The four-point probe method was used to measure the interconnect resistance of the adhesive joints constructed with Au bumps on Si chips and Cu pads on flexible printed circuits (FPCs). The interconnect resistance of the ACF joints was markedly higher than that of the NCF joints, mainly due to the constriction of the current flow and the intrinsic resistance of the conductive particles in the ACF joints. The interconnect resistances of both interconnects decreased with increasing bonding force, and subsequently converged to about 10 mΩ and 1 mΩ at a bonding force of 70 N and 80 N, for the ACF and NCF joints, respectively. During the THT, two different conduction behaviors were observed: increased interconnect resistance and the termination of Ohmic behavior. The former was due to the decreased contact area caused by z-directional swelling of the adhesives, whereas the latter was caused by either contact opening in the adhesive joints or interface cracking.