Creep phenomena in lead-free solders

A critical review of data on microstructure and creep process activation energy values for a number of lead-free solder alloys like Sn-Ag; Sn-Bi; Sn-In was conducted. The review revealed a scatter in experimental data, which could not be explained by the dislocation creep mechanism only, even after the published data was corrected for Young’s modulus temperature dependence. An analysis of the data implies that possible origin of such a scatter is nucleation, accumulation and further growth of such internal defects as pores and microcracks during creep. It is shown that these processes may affect the measured steady-state creep rates, and may be one of the major reasons for the observed scatter in experimental data, and, therefore, must be taken into consideration in lead-free solder alloys’ creep studies.     

Sn42Bi57Ag1无铅焊膏用活性剂的优化设计

针对Sn42Bi57Ag1无铅焊料开发出一种低温无铅焊锡膏,着重研究助焊剂中活性剂对焊锡膏润湿性能的影响。以铺展性能作为主要评价指标,通过回流焊接实验,对用于助焊剂的7种有机酸进行了筛选。最终选取了性能较好的甲基丁二酸、己二酸、水杨酸与丁二酸四种有机酸进行正交试验,通过量化分析选取正交试验水平,根据方差分析确定助焊剂中活性剂的最佳组合。结果表明:有机酸的复配能显著改善焊点铺展情况,当甲基丁二酸、己二酸、水杨酸与丁二酸质量比为2∶3∶5∶2时,Sn42Bi57Ag1无铅焊膏的润湿性能优异,焊点铺展率达86.52%。     

In-Au复合焊料研究

大功率半导体激光器封装过程中,为降低封装引入的应力,踊般用In焊料进行焊接。In焊料具有易氧化、易"攀爬"的特性,因而导致封装成品率很低。提出了一种新型焊料——In-Au复合焊料,使用此焊料进行封装,很好地解决了上述问题。通过理论分析及实验摸索,确定了In-Au复合焊料蒸发条件,分别利用纯In焊料和In-Au复合焊料封装了一批激光器样品,通过对比这两组样品的焊料浸润性、电光参数、剪切强度等,发现利用In-Au复合焊料封装的样品优于纯In焊料封装的样品。     

Effect of Electromigration on the Mechanical Performance of Sn-3.5Ag Solder Joints with Ni and Ni-P Metallizations

The effect of moderate electric current density (1 × 10³ to 3 × 10³ A/cm²) on the mechanical properties of Ni-P/Sn-3.5Ag/Ni-P and Ni/Sn-3.5Ag/Ni solder joints was investigated using a microtensile test. Thermal aging was carried out at 160°C for 100 h while the current was passed. The interfacial microstructure and intermetallic compound (IMC) growth were analyzed. It was found that, at these levels of current density, there were no observable voids or hillocks. Samples aged at 160°C without current stressing failed mostly inside the bulk solder with significant prior plastic deformation. The passage of current was found to cause brittle failure of the solder joints and this tendency for brittle failure increased with increasing current density. Fractographic analysis showed that, in most of the electrically stressed samples, fracture occurred at the interface region between the solder and the joining metals. The critical current density that caused brittle fracture was about 2 × 10³ A/cm². Once brittle fracture occurred, the tensile toughness, defined as the energy per unit fractured area, was usually lower than ~5 kJ/m², compared with the case of ductile fracture where this value was typically greater than ~9 kJ/m². When comparing the two types of joint, the brittle failure was found to be more severe with the Ni than with the Ni-P joint. This work also found that the passage of electric current affects the IMC growth rate more significantly in the Ni than in the Ni-P joint. In the case of the Ni joint, the Ni₃Sn₄ IMC at the anode side was appreciably thicker than that formed at the cathode side. However, in the case of electroless Ni-P metallization, this difference was much smaller.     

Electrochemical Migration Characteristics of Eutectic Sn-Pb Solder Alloy in NaCl and Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>SO<Subscript>4</Subscript> Solutions

Anodic dissolution and the electrochemical migration characteristics of eutectic Sn-Pb solder alloy in deaerated 0.001% NaCl and Na₂SO₄ solutions were investigated using anodic polarization and water drop tests. Anodic polarization results revealed that a Pb-rich phase was preferentially ionized in deaerated 0.001% NaCl solution and an Sn-rich phase was predominantly ionized in deaerated 0.001% Na₂SO₄ solution, which coincides well with the composition of the dendrites formed during water drop tests. X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the surface oxide film formed on pure Sn in deaerated 0.001% NaCl solution is more stable than that formed on pure Sn in deaerated 0.001% Na₂SO₄ solution. The surface oxide film formed on pure Pb in deaerated 0.001% Na₂SO₄ solution is more stable than that formed on pure Sn in deaerated 0.001% NaCl solution. Therefore, the quality of the surface film of eutectic Sn-Pb solder in a chemical environment seems to be critical not only for corrosion resistance, but also for electrochemical migration resistance.     

热风整平无铅焊料工艺研究

把传统热风整平工艺应用于无铅焊料涂覆,对垂直式和水平式多种设备与材料进行试验比较,研究得出相应的无铅焊料涂覆工艺参数。     

Microstructures and degradation of heat sink very-thin quad flat package no-leads Pb-free Sn-Ag-Cu solder joints after thermal aging

Heat sink very-thin quad flat package no-leads (HVQFN) packages soldered with Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu on metallized laminate substrates have been put to thermal aging. Temperatures from 140°C to 200°C for times up to 30 weeks were applied. The solder joint microstructure develops intermetallic compound layers and voids within the solder. Due to this, the mechanical reliability of the HVQFN inner lead solder joints is degraded. The intermetallic layers are of the type (Cu, Y)₆Sn₅, with Y=Ni, Au or Ni+Au, as well as Cu₃Sn, and follow a power law with aging time: X=C·tⁿ, where n=0.4 to 1.9 depending on temperature. The voids within the solder are attributed to Sn depletion of the solder in favor of the growth of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅. They are more pronounced the less the solder volume is in proportion to the intermetallic diffusion area. The amount of voids is quantified as a percentage of the residual solder. The time to reach the failure criterion of 50%, i.e., t_50%, is related to the absolute temperature according to an Arrhenius equation with an activation energy E_a=0.95 eV. This equation is used for determination of the maximum allowable temperature at a certain required operating lifetime.     

片式电阻混合焊点热循环负载可靠性研究

对在不同工艺参数下形成的、并且经过不同周数热循环负载的片式电阻混合焊点、有铅焊点和无铅焊点进行了外观检测和剪切测试。结果显示,在不同工艺参数下形成的混合焊点的剪切力,随热循环周数的变化趋势有所不同,但是在保证片式电阻焊端和焊料充分熔融的情况下,部分混合焊点的平均剪切力比有铅焊点高,热循环1 000周后,为9.1～11.1 N。     

Interfacial Reactions between Eutectic SnZn Solder and Bulk or Thin-Film Cu Substrates

Interfacial reactions between eutectic SnZn solder and bulk or thin-film Cu substrates are investigated and compared. The thicknesses of bulk and thin-film Cu substrates are 0.5 mm and 4,000 ?, respectively. Different dominant reaction products and interfacial microstructures are observed in these two types of interfacial reactions. In the bulk Cu type, the Cu₅Zn₈ phase is the dominant reaction product under reflow and solid-state annealing. However, the CuZn₅ phase becomes the dominant reaction product in the thin-film Cu type. The Cu₅Zn₈ phase in the bulk Cu type remains as a uniform microstructure after reflow. After solid-state annealing, however, the Cu₅Zn₈ phase fractures and the Cu₆Sn₅ and Cu₃Sn phases are formed at the Cu₅Zn₈/Cu interface. The CuZn₅ phase in the thin-film Cu type ripens after reflow and the phase morphology is transformed from a uniform layer into separated scallops. In situ observation of the interfacial microstructure after solid-state annealing reveals that prominent deformation occurs in the solder region close to the interface in the bulk Cu type. While in the thin-film Cu type, the CuZn₅ grain is extruded out of the interface.     

Encapsulation of lead-free Sn/Zn/Bi solder alloy particles by coating with wax powder for improving oxidation resistance

An encapsulation treatment of lead-free Sn/Zn/Bi solder powder was investigated for improving the oxidation resistance. Sn-8mass%Zn-3mass%Bi alloy particles were coated with a wax (12-hydroxystearic acid) powder by means of a dry mechanical treatment method using a ball mill. In order to determine the optimum operating conditions of the ball mill in the wax-coating treatments, the compressive energy required for deforming a single Sn/Zn/Bi alloy particle was measured with an unconfined compression tester and the mechanical energy applied to the alloy particles in the ball mill was estimated using the results of the compression test. The optimum operating conditions were determined based on both the applied energy and the flowability of solder pastes, and the wax-coated alloy particles maintaining the spherical shape were obtained under the conditions. The wettability test and the solder balling test for the solder pastes containing the wax-coated alloy particles stored at room temperature in air were carried out to evaluate the oxidation resistance performance. The wax-coated alloy particles had an excellent wettability compared with the original alloy particles, and the oxidation resistance of the Sn/Zn/Bi solder powder was improved by the encapsulation treatment.