Early detection of ageing in solder joints through laser probe thermal analysis of the peltier effect

We have recently developed an optical contactless method for testing the quality of solder joints during accelerated thermal cycling ageing processes.¹ The method was based upon the measurement of the dynamic thermal behaviour of the joint to short bursts of Joule heating. It has proved to be efficient in revealing the formation of cracks at the lead-solder interface. We present a method to evaluate ageing at a much earlier stage in the cycling process. We have observed in earlier work,¹ that before cracks appear, structural changes occur in the solder at the lead-solder interface. The thermal response of the solder joint is recorded over time to a Peltier heat perturbation produced by flowing a current pulse through the interface where structural changes occur. The key point in this method is to discriminate the Peltier effect from the Joule thermal response because both effects generate heat. The variation of the early Peltier response in the thermal cycling ageing tests is seen as a quantitative signature of the structural changes in the lead-solder interface.     

Phase equilibria in the Au–In–Sn ternary system

Phase equilibria of the Au–In–Sn system have been investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), metallographic examination, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) measurements. The 130 ^°C isothermal section of the phase diagram was studied. The ternary diagram shows six three-phase fields, and one ternary Au₄In₃Sn₃ phase, which melts incongruently at 382 ^°C and shows a homogeneity range between 21 and about 30 at.% In, at constant Au/Sn ratio.     

Stress relaxation and creep in an impression test

A localized stress relaxation technique is described suitable for testing miniature structures and components. The actual size of the area that can be tested depends on the size of the indenter and the sensitivity of the load measurement device. However, the indenter should not be so small that macroscopic theory of deformation cannot be used. The technique described includes a quantitative treatment of the data which can be handled by a computer. Extensive data collection can be made so that many deformation parameters can be examined by using this simple test.     

Effect of silver content on thermal fatigue life of Sn-xAg-0.5Cu flip-chip interconnects

The thermal fatigue properties of Sn-xAg-0.5Cu (x=1, 2, 3, and 4 in mass%) flip-chip interconnects were investigated to study the effect of silver content on thermal fatigue endurance. The solder joints with lower silver context (x=1 and 2) had a greater failure rate compared to those with higher silver content (x=3 and 4) in thermal fatigue testing. Cracks developed in the solders near the solder/chip interface for all joints tested. This crack propagation may be mainly governed by the nature of the solders themselves because the strain-concentrated area was similar for tested alloys independent of the silver content. From the microstructural observation, the fracture was a mixed mode, transgranular and intergranular, independent of the silver content. Higher silver content alloys (x=3 and 4) had finer Sn grains before thermal cycling according to the dispersion of the Ag₃Sn intermetallic compound, and even after the cycling, they suppressed microstructural coarsening, which degrades the fatigue resistance. The fatigue endurance of the solder joints was strongly correlated to the silver content, and solder joints with higher silver content had better fatigue resistance.     

Comparison of in-situ measurement techniques of solder joint reliability under thermo-mechanical stresses

Thermo Mechanical Cycle Lifetime (TMCL) test is a widely used test methodology for evaluating the reliability of solder joints in the microelectronics industry. The commonly used measurement techniques to monitor solder joint failures during the TMCL test are either event detector or data logger. In this study, TMCL test has been carried out on the same devices in parallel with both measurement techniques. The pros and cons of both techniques are compared. It is observed that the solder joint reliability results on the investigated samples by both techniques are comparable. The event detector can catch short intermittent events, while the data logger is able to capture the details of the solder joint degradation process. In applications for which performance is dependent on the transmission of signals with a frequency of several hundred megahertz or more, the event detector technique shall be used. In such cases the data logger technique may overestimate product lifetime. On the other hand, for some applications where the performance is less susceptible to intermittent solder joint interconnect interruption but more to the increase of the solder joint resistance, the data logger shall be used. In such cases the event detector technique may underestimate product lifetime. In conclusion depending on the end application of the device, the most suitable technique can be selected.     

免清洗焊接技术的印刷模板设计及制造技术

印刷模板的合理设计和制造是免清洗焊接技术中的关键 ,也是SMT工艺质量的保证     

Strength of Soldered Joints Formed under Microgravity Conditions

Experiments have been carried out to compare the mechanical strength of joints soldered with Sn-Ag-Cu under different gravitational conditions. Joints soldered under microgravity (produced during a parabolic flight) have lower strength (by 32% in this case) than similar joints formed under normal gravity. Electron microscopy has shown that this is due to a larger volume of residual porosity (14%) in the joints formed in microgravity compared with <1% for joints formed in normal gravity. The residual porosity in joints formed in microgravity is mainly within the bulk of the solder, with some microporosity in the Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic layer near the copper interfaces. The porosity not only weakens the joint, but also biases the failure path away from the intermetallic layer and into the bulk of the solder. These observations show that gravitational buoyancy is important for the expulsion of flux and flux residues from soldered joints.     

分级分段印制插头工艺的研发与应用

介绍了一种采用特殊的设计方法制作分级分段印制插头的工艺生产的印制插头完全没有引线残留的踪迹,对分级分段印制插头的品质做到了有效的控制,可靠性实达到品质要求,通过了实际生产应用的验证,建立了工艺规范和品质管制计划,为批量生产奠定了坚实基础。     

波峰焊接工艺技术的研究

作为一种传统焊接技术,目前波峰焊依然在电子制造领域发挥着积极作用。介绍了波峰焊 接技术的原理,并分别从焊接前的质量控制、生产工艺材料及工艺参数这三个方面探讨了提高波 峰焊质量的有效方法。     

PCB焊点焊接缺陷原因分析

PCB焊点焊接缺陷产生的原因可能很多,如果你从扩散焊接的特点考虑就会变得明了起来！熔化的焊料原子沿着被焊接金属的结晶晶界的扩散,扩散所需要的激活能也可称为“表面自由能”比体扩散小。一般锡料的活性能约为380达因/厘米,鲜活的铜面在助焊剂的辅助下约为1265达因/厘米,所以焊接可以良好进行。