Textured growth of Cu/Sn intermetallic compounds

The growth of Cu-Sn intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the molten Pb-Sn solder/Cu interface was studied over a range of temperatures and for a range of solder compositions. Strong peaks of and planes of η-phase (Cu₆Sn₅) were detected by x-ray diffraction when the Sn content was high. In the low Sn solder (27Sn-73Pb), the η-phase peaks were absent at the two high temperatures, but the (2 12 0) peak of the ε-phase (Cu₃Sn) was prominent. A texture was detected in both layers in and (002) pole figures constructed for the η phase and ε phase, respectively. The growth directions were identified to be 〈101〉 and 〈102〉 for the η phase and 〈102〉 and 〈031〉 for the ε phase, normal to the Cu surface. The growth direction does not change with the morphology and the thickness of the IMC layer. The morphology of the η layer varied gradually from a cellular film with a rugged interface to a dense film with a scalloped interface as the Pb content, temperature, and reaction time increased. The ε layer was always dense and nearly planar.