Analysis of the Effects of Tin Whiskers at High Frequencies

Abstract

The initiative to remove lead from microelectronics packages has led to increased use of pure tin plating as the final finish on the leads of some parts. This finish can spontaneously grow whiskers on its surface. This paper presents results of a study by electromagnetic modeling into the possible effect of these whiskers on high-frequency signals. These results show that realistic configurations of whisker size and distribution will have only a very small effect on signal quality