Depletion and phase transformation of a submicron Ni(P) film in the early stage of soldering reaction between Sn-Ag-Cu and Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P)/Cu

Abstract

The early stage of soldering reaction between Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder and ultrathin-Ni(P)-type Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P)/Cu pad was investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) in conjunction with field-emission electron probe microanalysis (FEEPMA) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). FE-SEM, FE-EPMA, and HRTEM investigations showed that Ni2SnP and Ni3P were the predominant P-containing intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in the soldering reaction and that their growth behaviors strongly depended on the depletion of Ni(P). The growth of Ni3P dominated over that of Ni2SnP in the early stage of soldering, whereas the Ni3P gradually transformed into Ni2SnP after Ni(P) depletion. This Ni(P)-depletion-induced Ni2SnP growth behavior is different from the reaction mechanisms reported in the literature. Detailed analyses of the microstructural evolution of the IMC during Ni(P) depletion were conducted, and a two-stage reaction mechanism was proposed to rationalize the unique IMC growth behavior.