Abstract
Many of the basic properties of the electrodeposited tin-nickel (Sn-Ni) alloy have been investigated, but two previously unreported aspects are interdiffusion behavior in the Cu/Sn-Ni/Au system and the thermal stability of Sn-Ni when associated with gold. Planar couples were aged at temperatures between 100 and 500°C for times to one year and evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Results show that above 250°C the layer disintegrates into fine particles and the gold and copper interdiffuse as if the Sn-Ni layer were never present. At lower temperatures, the disintegration of the layer is not detectable by the techniques used or within the time period studied. However, tin is still released from the layer and diffuses very rapidly, even through thick gold, to the surface where it is oxidized. The thicker the tin-nickel layer, the greater the amount of surface oxide which is produced for a fixed aging condition. Thus some quantities of tin-oxide can be expected to form on the surface of gold in times of just a few years for application temperatures between 100°C and room temperature.
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