Reactive Diffusion upon Planar Dissolving Copper in Solder Melts

Abstract

Problems of reactive diffusion at a solid phase - melt contact were studied theoretically. The main intention was to calculate the time course of the solid phase dissolving in the case of planar dissolving. In our work we give heed especially to the dominating process, which is the solid metal A dissolving in solder melt B. During the dissolving, melt B saturates with metal A, and the process is influenced by convections which are characteristic for a given experimental configuration. A theoretical description of the kinetics of solid phase dissolving in the melt will be presented for the case of planar dissolving. The aim is to derive a relation for the interphase boundary movement (t) depending on time and a time course of growth of the element A concentration in the melt B. There are difficulties in accurate determination of the interphase boundary movement after heating of specimens for certain time intervals. It should be performed experimentally, since intermetallic phases are formed in original metal A both via diffusion and upon cooling and some phases segregate upon cooling of the solidifying melt. The main intention was to study experimentally the copper dissolving in melts of various solder alloys and the related reactive diffusion. We used pure Sn and Sn-Cu, Sn-Ag-Cu, Sn-Sb, Sn-Zn alloys as solder materials. Experiments aimed at the study of a Cu plate dissolving in the solder melt were carried out at various selected temperatures and times. The problems of reactive diffusion were studied both theoretically and experimentally and the problems that have to be solved preferably were emphasized. Concentration profiles of elements and thickness of layers of phases can be determined with SEM and X-ray microanalyses (WDX, EDX) of specimens after their diffusion heating.