Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold Research Articles

Investigation of isothermal aged Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu/Sn58Bi-Co hybrid solder joints on ENIG and ENEPIG substrate with various mechanical performances

The stability of solder joints is of utmost critical in electronic equipment. The integration of packaged devices in these systems often leads to the generation of heat, which might have a significant impact on how long the equipment lasts when exposed to high temperatures. It is imperative to perform an isothermal aging test on the solder joints in order to replicate the extended use of these joints. This research looked into how the mechanical characteristics and IMC growth of hybrid solder joints were affected by isothermal aging over 240 h, 480 h and 720 h. The reliability of solder joint under isothermal aging condition was improved by adding Pd coating and Co element. The results revealed that Pd coating over ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold) pad reduced the growth rate of IMC in SAC305/SnBi hybrid solder joints during isothermal aging. ENIG solder joint strength dropped by 57.66% after 720 h of isothermal aging, and practically all fractures were IMC fractures. ENEPIG (Electroless Nickel Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold) shear strength lowered 31.01%, IMC fracture mode 20%, strong reliability at high temperature. IMC development was suppressed in SAC305/SnBi-Co hybrid solder joints by higher Co content. After 720 h isothermal aging, SAC305/SnBi-Co solder joints had better shear strength than non-Co joints. According to fracture morphology, SAC305/SnBi-Co hybrid solder joints reliability improves owing to the change of IMC morphology and grain refining.

A Comprehensive Study of Surface Finishes for High Frequency/High Speed Applications

The introduction of 5G/6G created growing demand for faster rates of data transfer and operation at higher frequencies, pushing signals to travel towards the outer edges of conductors. Therefore, the surface finish applied over the copper circuitry is now gaining more attention. It has been previously shown that the low conductivity and magnetic properties of the Electroless Nickel (EN) layer negatively affect electrical signals as they travel along the conductor outer surfaces, leading to insertion losses. Subsequent studies show that reducing the EN thickness can offset some of the insertion losses observed, leading to a reduction in insertion losses. In more recent times “Nickel Free’ finishes, such as EPIG (Electroless Palladium - Immersion Gold, no EN) have been promoted as solutions to improving signal losses at higher frequency. Exactly how much high frequency performance these new “nickel-free” finishes by the user has not yet been fully quantified, and what are the considerations or trade-off’s for solderjoint reliability with smaller diameter solder spheres when assembled using these newer surface finishes? Comprehensive studies of signal loss, solderjoint reliability testing (ball shear, drop shock, electromigration) and other critical to quality performance data were undertaken for standard ENEPIG, Thinner EN ENEPIG’s, EPIG (no EN) as well Immersion Silver, OSP and a new Ag/Au surface finish. All surface finishes were compared across the performance requirement matrix and a Quality Function Deployment was constructed to produce a data driven tool to align surface finish performance against design needs, allowing for optimal surface finish selection for each application.

High-frequency signal transmission in a coplanar waveguide structure with different surface finishes

Continuous pursuits for higher data rate, larger network capacity, low-latency communication, and better energy efficiency have motivated the development of the fifth generation (5 G) mobile communication technologies in recent years. Under a high-frequency transmission, the alternating electric current (AC) tends to distribute to the outer of a conductor due to the so-called “skin effect”; therefore, the surface coatings of Cu interconnect becomes an indispensable factor of the signal transmission characteristics. The focus of this study is to deeply probe into the effect of surface coatings on the high-frequency signal transmission (1–100 GHz) of Cu interconnects. We investigated six different surface finishes over a coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line structure, including immersion tin (ImSn), immersion silver (ImAg), immersion gold (IG), electroless palladium/immersion gold (EPIG), immersion gold/electroless palladium/immersion gold (IGEPIG), and ultrathin-Ni(P)-type ENEPIG. The high-frequency signal performance of the CPW transmission line was analyzed through the finite element analysis (FEA) method by using a 3D electromagnetic simulation software. Furthermore, experimental measurements were conducted by using a vector network analyzer (VNA) to characterize the signal loss arising from different surface finishes, so as to validate the numerical simulation results. The FEA and VNA results showed that a noticeable current redistribution might be induced by a high conductivity/permeability of surface coating(s), i.e., ImSn and ultrathin-Ni(P)-type ENEPIG, which significantly increases the signal insertion loss at high frequencies. Thus, an appropriate surface coating over Cu interconnects was necessary for enhancing the high-frequency signal transmission performance.

Thermo-Compression Bonding of Cu/SnAg Pillar Bumps with Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold (EPIG) Surface Finish

Thermo-compression bonding (TCB) properties of Cu/SnAg pillar bumps on electroless palladium immersion gold (EPIG) were evaluated in this study. A test chip with Cu/SnAg pillar bumps was bonded on the surface-finished Cu pads with the TCB method. The surface roughness of the EPIG was 82 nm, which was 1.6 times higher than that of the ENEPIG surface finish because the EPIG was so thin that it could not flatten rough bare Cu pads. From the cross-sectional SEM micrographs, the filler trapping of the TC-bonded EPIG was much higher than that of the ENEPIG sample. The high filler trapping of the EPIG sample was due to the high surface roughness of the EPIG surface finish. The contact resistance increased as the thermal cycle time increased. The increase of the contact resistance with 1500 cycles of the thermal cycle test was 26% higher for the EPIG sample than for the ENEPIG sample.

Effects of Ni(P) layer thickness and Pd layer type in thin-Au/Pd/Ni(P) surface finishes on interfacial reactions and mechanical strength of Sn–58Bi solder joints during aging

To analyze the effects of Ni(P) layer thickness and Pd layer composition on interfacial reactions and the mechanical reliabilities of Sn–58Bi solder joints, we evaluated a phosphorous-contained Ni (Ni(P)) layer thicknesses ranging from 0.3 to 1.0 μm with Au/Pd/Ni(P) or a phosphorous-contained Pd [Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P)] layer in thin-electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with Sn–58Bi solder joint after aging test. (Pd, Au)Sn4 and Ni3Sn4 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were dominantly formed at the interfaces of the 0.3 µm to 1.0 μm Ni(P) layers in the thin-Au/Pd/Ni(P) or thin-Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) joints after aging at 85 °C and 95 °C for 100 h. However, the Ni3Sn4 IMC layer changed to the (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 IMC layer in the 0.3 μm Ni(P) layer contained the Au/Pd/Ni(P) joint after aging at 85 °C for 300 h, because the Cu elements in a Cu pad penetrated through the P-rich Ni layer. Otherwise, the Ni3Sn4 IMC of the 0.3 μm Ni(P) layer in the Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) joint changed to (Ni, Cu)3Sn4 IMC after aging at 105 °C and 115 °C for 1000 h, due to the P in the Pd layer, which affects the IMC growth rate. The 0.7 µm and 1.0 μm Ni(P) layers in the Au/Pd/Ni(P) or Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) joints were attributed to the Ni3Sn4 IMC layer for whole aging conditions because the thick P-rich Ni layer suppress Sn and Cu diffusion during aging. In a high-speed shear tests, the shear strength of the 0.3 μm Ni(P) layer in the Au/Pd/Ni(P) joints was relatively low than that of the Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) joints after aging at 105 °C and 115 °C for 100 h. Ni3Sn4 IMC was observed at the fracture surfaces of the 0.3 μm Ni(P) layer in the Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) joints after aging at 115 °C for 1000 h, whereas the fracture surface of the Au/Pd/Ni(P) joint was Cu substrate. Therefore, Ni(P) layer thicknesses in excess of 0.7 μm and the P-contain Pd layer in the thin-ENEPIG surface finish with Sn–58Bi solder joints are expected to be highly reliable after long-term aging treatment.

Effect of Ni(P) thickness in Au/Pd/Ni(P) surface finish on the electrical reliability of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder joints during current-stressing

The effects of Ni(P) layer thickness (5 μm and 0.7 μm) on the microstructural behavior and electrical reliability of electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) (substrate-side) surface-finished printed circuit boards (PCBs) with Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder joints under current stressing of 9000 A/cm2 have been investigated. An organic solderability preservative (OSP) surface finish was applied on the chip-side. (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 and Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layers were formed on the chip-side (the interface between SAC305 and the OSP surface finish) and substrate-side (the interface between the ENEPIG surface finish and SAC305) solder joints after reflow. The thicknesses of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 and Cu6Sn5 IMC layers of the chip- and substrate-side of the normal- and thin-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints increased with increasing current stressing time, regardless of the nickel phosphorous (Ni(P)) layer thickness. The total IMC thicknesses of normal-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints were relatively thinner than those of thin-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints under current stressing for 50–120 h. This is the reason why only a P-rich Ni layer was formed at the interface between SAC305 solder and the Cu pad in the thin-ENEPIG/SAC305 solder joints under current stressing. Otherwise, the P-rich Ni and Ni(P) layers remained at the interface of the normal-ENEPIG/SAC305 solder joint under current stressing. The Ni(P) layer of the ENEPIG surface finish played an important diffusion barrier role by suppressing IMC growth and movement toward the SAC305 solder under current stressing. In the electrical evaluation, the time to failure at the normal-ENEPIG solder joint was relatively longer (approximately 2.2 times) than that of the thin-ENEPIG solder joint. Therefore, the relatively thick Ni(P) layer contained in the ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joint is expected to attain higher electrical reliability under the electromigration test.

Effects of Temperature–Humidity Treatment on Bending Reliability of Epoxy Sn–58Bi Solder with Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) and Electroless Nickel Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold (ENEPIG) Surface Finishes

An epoxy Sn–58wt.%Bi solder joint was evaluated by a three-point bending test with electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) surface finishes aged at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity. Scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis were carried out to study intermetallic compound variation. The morphology, total thickness, and chemical composition of intermetallic compound in epoxy Sn58Bi solder joints were the same as those of Sn–58wt.%Bi solder joints with each surface finish. The average number of bending-to-failure cycles for the epoxy Sn–58wt.%Bi solder/ENIG joints and epoxy Sn–58wt.%Bi solder/ENEPIG was more than 4000 and 5000, respectively. The average number of bending-to-failure cycles of the epoxy Sn–58wt.%Bi solder joint decreased with increasing age. Three-point bending reliability of epoxy Sn–58wt.%Bi solder joints was higher than that of Sn–58wt.%Bi solder with both surface finishes. Cracking of all solder joints subjected to as-reflowed was propagated through the solder matrix. However, after aging for 1000 h, cracking occurred primarily between intermetallic compound layers.

Interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder with pure Pd or Pd(P) layers containing thin-Au/Pd/Ni(P) surface-finished PCBs during aging

The microelectronics packaging industry, although rapidly growing, faces several challenges including 3-D integration, issues with multifunctional capability, and fluctuating input/output (I/O) density, among others. Better-performing microelectronics assemblies for mitigating these challenges require alloys with superior solderability and minimal metallization layer thickness. To this end, in this study, we investigated two kinds of electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with 0.3 μm Ni, 0.1 μm pure Pd or Pd-phosphorous (Pd(P)), and 0.1 μm Au layers plated on a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate. To analyze the effects of the pure Pd and Pd(P) layers in the thin ENEPIG, we evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of the SAC305 solder with a pure Pd or Pd(P) layer in the thin ENEPIG joints after aging at 150 °C. Needle-type and chunky-type (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs were formed at the interfaces of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints, respectively. The (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC of the pure Pd joint was thinner than that of the Pd(P) joint after reflowing and aging for 100 h. However, the total IMC of the Pd(P) joint was thinner than that of the pure Pd joint from 250 to 1000 h. In a low-speed shear test, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joint was higher than that of the pure Pd joint for the entire aging time. Most fractures occurred at the Sn-rich surface with a ductile mode, regardless of the different substrates and aging times. After high-speed shear testing, the shear strength of the pure Pd joint was higher than that of the Pd(P) joint until aging for 100 h. After aging for 250 h, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joint was higher than that of the pure Pd joint. The results for brittle fracture rate were similar to those for high-speed shear strength. Hence, Pd(P) joints are expected to demonstrate higher reliabilities than pure Pd joints after long aging treatment.

Effects of a phosphorous-containing Pd layer in a thin-ENEPIG surface finish on the interfacial reactions and mechanical strength of a Sn–58Bi solder joint

We analyzed the effects of phosphorous (P) in a palladium (Pd) layer on the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of Sn–58Bi solder with thin electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) joints (pure Pd and Pd(P) joints) after a high-temperature storage test. Flake-type (Pd,Au)Sn4 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) mainly formed in the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints. After being aged at 85–115 °C for 300 h, top- and bottom-side (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs formed at the interface between the (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMC and partially destroyed P-rich Ni layer of the pure Pd joints. In contrast, a Ni3Sn4 IMC formed at the interface between the (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMC and P-rich Ni layer of the Pd(P) joints after most aging temperatures and durations. This is because the reaction rate of the Pd(P) joint was lower than that of the pure Pd joints. The unreacted Ni layer remained at the Pd(P) joints after aging. In a high-speed shear test, the shear strength of the pure Pd joints rapidly decreased after being aged at 115 °C for 100 h. In contrast, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joints slightly decreased after being aged at 115 °C for 1000 h. The shear strengths of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints were quite different under same aging conditions because of the different diffusion rates and IMC compositions of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints. Fracture surfaces of the pure Pd joints after being aged at 115 °C were observed on the Cu substrate, but those of the Pd(P) joints were on the Ni3Sn4 IMC surface. Therefore, the Sn–58Bi solder with a Pd(P) layer in thin-ENEPIG is expected to be more reliable than that with pure Pd joints under aging treatment.

Effects of Ni layer thickness of thin-ENEPIG surface finishes on the interfacial reactions and shear strength of Sn-3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder joints during aging

The effects of the thickness of the Ni layer in thin electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (thin-ENEPIG) surface-finished printed circuit boards (PCB) with Sn-3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder joints during aging treatment were investigated. We evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of 0.3–1.0 µm thick Ni layers in thin-ENEPIG PCBs with SAC305 solder joints at aging temperatures of 75, 100, 125, and 150 °C for 1000 h. A needle-type (Cu,aNi)6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layer formed at the interface of the SAC solder and Cu substrate. In addition, P-rich Ni layers were formed at the interface of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC and Cu substrate for the 0.5–1.0 µm thick Ni joints. The thicknesses of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs with 0.3 and 0.5 µm Ni joints were strongly affected by the aging time and temperature. In contrast, the IMC growth rates of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm thick Ni joints were significantly lower than that of the 0.3 µm thick Ni joint. The reason for this behavior is that the P-rich Ni layer acts as a barrier for Sn and Cu diffusion at the joint and was maintained at the IMC/Cu interface after aging. In high-speed shear tests, the shear strengths of all Ni joints aged at 75 °C were similar. However, the rate of reduction in shear strength decreased with increasing Ni layer thickness as the aging time and temperature increased, but the shear strength of the 0.3 µm Ni joint rapidly decreased with increasing aging temperature and time. In contrast, the shear strengths of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints slightly decreased with increasing aging temperature and time. The brittle fracture rates of the joints decreased with increasing Ni thickness, and we determined that this occurred because of the remaining P-rich Ni layer, which acts as a diffusion barrier during aging, at the interface of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints. In low-speed shear tests, the shear strengths of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints were slightly higher than those of the 0.3 and 0.5 µm Ni joints after aging at 125 and 150 °C for the entire aging period. Most fractures occurred via a ductile mode regardless of the Ni layer thickness. Therefore, a Ni layer thickness of more than 0.7 µm in thin-ENEPIG finished PCB with SAC305 solder joints is expected to yield high reliability on aging.

Effect of Epoxy on Mechanical Property of SAC305 Solder Joint with Various Surface Finishes Under 3-Point Bend Test.

Microstructures and mechanical property of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) and epoxy Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (epoxy SAC) solder joints were investigated with various surface finishes; organic solderability preservative (OSP), electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG). Bending property of solder joints was evaluated by 3-point bend test method. Microstructure and chemical composition of solder joints was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively. Epoxy did not effect on intermetallic compound (IMC) morphology. Scalloped shaped Cu6Sn5 IMC was observed at OSP surface finish. Chunky-like shaped and needle-like shaped (Ni,Cu)6Sn5 IMC were observed at the solder/ENIG joint and solder/ENEPIG joint, respectively. The bending cycles of SAC305/OSP joint, SAC305/ENIG joints and SAC305/ENEPIG joints were 720, 440 and 481 cycle numbers. The bending cycles of epoxy SAC and three types surface finished solder joints were over 1000 bending cycles. Under OSP surface finish, bending cycles of epoxy SAC solder was approximately 1.5 times higher than those of SAC305 solder joint. Bending cycles of epoxy SAC solder was over twice times higher than those of SAC305 solder with ENIG and ENEPIG surface finishes. The bending property of epoxy solder joint was enhanced due to epoxy fillet held the solder joint.

Stability of Laser-Patterned Electrode Compositions

Electrodes can be created with maskless metallization of Cu tracks ablated with laser direct structuring on the surface of a Cu–liquid-crystal polymer composite. The composition of these electrodes may not be stable in a corrosive environment, such as an electrolyte, which is needed to use these structures as conductometric sensors. We have evaluated five different electrode compositions in a low corrosive environment and found electroless palladium–immersion gold to be the most stable. The other electrode compositions have pinholes in the metal layers enabling metal migration and local galvanic corrosion. We also investigate the effect of CO2 snow jet cleaning on the electrodes and its relationship with the electrode composition stability. The CO2 snow jet cleaning leads to smoother electrode surfaces. A smooth electrode surface will have fewer imperfections and therefore less metal migration and galvanic corrosion.

Mechanical Reliability of the Epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi Solder Joints with Different Surface Finishes Under Thermal Shock

The effect of thermal shock on the mechanical reliability of epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi composite (epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi) solder joints was investigated with different surface-finished substrates. Sn-58wt.%Bi-based solder has been considered as a promising candidate for low-temperature solder among various lead-free solders. However, Sn-58wt.%Bi solder joints can be easily broken under impact conditions such as mechanical shock, drop tests, and bending tests because of their poor ductility. Therefore, previous researchers have tried to improve the mechanical property of Sn-58wt.%Bi solder by additional elements and mixtures of metal powder and epoxy resin. Epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi solder paste was fabricated by mixing epoxy resin and Sn-58wt.%Bi solder powder to enhance the mechanical reliability of Sn-58wt.%Bi solder joints. The epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi solder paste was screen-printed onto various printed circuit board surfaces finished with organic solder preservatives (OSP), electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG). The test components were prepared by a reflow process at a peak temperature of 190°C. The thermal shock test was carried out under the temperature range of − 40 to 125°C to evaluate the reliability of Sn-58wt.%Bi and epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi solder joints. The OSP-finished sample showed a relatively higher mechanical property than those of ENIG and ENEPIG after thermal shock. The average number of cycles for epoxy Sn-58wt.%Bi solder with the OSP surface finish were 6 times higher than that for Sn-58wt.%Bi solder with the same finish. The microstructures of the solder joints were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and the composition of the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was analyzed by using energy dispersive spectrometry. Cu6Sn5 IMC was formed by the reaction between Sn-58wt.%Bi solder and a OSP surface-finished Cu after the reflow process. Ni3Sn4 IMC and (Ni, Pd)3Sn4 IMC were formed at the solder joints between the ENIG and solder, and between ENEPIG surface finish and solders, respectively.

Comparative study of ENEPIG and thin ENEPIG as surface finishes for SAC305 solder joints

A new multilayer metallization, electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with a thin 0.1-μm-thick Ni(P) layer (thin-ENEPIG), was plated onto a Cu printed circuit board substrate for fine-pitch package applications. We evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical strengths of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder on thin ENEPIG-coated substrates over various reflow times and compared them to those of a conventional ENEPIG-coated substrate with a 6-μm-thick Ni(P) layer. Thin Au, Pd, and Ni layers on the thin ENEPIG substrates were exhausted during the initial reflow time, which brought the underlying Cu layer in direct contact with the molten SAC305 solder, resulting in the formation of scallop-shaped (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface. The interfacial IMC layer for the thin ENEPIG substrate was thicker than that for the normal ENEPIG substrate due to the direct contact between the SAC305 solder and the Cu layer. In the low-speed shear test, all the fractures occurred in the bulk solder regardless of the different substrates and reflow times. In the high-speed shear test, the fracture mode was changed from ductile to brittle on increasing the reflow time. The P-rich Ni layer and thick Cu–Sn IMC formation deteriorated the shear strengths of the normal and thin ENEPIG joints, respectively. The thin ENEPIG joints showed better mechanical strength in the solder joint than the normal ENEPIG joints, despite the thick interfacial IMCs.

Effects of Solder Volume and Reflow Conditions on Self-Alignment Accuracy for Fan-Out Package Applications

The effects of solder volume and reaction time between molten solder and a metal pad at the peak temperature of reflow on the self-alignment effect have been investigated in flip chip bonding. A glass die with two different pad designs and a flame retardant-4 (FR-4) organic substrate were used. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu and Sn-3.5Ag solders were formed on Cu-organic solderability preservation (Cu-OSP) and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) pads on FR-4 substrates using the stencil printing method. To assess the effect of solder volume, the thickness and opening size of the stencil mask were controlled. Reflow experiments were performed at 250°C with wetting times of 40 s, 55 s, 65 s, and 75 s. After flip chip reflow soldering, the bonding areas were cross-sectioned to inspect the shape of the interconnected solder using scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that using an insufficient solder volume on the pad was responsible for die shifts larger than 1 μm, while a sufficient solder volume on the pad and a stable solder joint shape could ensure misalignment less than 1 μm. The Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder showed a lower die shift value than the Sn-3.5Ag solder because the Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder has stronger surface tension than the Sn-3.5Ag solder. Using a longer wetting time between the solder and the pad at the peak temperature also improved the die shift value because the increased reaction time changed the interconnected solder shape between the die and substrate from concave to convex, moving the die to a more accurate position. Furthermore, the restoring forces on die self-alignment influenced the die shift value. A stronger solder surface tension and a larger volume of solder on the pad produced stronger restoring forces for die self-alignment, thereby improving the die shift value.

Effects of Aging Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Sn-58Bi Epoxy Solder on ENEPIG-Surface-Finished PCB

The mechanical properties of Sn-58Bi epoxy solder were evaluated by low-speed shear testing as functions of aging time and temperature. To determine the effects of epoxy, the interfacial reaction and mechanical properties of both Sn-58Bi and Sn-58Bi epoxy solder were investigated after aging treatment. The chemical composition and growth kinetics of the intermetallic compound (IMC) formed at the interface between Sn-58Bi solder and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) surface finish were analyzed. Sn-58Bi solder paste was applied by stencil-printing on flame retardant-4 substrate, then reflowed. Reflowed samples were aged at 85°C, 95°C, 105°C, and 115°C for up to 1000 h. (Ni,Pd)3Sn4 IMC formed between Sn-58Bi solder and ENEPIG surface finish after reflow. Ni3Sn4 and Ni3P IMCs formed at the interface between (Ni,Pd)3Sn4 IMC and ENEPIG surface finish after aging at 115°C for 300 h. The overall IMC growth rate of Sn-58Bi solder joint was higher than that of Sn-58Bi epoxy solder joint during aging. The shear strength of Sn-58Bi epoxy solder was about 2.4 times higher than that of Sn-58Bi solder due to the blocking effect of epoxy, and the shear strength decreased with increasing aging time.

Drop Reliability of Epoxy-contained Sn-58 wt.%Bi Solder Joint with ENIG and ENEPIG Surface Finish Under Temperature and Humidity Test

The influence of two kinds of surface finish, namely electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG), on the interfacial reactions and drop reliability of epoxy-enhanced Sn-58 wt.%Bi solder has been investigated after temperature–humidity storage tests. The chemical composition and morphology of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. Also, the mechanical reliability of solder joints was evaluated using board-level drop tests. The Sn-Bi epoxy solder/ENEPIG joint exhibited higher IMC growth rate than the Sn-Bi epoxy solder/ENIG joint. After 500 h at 85°C/85% RH storage condition, new IMCs were formed on the Ni3Sn4 layer in samples with both surface finishes. The results of board-level drop tests showed that the number of drops was higher for the ENIG than the ENEPIG surface finish. Solder joint fracture occurred along the interface between the solder and IMC layer for the ENIG surface finish. However, with the ENEPIG surface finish, the crack propagated between the IMCs.

Board Level Drop Reliability of Epoxy-Containing Sn-58 mass% Bi Solder Joints with Various Surface Finishes

Board-level drop reliability testing under JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) drop conditions was conducted for low-temperature Sn-58 mass%Bi solder joints. The effects of surface finish and the number of reflow processes (one, three, or five) on the drop reliability of the Sn-58Bi joints were evaluated. Three types of surface finishes were used including electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG), and organic solderability preservatives (OSP). We successfully fabricated six types of drop test specimens with various surface finishes and bonding materials, and then performed the board-level drop tests. The board-level drop reliability was improved when using the composite Sn-58Bi solder with epoxy as compared to Sn-58Bi solder without epoxy. In addition, the reliability of the Sn-58Bi epoxy solder/OSP joint was better than both the ENIG and ENEPIG surface finishes. When the number of reflow processes increased, the drop reliability showed two different behaviors; specifically, the reliability of the ENIG and ENEPIG surface finishes decreased while the OSP surface finish improved. The existence of epoxy in the solder paste improved the drop reliability of the solder joints. After drop testing, cracks propagated differently with different surface finishes, namely between Ni3Sn4 IMCs and the Ni-P layer for the ENIG surface finish, between Ni3Sn4 IMCs and the solder bulk for the ENEPIG surface finish, and within the solder bulk for the OSP surface finish. These data show that, when it is necessary to perform repeated reflow processes for electronic components, solder joints with an OSP surface finish provide better drop test reliability results.

Electromigration effect on Sn-58 % Bi solder joints with various substrate metallizations under current stress

The electromigration behavior of low-melting temperature Sn-58Bi (in wt%) solder joints was investigated with a high current density between 3 and 4.5 × 103 A/cm2 between 80 and 110 °C. In order to analyze the impact of various substrate metallizations on the electromigration performance of the Sn-58Bi joint, we used representative substrate metallizations including electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG), and organic solderability preservatives (OSP). As the applied current density increased, the time to failure (TTF) for electromigration decreased regardless of the temperature or substrate metallizations. In addition, the TTF slightly decreased with increasing temperature. The substrate metallization significantly affected the TTF for the electromigration behavior of the Sn-58Bi solder joints. The substrate metallizations for electromigration performance of the Sn-58Bi solder are ranked in the following order: OSP-Cu, ENEPIG, and ENIG. Due to the polarity effect, current stressing enhanced the fast growth of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the anode interface. Cracks occurred at the Ni3Sn4 + Ni3P IMC/Cu interfaces on the cathode sides in the Sn-58Bi/ENIG joint and the Sn-58Bi/ENEPIG joint; this was caused by the complete consumption of the Ni(P) layer. Alternatively, failure occurred via deformation of the bulk solder in the Sn-58Bi/OSP-Cu joint. The experimental results confirmed that the electromigration reliability of the Sn-58Bi/OSP-Cu joint was superior to those of the Sn-58Bi/ENIG or Sn-58Bi/ENEPIG joints.

Evaluation of the Bondability of the Epoxy-Enhanced Sn-58Bi Solder with ENIG and ENEPIG Surface Finishes

The effect of different surface finishes, electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG), on the mechanical properties of Sn-58Bi bumps made with solder paste enhanced with epoxy were investigated. The microstructure and fracture surfaces were observed with scanning electron microscopy, and the compositions of the IMC and solder were measured using energy dispersive spectrometry and an electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA). To evaluate the mechanical properties, low-speed shear tests and board-level drop tests were performed. The result of the shear tests showed that the bonding strength of the epoxy-enhanced Sn-58Bi solder bumps was higher than that of Sn-58Bi solder for all surface finishes, because of the epoxy surrounding the solder, and the fracture surfaces of epoxy-enhanced Sn-58Bi indicated ductile fracture in the solder joint. However, the result of the drop tests showed that samples with the ENIG and ENEPIG surface finishes had lower drop numbers compared to the sample without these surface finishes. The lower performance resulted from insufficient ejection of epoxy from the ENIG and ENEPIG surface finishes during reflow, which reduced the interfacial bonding area.