Properties Of Solder Joints Research Articles

Novel Testing Instrument for Lead-Free Solder Characterization

The European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive of 2006 has revolutionized the use of materials for electronic packaging: tin-lead solder has had to be replaced with lead-free solder. While years of experience and data acquired in the field are available for tin-lead solder, the same cannot be said for lead-free solder. The lack of data on these new alloys hinders the use of modeling for predicting the reliability of lead-free solder. This paper describes a new testing machine that can assess the properties of solder joints in a copper-solder-copper structure. Finite-element analysis models using the newly acquired data will improve lifetime predictions. During a typical test, a model solder joint is expanded and contracted in shear. This actuation is achieved from the thermal expansion of a steel tube, which provides a smooth movement at a rate that is equivalent to that encountered on printed circuit boards when thermally stressed. The applied force is measured using a load cell; the sample displacement is determined from laser displacement sensors. Hysteresis load-displacement loops are obtained and can be used for evaluating the material plastic response and loading history. A camera/microscope system captures time-lapse photography images, which digital image correlation software can analyze to obtain strain profiles and study crack propagation. The instrument is capable of investigating creep, stress relaxation, and isothermal and thermal-mechanical fatigue behavior of solder interconnects. Results from this new instrument are presented here for isothermal and thermal cycling fatigue tests.

Strain Evolution during Lap Shear Testing of SnCu Solder

The lap-shear test is frequently used in the microelectronics industry to obtain mechanical properties of solder joints. In these tests, solder joints formed between slender metallic substrates are pulled apart in a simple shear configuration. Although it is known that calculation of stress-strain curves from lap shear tests is not straightforward due to rotation of the joints and strain inhomogeneity within the joint, these tests still find widespread use due to their simplicity and apparent ease of use. Chawla and co-workers [1, 2] show that the state of strain near the solder-substrate interfaces is significantly different from that in the interior of the joint and that this effect is only minimized for large joints. In the present work, we offer experimental evidence for these conclusions by presenting full-field strain measurements on solder joints in double-lap shear configuration, obtained using Digital Image Correlation (DIC). While confirming that significant strain gradients exist within the joint, the present work also indicates that a simple calculation of shear strain as axial displacement of the joint divided by joint thickness is misleading due to the presence of a significant gradient of the transverse displacement along the loading direction. This gradient persists through the course of the deformation and results in the actual average shear strain in the joint being smaller than that computed from the axial displacement alone.

Microstructural evolutions of Cu(Ni)/AuSn/Ni joints during reflow

AbstractInterfacial reactions of the Ni/AuSn/Ni and Cu/AuSn/Ni joints are experimentally studied at 330 °C for various reflow times. The microstructures and mechanical properties of the as-solidified solder joints are examined. The as-solidified solder matrix of Ni/AuSn/Ni presents a typical eutectic ζ-(Au,Ni)5Sn+δ-(Au,Ni)Sn lamellar microstructure after reflow at 330 °C for 30 s. After reflow for 60 s, a thin and flat (Ni,Au)3Sn2 intermetallic compound (IMC) layer is formed, and some needle-like (Ni,Au)3Sn2 phases grow from the IMC layer into the solder matrix. On the other hand, a cellular-type ζ(Cu) layer is found at the upper AuSn/Cu interface in the Cu/AuSn/Ni joint after reflow for 30 s, and a (Ni,Au,Cu)3Sn2 IMC layer is also formed at the lower AuSn/Ni interface. For both joints the IMC layer grows significantly with the increase of reflow time, but the growth rate of (Ni,Au,Cu)3Sn2 IMC in the Cu/AuSn/Ni joint is smaller than that of the (Ni,Au)3Sn2 layer in the Ni/AuSn/Ni joint. The comparisons of the shear strength and fracture surface between the Ni/AuSn/Ni and Cu/AuSn/Ni joints suggest that the coupling effect of the Cu/AuSn/Ni sandwich joint is helpful to prevent the excessive growth of (Ni,Au)3Sn2, which in turn enhances the mechanical reliability of the solder joint.

Development of high strength Sn–0.7Cu solders with the addition of small amount of Ag and In

Nowadays, a major concern of Sn–Cu based solder alloys is focused on continuously improving the comprehensive properties of solder joints formed between the solders and substrates. In this study, the influence of Ag and/or In doping on the microstructures and tensile properties of eutectic Sn–0.7Cu lead free solder alloy have been investigated. Also, the effects of temperature and strain rate on the mechanical performance of Sn–0.7Cu, Sn–0.7Cu–2Ag, Sn–0.7Cu–2In and Sn–0.7Cu–2Ag–2In solders were investigated. The tensile tests showed that while the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield stress (YS) increased with increasing strain rate, they decreased with increasing temperature, showing strong strain rate and temperature dependence. The results also revealed that with the addition of Ag and In into Sn–0.7Cu, significant improvement in YS (∼255%) and UTS (∼215%) is realized when compared with the other commercially available Sn–0.7 wt. % Cu solder alloys. Furthermore, the Sn–0.7Cu–2Ag–2In solder material developed here also exhibits higher ductility and well-behaved mechanical performance than that of eutectic Sn–0.7Cu commercial solder. Microstructural analysis revealed that the origin of change in mechanical properties is attributed to smaller β-Sn dendrite grain dimensions and formation of new inter-metallic compounds (IMCs) in the ternary and quaternary alloys.

Formation and Evolution of Intermetallic Compounds in Solder Joint for Electronic Interconnect

As solder joints become increasingly miniaturized to meet the severe demands of future electronic packaging, the thickness of intermetallic compounds (IMC) in solder joint continuously decreases, while, the IMC proportion to the whole solder joint increases. So IMC plays a more and more important role in the reliability of microelectronic structure and microsystems. In this paper, the formation and growth behavior, along with the composition of IMC at the interface of Sn-based solders/Cu substrate in soldering were reviewed comprehensively. The effect of isothermal aging, thermal-shearing cycling and electromigration on the interfacial IMC growth and evolution were also presented. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of Kirkendall voids during thermal aging was introduced. In addition, the effect of the interfacial IMC on mechanical properties of solder joints was in-depth summarized. Adopting an appropriate flux to control the thickness of the IMC to improve the reliability of solder joints and electronic products was proposed in the end of this paper.

Characterizing the Mechanical Properties of Actual SAC105, SAC305, and SAC405 Solder Joints by Digital Image Correlation

This paper presents the characterization of the mechanical properties of three lead-free solder alloys 95.5Sn-4.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC405), 96.5Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305), and 98.5Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC105) at the solder joint scale. Several actual ChipArray® ball grid array (CABGA) packages were cross-sectioned, polished, and used as test vehicles. Compressive tests were performed using a nanocharacterization system over the temperature range of 25°C to 105°C. Images of the cross-sectioned solder joints were recorded by microscope during the tests. The recorded images were then processed by using a digital image correlation (DIC) program to calculate the displacement and strain fields on the solder joints. Finite-element method (FEM) modeling was used to extract the Poisson’s ratio, Young’s modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the solder alloys over the temperature range. The methodology developed in this paper enables characterization of the mechanical properties of the actual solder joints at low strain range with high accuracy.

A comparative study of microstructure and mechanical properties among Cu/Sn/Cu, Ni/Sn/Ni and Cu/Sn/Ni solder joints

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the solder joint with optimal mechanical properties among Cu/Sn/Cu, Ni/Sn/Ni and Cu/Sn/Ni solder joints.Design/methodology/approachSolder joints with the same specimen shape were prepared by reflow. The microstructures were observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and tensile testing was carried out to investigate the mechanical properties.FindingsThe mechanical properties of solder joint correlate closely with the intermetallic compounds (IMC) layer structure and the dissociative IMC particles in the solder bulk. Under the influence of the opposite Cu bar, the Cu/Sn/Ni has a duplex IMC layer structure at the Ni side, involving a thin Ni‐Cu‐Sn IMC layer and a faceted (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 layer. The mechanical connection of the duplex IMC layers is weak due to the pores in the layers. The Cu/Sn/Ni fractures in the IMC layers in a brittle mode under tensile testing. Comparatively, the Ni/Sn/Ni also has duplex Ni3Sn4 layers, and they connect firmly with each other. The tensile fracture of the Ni/Sn/Ni occurs in the solder bulk in a ductile mode, as well as for the Cu/Sn/Cu. Compared with the Cu/Sn/Cu solder bulk, the solder bulk of the Ni/Sn/Ni and the Cu/Sn/Ni have higher ultimate tensile strengths, because the strengthening effect of the dissociative Ni3Sn4 and (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 particles on the solder bulk is stronger than that of the Cu6Sn5 particles. Among Cu/Sn/Cu, Ni/Sn/Ni and Cu/Sn/Ni, Ni/Sn/Ni has the optimal mechanical properties.Originality/valueThe paper offers insights into the significant influence of base material matching on the microstructure and mechanical properties of solder joints.

Mechanical properties of Pb-free SnAg solder joints

The mechanical stability of Pb-free SnAgCu solder connections is studied in comparison to conventional eutectic SnPb. Shear tests are performed with solders of different near-eutectic compositions. In addition, the hardness of bulk solder alloys is measured. The strength and ductility of the Pb-free joints depend significantly on Ag content. In general, however, Pb-free solder reveals superior mechanical properties in terms of maximum strength and ductility when compared to SnPb. Microstructure characterization after reflow is performed by electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that failure always appears across the solder alloy, while the intermetallic region providing adhesion remains intact. Thus, the strength of the joints is determined by the bulk properties of the solder. Plastic deformation of the latter appears via a dislocation mechanism. It is demonstrated that particle hardening in interdendritic zones of the solidified structure is the most important factor in understanding the strength.

Mechanical Properties of Flip-Chip Solder Joints Effected by Electromigration

A frequent cause of failure of portable and hand-held devices is an accidental drop to the ground. The effect of electromigration on the mechanical properties of solder joints was discussed in this paper. Without current stressing, the samples were broken in the bulk of solder or at the interface of Al interconnect and solder. If the Al-solder interfacial mechanical strength was improved by changed the interfacial structure or optimized the jointing process, the flip chip devices would show the lonely ductile fracture in the bulk of solder. After electromigration the samples were broken abruptly at the interface near the chip side while the bulk of the solder joints maintained the original shape. Due to the interfacial reaction and the polarity effect of electromigration on the interfaces, a ductile solder joint can become a brittle solder joint. The ductile-to-brittle transition is very sensitive to a high speed shear stress applied to the joints. Because solder alloys are ductile by nature, it is of interest to understand how electromigration can influence the mechanical properties of solder joints’ interfaces and change their ductile nature. Owing to the polarity effect of electromigration, vacancies will accumulate to form voids at the cathode interface of solder joints. Besides, much more intermetallic compound formation at the joint interfaces also caused the ductile-to-brittle transition. Thus the interfaces become more and more brittle with time due to IMC formation or vacancy accumulation from electromigration.

Numerical analysis of thermo-mechanical behavior of indium micro-joint at cryogenic temperatures

Microelectronic packaging plays an important role in cryogenic engineering; in particular, a solder joint as interconnection, which offers a mechanical, thermal and electrical support, undergoes much larger and harsher thermal changes during its service compared with conventional customer electronic products. The impact of thermo-mechanical properties of such solder joints under cryogenic service conditions becomes even more significant due to the continuing miniaturization of solder joints. Indium, a solder material with a low melting point and excellent cryogenic properties, has been favorable in various low temperature applications, in particular, to form solder joints for electronics interconnections. In order to understand the fundamental aspects of reliability of indium joints, this paper reports a constitutive model accounting for the effect of temperature change on thermo-mechanical behavior of indium joints. Especially, the model is used and subsequently implemented in a FE analysis to simulate a hybrid pixel detector system, in which indium micro-joints are manufactured to serve at cryogenic conditions. The response of indium joints to low-temperature cycling (300–76K) was analyzed based on the proposed model, which not only offers a tool to understand the performance and experimental testing of solder joints under cryogenic temperatures, but can also be used for design optimization of the microelectronic package.

Microstructure, mechanical performance and corrosion properties of base metal solder joints

Alloys have been considered to be of paramount importance in the field of prosthodontics. Long span prosthesis may often require joining of one or more individual castings to obtain better fit, occlusal harmony and esthetics in comparison to one-piece casting. This study was undertaken to evaluate the mechanical properties of base metal alloys joined by two different techniques, namely, gas oxygen torch soldering and laser fusion, compared to a one-piece casting. Mechanical properties evaluated were tensile strength, percentage of elongation and hardness of the solder joint. In addition, corrosion properties and scanning electron microscopic appearance of the joints were also evaluated. The samples were prepared according to American Society for Testing Materials specifications (ASTM, E8). Specimens were made with self-cure acrylic and then invested in phosphate-bonded investment material. Casting was done in induction casting machine. Thirty specimens were thus prepared for each group and compared with 30 specimens of the one-piece casting group. SPSS software (version 10.0, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analysis. ANOVA and Benferroni post hoc tests were done for multiple comparisons between the groups and within the groups for mean difference and standard error. Results showed that tensile strength of the one-piece casting was higher than laser fused and gas oxygen torch soldered joints. Laser fused joints exhibited higher hardness values compared to that of gas oxygen torch soldered joints. Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed greater porosity in the gas oxygen torch soldered joints. This contributed to the reduction in the strength of the joint. Gas oxygen torch soldered joints showed less corrosion resistance when compared to laser fused joints and one-piece casting. Laser fusion, which is a recent introduction to the field of prosthodontics, produces joints which have properties between those of one-piece casting and the gas oxygen torch soldering.

Cu6Sn5 Morphology Transition and Its Effect on Mechanical Properties of Eutectic Sn-Ag Solder Joints

The morphologies of Cu6Sn5 grains formed at the interface between Sn-3.5Ag (wt.% unless otherwise specified) and Cu substrates were studied in this work. Reflow experiments were performed for 60 s at peak temperatures of 513 K, 533 K, 543 K, and 553 K. Two morphologies of interfacial Cu6Sn5 grains were observed in wetting reactions: prism type, above 543 K, and scallop type, below 533 K. During aging, the two morphologies gradually transitioned to layer type. These three morphologies could be transformed into each other as long as the corresponding condition changed. The morphology transition of Cu6Sn5 in the wetting reaction was explained by the change in Jackson’s parameter with temperature. In addition, the effect of the Cu content in molten solder on interfacial Cu6Sn5 grains was examined. Significant differences in shear strength were observed for solder joints with different interfacial Cu6Sn5 morphologies in the case of a lower shear height. Joint strength is discussed in terms of the microstructure of the solder matrix and the morphology of interfacial Cu6Sn5 grains.

High-cycle fatigue life prediction for Pb-free BGA under random vibration loading

This paper develops an assessment methodology based on vibration tests and finite element analysis (FEA) to predict the fatigue life of electronic components under random vibration loading. A specially designed PCB with ball grid array (BGA) packages attached was mounted to the electro-dynamic shaker and was subjected to different vibration excitations at the supports. An event detector monitored the resistance of the daisy chained circuits and recorded the failure time of the electronic components. In addition accelerometers and dynamic signal analyzer were utilized to record the time-history data of both the shaker input and the PCB’s response. The finite element based fatigue life prediction approach consists of two steps: The first step aims at characterizing fatigue properties of the Pb-free solder joint (SAC305/SAC405) by generating the S– N (stress-life) curve. A sinusoidal vibration over a limited frequency band centered at the test vehicle’s 1st natural frequency was applied and the time to failure was recorded. The resulting stress was obtained from the FE model through harmonic analysis in ANSYS. Spectrum analysis specified for random vibration, as the second step, was performed numerically in ANSYS to obtain the response power spectral density (PSD) of the critical solder joint. The volume averaged Von Mises stress PSD was calculated from the FEA results and then was transformed into time-history data through inverse Fourier transform. The rainflow cycle counting was used to estimate cumulative damages of the critical solder joint. The calculated fatigue life based on the rainflow cycle counting results, the S– N curve, and the modified Miner’s rule agreed with actual testing results.

Effects of Ce Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Sn-58Bi Solder Joints

The effects of a rare-earth element on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and whisker growth of Sn-58Bi alloys and solder joints in ball grid array (BGA) packages with Ag/Cu pads have been investigated. Mechanical testing indicated that the elongation of Sn-58Bi alloys doped with Ce increased significantly, and the tensile strength decreased slightly, in compar- ison with undoped Sn-58Bi. In addition, the growth of both fiber- and hillock-shaped tin whiskers on the surface of Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce was retarded in the case of Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-0.5Ce alloys. The growth of interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMC) in Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce solder joints was slower than that in Sn-58Bi because the activity of Ce atoms at the interface of the Cu6Sn5 IMC/solder was reduced. The reflowed Sn-58Bi and Sn-58Bi-0.5Ce BGA packages with Ag/Cu pads had a ball shear strength of 7.91 N and 7.64 N, which decreased to about 7.13 N and 6.87 N after aging at 100°C for 1000 h, respectively. The reflowed and aged solder joints fractured across the solder balls with ductile characteristics after ball shear tests.

Reliability evaluation of SnAgCu/SnAgCuCe solder joints based on finite element simulation and experiments

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to numerically evaluate the reliability of SnAgCuCe solder joints compared with that of SnAgCu. A trace amount of the rare earth (RE) element Ce was added into SnAgCu solder in order to improve the reliability of lead‐free solder joints, which was evaluated based on finite element simulation and experiments.Design/methodology/approachA finite element method and an Anand constitutive model were employed to analyze the reliability of SnAgCuCe and SnAgCu solder joints in fine pitch quad flat packages under thermal cycling. The mechanical properties and reliability of solder joints were characterized by using thermal fatigue and creep tests, while the microstructure of the solder alloy and SnAgCu/SnAgCuCe solder joints were also investigated in the experimental procedure.FindingsThe simulation results indicated that SnAgCuCe solder joints had better reliability than SnAgCu. In addition, the experimental results accorded well with those of simulation, the thermal fatigue property and creep resistance of solder joints was increased by adding cerium. SnAgCuCe alloy can get its microstructure refinement improved and the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer at the solder/Cu interface decreased significantly compared to that of SnAgCu.Originality/valueThe findings provide certain guidelines to the reliability evaluation of solder joints when applying novel RE containing solder alloys in practical electronics industry applications. In the meantime, the reason for the superior reliability of SnAgCuCe solder joints can be explained from the property and microstructural point‐of‐view.

Creep properties of Sn‐0.7Cu composite solder joints reinforced with nano‐sized Ag particles

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the creep properties of Sn‐0.7Cu composite solder joints reinforced with optimal nano‐sized Ag particles in order to improve the creep performance of lead‐free solder joints by a composite approach.Design/methodology/approachThe composite approach has been considered as an effective method to improve the creep performance of solder joints. Nano‐sized Ag reinforcing particles were incorporated into Sn‐0.7Cu solder by mechanically mixing. A systematic creep study was carried out on nano‐composite solder joints reinforced with optimal nano‐sized Ag particles and compared with Sn‐0.7Cu solder joints at different temperatures and stress levels. A steady‐state creep constitutive equation for nano‐composite solder joints containing the best volume reinforcement was established in this study. Microstructural features of solder joints were analyzed to help determine their deformation mechanisms during creep.FindingsThe creep activation energies and stress exponents of Ag particle‐enhanced Sn‐0.7Cu lead‐free based composite solder joints were higher than those of matrix solder joints under the same stress and temperature. Thus, the creep properties of nano‐composite solder joints are better than those of Sn‐0.7Cu solder joints.Originality/valueThe findings indicated that nano‐sized Ag reinforcing particles could effectively improve the creep properties of solder joints. A new steady‐state creep constitutive equation of nano‐composite solder joints was established. Deformation mechanisms of Sn‐0.7Cu solder and nano‐composite solder joints during creep were determined.

Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re-xNi Lead-Free Solder Alloy and its Creep Properties of Solder Joints

The effects of Ni on the properties of the Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re solder alloy and its creep properties of solder joints are researched. The results show that with adding 0.05wt% Ni in the Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re solder alloy, the elongation can be sharply improved without decreasing its tensile strength and it is 1.4 times higher than that of the commercial Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu solder alloy. Accordingly the creep rupture life of Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re-0.05Ni solder joints is the longest, which is 13.3 times longer than that of Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re and is also longer than that of the commercial Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu solder alloy. In the same environmental conditions, the creep rupture life of Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.1Re-0.05Ni solder joints can sharply decrease with increasing the temperature and stress.

Effect of praseodymium on the microstructure and properties of Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu solder

Effects of Pr addition on wettability, microstructure of Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu solder were studied, the mechanical properties of solder joints were investigated and the fracture morphologies were also analyzed in this paper. The results indicate that adding appropriate amount of Pr can evidently improve the wettability of solder, and it is also found that Pr can refine the β-Sn dendrites and reduce the intermetallic compounds growth inside the solder due to the fine PrSn3 particles formed in the solder which can act as heterogeneous nucleation sites. Moreover, the joints soldered with the SnAgCuPr solders possess sound mechanical properties which may result from the finer microstructure improved by the Pr.

Effects of Ce and La Additions on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Sn-9Zn Solder Joints

The effects of rare-earth elements on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Sn-9Zn alloys and solder joints in ball grid array packages with Ni/Au(ENIG) surface finishes have been investigated. Metallographic observations showed that (Ce0.8Zn0.2)Sn3 and (La0.9Zn0.1)Sn3 intermetallic compounds appeared in the solder matrix of Sn-9Zn-0.5Ce and Sn-9Zn-0.5La alloys, respectively. Both fiber- and hillock-shaped tin whiskers were inhibited in the Sn-9Zn-0.5Ce solder, while tin fibers were still observed on the surface of oxidized (La0.9Zn0.1)Sn3 intermetallics in Sn-9Zn-0.5La after air exposure at room temperature. Mechanical testing indicated that the tensile strength of Sn-9Zn alloys doped with Ce and La increased significantly, and the elongation decreased, in comparison with the undoped Sn-9Zn. The bonding strengths of the as-reflowed Sn-9Zn-0.5Ce and Sn-9Zn-0.5La solder joints were also improved. However, aging treatment at 100°C and 150°C caused degradation of ball shear strength in all specimens. During the reflowing and aging processes, AuZn8 intermetallic phases appeared at the interfaces of all solder joints. In addition, Zn-rich phases were observed to migrate from the solder matrix to the solder/pad interfaces of the aged specimens.

Shear and Pull Testing of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu Solder with Ti/Ni(V)/Cu Underbump Metallization During Aging

Ti/Ni(V)/Cu underbump metallization (UBM) is widely used in flip-chip technology today. The advantages of Ti/Ni(V)/Cu UBM are a low reaction rate with solder and the lack of a magnetic effect during sputtering. Sn atoms diffuse into the Ni(V) layer to form a Sn-rich phase, the so-called Sn-patch, during reflow and aging. In this study, the relationship between interfacial reaction and mechanical properties of the solder joints with Ti/Ni(V)/Cu UBM was evaluated. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder was reflowed on sputtered Ti/Ni(V)/Cu UBM, and then the reflowed samples were aged at 125°C and 200°C, respectively. (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 was formed and grew gradually at the interface of the solder joints during aging at 125°C. The Sn-patch replaced the Ni(V) layer, and (Ni,Cu)3Sn4 was thus formed between (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 and the Sn-patch at 200°C. The Sn-patch, composed of Ni and V2Sn3 after reflow, was transformed to V2Sn3 and amorphous Sn during aging. Shear and pull tests were applied to evaluate the solder joints under various heat treatments. The shear force of the solder joints remained at 421 mN, yet the pull force decreased after aging at 125°C. Both the shear and pull forces of the solder joints decreased during aging at 200°C. The effects of aging temperature on the mechanical properties of solder joint were investigated and discussed.