Properties Of Solder Joints Research Articles

Erratum to: Effects of Forming Processes on the Microstructure and Solderability of Sn-3.5Ag Eutectic Solder Ribbons as well as the Mechanical Properties of Solder Joints

Erratum to: Effects of Forming Processes on the Microstructure and Solderability of Sn-3.5Ag Eutectic Solder Ribbons as well as the Mechanical Properties of Solder Joints

Interfacial Reaction and Mechanical Properties of Sn-Bi Solder joints

Sn-Bi solder with different Bi content can realize a low-to-medium-to-high soldering process. To obtain the effect of Bi content in Sn-Bi solder on the microstructure of solder, interfacial behaviors in solder joints with Cu and the joints strength, five Sn-Bi solders including Sn-5Bi and Sn-15Bi solid solution, Sn-30Bi and Sn-45Bi hypoeutectic and Sn-58Bi eutectic were selected in this work. The microstructure, interfacial reaction under soldering and subsequent aging and the shear properties of Sn-Bi solder joints were studied. Bi content in Sn-Bi solder had an obvious effect on the microstructure and the distribution of Bi phases. Solid solution Sn-Bi solder was composed of the β-Sn phases embedded with fine Bi particles, while hypoeutectic Sn-Bi solder was composed of the primary β-Sn phases and Sn-Bi eutectic structure from networked Sn and Bi phases, and eutectic Sn-Bi solder was mainly composed of a eutectic structure from short striped Sn and Bi phases. During soldering with Cu, the increase on Bi content in Sn-Bi solder slightly increased the interfacial Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC)thickness, gradually flattened the IMC morphology, and promoted the accumulation of more Bi atoms to interfacial Cu6Sn5 IMC. During the subsequent aging, the growth rate of the IMC layer at the interface of Sn-Bi solder/Cu rapidly increased from solid solution Sn-Bi solder to hypoeutectic Sn-Bi solder, and then slightly decreased for Sn-58Bi solder joints. The accumulation of Bi atoms at the interface promoted the rapid growth of interfacial Cu6Sn5 IMC layer in hypoeutectic or eutectic Sn-Bi solder through blocking the formation of Cu6Sn5 in solder matrix and the transition from Cu6Sn5 to Cu3Sn. Ball shear tests on Sn-Bi as-soldered joints showed that the increase of Bi content in Sn-Bi deteriorated the shear strength of solder joints. The addition of Bi into Sn solder was also inclined to produce brittle morphology with interfacial fracture, which suggests that the addition of Bi increased the shear resistance strength of Sn-Bi solder.

Effect of indium addition on interfacial IMC growth and bending properties of eutectic Sn–0.7Cu solder joints

The microstructure and growth behaviors of interfacial IMCs between the Sn–0.7Cu–xIn (x = 0–5.0 wt%) solder and Cu substrate under solid aging were investigated. Bending test was conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of Cu/Sn–0.7Cu–xIn/Cu solder joints. The needle-like Cu6(Sn,In)5 IMCs formed at interface instead of Cu6Sn5 in as-soldered In-containing solder joints. During solid aging, indium addition had little influence on the growth of Cu6Sn5 IMCs, but strongly suppressed the growth of Cu3Sn IMCs. In Sn–0.7Cu–5.0In/Cu couple, the maximum solubility of indium in Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn was about 4.9 and 3.1 at.% respectively which was independent of aging temperature. The average composition of Cu6(Sn,In)5 and Cu3(Sn,In) were given as Cu6(Sn0.89,In0.11)5 and Cu3(Sn0.88,In0.12). After indium addition, the diffusion coefficients were found to be lower than that of Sn–0.7Cu/Cu couple and the activation energy for the growth of Cu3Sn increased with the increase of indium content. Doping indium into Sn–0.7Cu solder improved the bending properties of solder joints. Interfacial cracks were suppressed effectively after long time aging with indium addition.

Effects of Forming Processes on the Microstructure and Solderability of Sn-3.5Ag Eutectic Solder Ribbons as well as the Mechanical Properties of Solder Joints

Two kinds of Sn-3.5Ag eutectic solder ribbons of 0.13 mm thickness were prepared by a casting–rolling process and a rapid solidification process. The microstructure, phase constitution, melting characteristics, wetting behavior and soldering strength were compared using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and a MTS ceramic testing system. The results show that the microstructure of rapidly solidified solder is finer and more uniform, and the eutectic structure has a higher solid solubility and more homogeneous distribution of Ag in a Sn matrix. The solidus and liquidus temperature decreased, resulting in a 3.3% reduction of pasty range. In addition, the wettability and shear strength of the solder joints increased by 13.2% and 7.9%, respectively.

A Review of Recent Research on the Mechanical Behavior of Lead-Free Solders

Due to the restriction of lead-rich solder and the miniaturization of electronic packaging devices, lead-free solders have replaced lead-rich solders in the past decades; however, it also brings new technical problems. Reliability, fatigue, and drop resistance are of concern in the electronic industry. The paper provides a comprehensive survey of recent research on the methodologies to describe the mechanical behavior of lead-free solders. In order to understand the fundamental mechanical behavior of lead-free solders, the visco-plastic characteristics should be considered in the constitutive modeling. Under mechanical and thermal cycling, fatigue is related to the time to failure and can be predicted based on the analysis to strain, hysteresis energy, and damage accumulation. For electronic devices with potential drop impacts, drop resistance plays an essential role to assess the mechanical reliability of solder joints through experimental studies, establishing the rate-dependent material properties and proposing advanced numerical techniques to model the interconnect failure. The failure mechanisms of solder joints are complicated under coupled electrical-thermal-mechanical loadings, the increased current density can lead to electromigration around the current crowding zone. The induced void initiation and propagation have been investigated based on theoretical approaches to reveal the effects on the mechanical properties of solder joints. To elucidate the dominant mechanisms, the effects of current stressing and elevated temperature on mechanical behavior of lead-free solder have been reviewed. Potential directions for future research have been discussed.

Coupling damage and reliability modeling for creep and fatigue of solder joint

Solder joint often plays a crucial role in the normal operation of electronic equipment due to its unique material properties and harsh working condition, making it very important to carry out the accurate reliability analysis of solder joint. The low-cycle fatigue due to temperature cycling and the creep brought by continuous high temperature are two dominant failure modes of the solder joint. Current modeling methods for these two mechanisms mainly focus on failure process of each mechanism separately, with little consideration of the coupling relationship in the material properties. This paper introduces a coupling damage model considering both low-cycle fatigue and creep. The coupling relationship between these two failure mechanisms is investigated with the effects of creep strain rate on the ductility and the effects of damage on mechanical properties of solder joint. The analysis of the former mechanism concerns the fatigue parameter of Coffin-Manson model, while the latter one focuses on the applied stress increasing with the accumulation of damage. Further, considering that creep degradation rate would increase once the cumulative damage reaches a trigger threshold, a generalized cumulative damage model is developed. Based on this assumption, a reliability model for solder joint considering the uncertainty of model parameters is then proposed. Finally, a case study of a lead-free solder joint is given to validate this method.

Investigation of the Local Mechanical Properties of the SAC Solder Joint with AFM

Considering the size of the natural appearance of the micro alloy components of a SAC solder joint, AFM was used to investigate their mechanical properties in the form of their natural appearance. Contact-mode point-spectroscopy was done to determine the elastic modulus and tapping-mode point-spectroscopy was done to investigate the tip-sample power dissipation.The measured Young’s modulus values of the Cu, IML, Ag3Sn and Sn components, were 125±9 GPa, 111±20 GPa, 67±11 GPa and 57±16 GPa, respectively. The dissipation measurements were accomplished by Si and diamond probes with different spring constants. The different characteristics of the results are discussed.

Anisotropic Mechanical Properties of SAC Solder Joints in Microelectronic Packaging and Prediction of Uniaxial Creep Using Nanoindentation Creep

In this paper, the mechanical properties and creep behavior of lead-free solder joints has been characterized by nano-mechanical testing of single grain SAC305 solder joints extracted from plastic ball grid array (PBGA) assemblies. The anisotropic mechanical properties characterized include the elastic modulus, hardness, and yield stress. An approach is suggested to predict tensile creep strain rates for low stress levels using nanoindentation creep data measured at very high compressive stress levels. The uniaxial creep rate measured on similarly prepared bulk (large) specimens was found to be of the same order-of-magnitude as the creep rate observed in single-grain BGA joints, with chararacteristically (slightly) higher creep strains measured during nanoindentation. This suggests that the same creep mechanism operates in both size domains. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and nanoindentation testing further showed that the modulus, hardness, and creep properties of solder joints are highly dependent on the crystal orientation.

Optimization of solder paste quantity considering the properties of solder joints

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find an optimum between the quantity of solder paste and the desired properties of the soldered joint. A reduction of solder paste quantity is recognized as an opportunity to save money. On the other hand, the quantity of solder paste significantly influences the final properties of the soldered joint. The purpose is also to design recommendations for manufacturers of electronic assemblies.Design/methodology/approachThe processing of the paper was initiated by a literature review. The expert analysis was the next step. The result of analysis was a fishbone diagram. Subsequently, the experiment was designed. Seven types and three volume of solder pastes and two aperture shapes of the stencil were used. The measured parameters were mechanical strength, electrical resistance, voids area and intermetallic compound (IMC) thicknesses. The results of the experiment were evaluated and recommendations for practice were defined.FindingsThe carried out research has confirmed the influence of solder paste quantity on the shear strength, electrical resistance, voids area and IMC thickness of solder joint. The article presents the results achieved for solders Sn42Bi58, Sn42Bi57.6Ag0.4, SnAg3.0Cu0.5, SnCu0.7Ag1.0NiGe, SnAg3.5Bi0.5In8.0 and Sn62.5Pb36.5Ag1.0. Reduction of solder paste quantity down to 74 per cent (i.e. one quarter of quantity) decreases mechanical shear strength less than 10 per cent. Recommendations relating to the optimal reduction of solder paste quantity have been designed for each solder paste.Originality/valueContribution of the paper is impact assessment of solder paste quantity on the properties of the soldered joint. It was carried out a large number of experiments and measurements which verify this effect. Such a comprehensive overview of the results is not yet available in the literature. Recommendations for manufacturers of electronic assemblies are also the benefit of article.

Effect of joint thickness on fatigue strength properties of solder joints by using a high-rigidity lap joint specimen

Effect of joint thickness on fatigue strength properties of solder joints by using a high-rigidity lap joint specimen

Effect of in Addition to Zn-5Al Solder on Microstructure and Properties of Solder Joints

The effect of In addition to Zn-5Al on the interfacial reaction behaviors and mechanical properties of solder joints were investigated. It was found that addition of In decreasing the melting point of Zn-5Al solder. The segregation of In on grain boundary was observed. CuZn5 and Cu5Zn8 intermetallic phases were observed at joint interface. Segregation of In on grain boundary caused a significant decrease of strength of the Zn-5Al-In solder compared to Zn-5Al. Addition of 1% In to Zn-5Al solder resulted in a reduction of shear strength of 14 MPa. The interfacial microstructure, shear strength and fracture surfaces of Zn-5Al/Cu and Zn-5Al-1In/Cu solder joints were studied.

The Influence of Processing on Strengthening Mechanisms in Pb-Free Solder Joints

The number, and the spacing, of Ag3Sn precipitates in Sn-Ag-Cu/Cu solder joints were related to separate processing parameters. The mechanical properties of an individual solder joint were directly related to the resulting distribution of different dispersoids in the joint. As the number of Ag3Sn precipitates increased, so did solder joint strength and shear fatigue lifetime. The room-temperature shear fatigue lifetime was inversely correlated with the separation between Ag3Sn precipitates. Bi and Sb solid solution strengthening was found to result in significantly larger values of shear strength and shear fatigue lifetime for one Pb-free solder. Room-temperature shear fatigue lifetime tests were identified as a relatively straightforward, yet sensitive means to gain insight into the reliability of Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder joints.

Effect of electron flow on the microstructure and mechanical property of Cu/Sn–30Bi/Cu solder joint

Non-eutectic Sn–30Bi solder alloy/joint always formed during surface mounting of BGA component, due to the application of pure Sn bump and Sn–58Bi solder paste. In order to investigate the microstructure and mechanical property evolution of Sn–30Bi solder joint electro-migrated at the temperature between solidus and liquidus, the electro-migration test of Cu/Sn–30Bi/Cu joint was conducted at 160 °C. The microstructure was observed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mechanical property of solder joint was tested by universal testing machine. The results showed that the eutectic phase would migrate towards the anode side and segregate on the surface of Cu pad of anode side. The anode side interfacial IMCs layer was between liquid Sn–58Bi and Cu pad. The cathode side interfacial IMCs layer was between solid Sn–11Bi and Cu pad. The interfacial IMCs layer thickness of anode side and cathode side was all thicker than the interfacial IMCs layer without electron flow.

Influence of alloying elements on stability and electronic structures of Cu6Sn5(0 1 0) surface by first principles calculations

Due to the reliability problem and high melting point, the development of lead-free solders is hindered. Alloying is considered to be a promising approach to design new Sn-based solders. Cu6Sn5 plays an important role in the quality of microelectronic packaging that formed at the interface of solder and Cu substrate. In the present study, first principles calculations were employed to study the occupation properties of alloying elements (A=P, Zn, Ag, In, Sb, Ce, Pb, and Bi) and anti-site defects (Cu and Sn) in (010) surface of Cu6Sn5 and their influence on the electronic structures of Cu6Sn5(010) surface. Formation energies were calculated to evaluate the occupation preferences of alloying elements in considered eight sites of Cu6Sn5(010) surface. Different alloying elements show different occupation preferences. The occupations of alloying elements in Cu6Sn5 surface show negative formation energies comparing the positive formation energies in bulk Sn. Therefore, the alloying elements will easily occur in the Cu6Sn5 compound during soldering process. Electronic structures were studied to reveal the occupation mechanisms of alloying elements, and the interactions between them and Cu6Sn5 surface. Large values of density of states appear around the Fermi energy level for Ce contained system. In terms of the lowest work function, the electrons in Ce contained systems will be much easier to lose than that in other contained systems. Therefore, alloying of Ce will greatly affect the stability and electrical properties of solder joints in microelectronic packaging.

Effect of Plasma Surface Finish on Wettability and Mechanical Properties of SAC305 Solder Joints

The wetting behavior, interfacial reactions, and mechanical reliability of Sn-Ag-Cu solder on a plasma-coated printed circuit board (PCB) substrate were evaluated under multiple heat-treatments. Conventional organic solderability preservative (OSP) finished PCBs were used as a reference. The plasma process created a dense and highly cross-linked polymer coating on the Cu substrates. The plasma finished samples had higher wetting forces and shorter zero-cross times than those with OSP surface finish. The OSP sample was degraded after sequential multiple heat treatments and reflow processes, whereas the solderability of the plasma finished sample was retained after multiple heat treatments. After the soldering process, similar microstructures were observed at the interfaces of the two solder joints, where the development of intermetallic compounds was observed. From ball shear tests, it was found that the shear force for the plasma substrate was consistently higher than that for the OSP substrate. Deterioration of the OSP surface finish was observed after multiple heat treatments. Overall, the plasma surface finish was superior to the conventional OSP finish with respect to wettability and joint reliability, indicating that it is a suitable material for the fabrication of complex electronic devices.

Al and Si Alloying Effect on Solder Joint Reliability in Sn-0.5Cu for Automotive Electronics

To suppress the bonding strength degradation of solder joints in automotive electronics, we proposed a mid-temperature quaternary Pb-free Sn-0.5Cu solder alloy with minor Pd, Al, Si and Ge alloying elements. We manufactured powders and solder pastes of Sn-0.5Cu-(0.01,0.03)Al-0.005Si-(0.006–0.007)Ge alloys (Tm = 230°C), and vehicle electronic control units used for a flame-retardant-4 printed circuit board with an organic solderability preservative finish were assembled by a reflow soldering process. To investigate the degradation properties of solder joints used in engine compartments, thermal cycling tests were conducted from −40°C to 125°C (10 min dwell) for 1500 cycles. We also measured the shear strength of the solder joints in various components and observed the microstructural evolution of the solder joints. Based on these results, intermetallic compound (IMC) growth at the solder joints was suppressed by minor Pd, Al and Si additions to the Sn-0.5Cu alloy. After 1500 thermal cycles, IMC layers thicknesses for 100 parts per million (ppm) and 300 ppm Al alloy additions were 6.7 μm and 10 μm, compared to the as-reflowed bonding thicknesses of 6 μm and 7 μm, respectively. Furthermore, shear strength degradation rates for 100 ppm and 300 ppm Al(Si) alloy additions were at least 19.5%–26.2%. The cause of the improvement in thermal cycling reliability was analyzed using the (Al,Cu)-Sn, Si-Sn and Al-Sn phases dispersed around the Cu6Sn5 intermetallic at the solder matrix and bonding interfaces. From these results, we propose the possibility of a mid-temperature Sn-0.5Cu(Pd)-Al(Si)-Ge Pb-free solder for automotive engine compartment electronics.

Effect of alumina nanoparticles on the microstructure and mechanical durability of meltspun lead-free solders based on tin alloys

As one of the key technologies for high performance electronic devices, composite solders have been recently developed to improve thermal and mechanical properties of solder joints. In this research, melt spinning was employed to fabricate a lead-free based nanocomposite solder for electronic application materials via introducing Ni-coated Al2O3 nanoparticles (0.1 wt%) into a Sn-Ag-Cu ternary eutectic alloy during rapid solidification. These surface-modified nanoparticles were synthesized by an in situ chemical reduction method. The effect of rapid solidification on the distribution of reinforcing nanoparticles, microstructural evolution, and solderability of the tin alloy were studied. Microstructural studies determined that rapid solidification refined brittle and elongated intermetallic compounds (IMCs) into small particles with an average diameter of a few hundred nanometers. The particles were uniformly dispersed into an amorphous/recrystallized fine-grained eutectic morphology of the solder matrix. It was also found that the addition of Ni-coated Al2O3 nanoparticles could effectively suppress the growth of IMC layers, which enhanced the reliability of solder joints. Effects of solid-state ageing phenomenon on the tensile and shear properties of the soldered joints were also evaluated. Higher strength and ductility was measured for joints prepared from the nanocomposite solder as compared with the unreinforced solder. A maximum enhancement of ∼20% in the shear strength was obtained.

Influence of high-power-low-frequency ultrasonic vibration time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of lead-free solder joints

Cu/SAC305/Cu solder joints were fabricated at ambient atmosphere using high-power-low-frequency ultrasonic vibration (USV) assisted hot plate reflow soldering. The influences of USV time (within 6s) on the microstructure, hardness, yield strength and shear strength of the solder joints were investigated. Refinement on the solder matrix microstructure, formation of thinner interfacial Cu6Sn5 IMC layer, and enhancement on the hardness, yield strength and shear strength were observed in all the ultrasonic-treated solder joints. Marked morphological change on the β-Sn phase was observed in the joint solder matrix when the USV time was increased from 1s to 6s. Thicker interfacial Cu6Sn5 IMC layer was observed at the top and bottom substrate/solder interfaces and the difference in thickness between these interfaces was greater at increased USV time. The solder matrix hardness increased with increasing USV time, indicating a reduction in joint ductility. The USV time has no influence on the joint shear strength, but decreased joint yield strength was observed after 1s of USV time. The influences of the USV time on the solder joint properties were contributed by the combined effects of acoustic cavitation and streaming induced by the USV in the molten solder during reflow soldering.

Effect of ultrasonic vibration time on the Cu/Sn-Ag-Cu/Cu joint soldered by low-power-high-frequency ultrasonic-assisted reflow soldering

Techniques to improve solder joint reliability have been the recent research focus in the electronic packaging industry. In this study, Cu/SAC305/Cu solder joints were fabricated using a low-power high-frequency ultrasonic-assisted reflow soldering approach where non-ultrasonic-treated samples were served as control sample. The effect of ultrasonic vibration (USV) time (within 6s) on the solder joint properties was characterized systematically. Results showed that the solder matrix microstructure was refined at 1.5s of USV, but coarsen when the USV time reached 3s and above. The solder matrix hardness increased when the solder matrix was refined, but decreased when the solder matrix coarsened. The interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) layer thickness was found to decrease with increasing USV time, except for the USV-treated sample with 1.5s. This is attributed to the insufficient USV time during the reflow stage and consequently accelerated the Cu dissolution at the joint interface during the post-ultrasonic reflow stage. All the USV-treated samples possessed higher shear strength than the control sample due to the USV-induced-degassing effect. The shear strength of the USV-treated sample with 6s was the lowest among the USV-treated samples due to the formation of plate-like Ag3Sn that may act as the crack initiation site.

Glass based IDC sensor element for flex loads on MLCCs in PCB manufacturing chain

This paper presents a new in situ monitoring method of mechanical flex loads, which are acting on MLCC (multi-layer ceramic capacitors) devices in a PCB (printed circuit board) manufacturing chain. This method allows also considering solder joint properties as well. For this purpose a S3MD (stress sensitive surface mounted device) was designed as glass based package equivalent with strain sensitive pattern for a 0805 SMD chip device. Here, an interdigital capacitor was used as strain sensitive element. A solderable termination was created to enable the solder mounting. To obtain the load limits for different MLCC termination types, several bending tests were done in accordance to AEC Q200 Board Flex standard. In this case a suitable active measurement circuit was used with an overall accuracy of 4 fF and a noise level of 15 aF. Finally the characteristics of the sensor response, related to the AEC Q200 standard bending experiment, were determined. The use of such a S3MD instead of MLCC allows to record loads at several device locations during specific processes. This sensor can further be used as assessment criteria for process validation in the PCB manufacturing chain.