Effect of Cu-contained solders on shear strength of BGA solder joints

Shear strength of BGA solder joints on Cu pad was studied for Cu-contained Sn n.5 a and 2.5wt.% Cu) and Sn-Pb (o.5wt.% Cu) solders, with emphasis on the roles of the C Cu-Sn intermetallic layer thickness and the roughness of the interface between the i intermetallic layer and solder. The shear strength test was performed both for a as-soldered s이der joints with soldering reaction times of 1, 2, 4 min and for aged s이der j joints at 170 C up to 16 days. The Cu addition to both pure Sn and eutectic Sn-Pb s solders increased the intermetallic layer thickness at both soldering and aging t temperatures. The Cu addition also resulted in changes in the roughness of the interface b between the intermetallic layer and solder at as-soldered states. With increasing Cu c content. the interface roughened for Sn-Cu solders whereas it flattened for Sn-Pb-Cu s solders. The shear fractures in all solder joints investigated were confined in the bulk s solder rather than through the intermetallic layer. Therefore, the effect of Cu content in s solders on the shear strength of the solder joints was primarily attributed to its i influence on the micros$\sigma$ucture of bulk solder, such as the size and spatial distributions of CU6Sn5 precipitates. In addition, the critical intermetallic layer thickness for a m maximum shear strength seemed to depend on the Cu content in bulk solder.older.