Effects of the Atmosphere on the Comparative Solderability of Lead-Tin and Lead-Free Solders

Due to pressure from threatened legislation in Europe, consumer and governmental pressure in Japan, and glob머 market considerations in the US, there is a rapidly growing interest in lead-free solderinger, Although the move to lead free soldering seems inevitable, many problems will arise in production assembly. It is generally acknowledged that the lead-free solders available offer a much s smaller process window than lead/tin, related mainly to the higher soldering temperatures which naturally result from increases of liquidus temperatures of at least 300 C. However, raising reflow temperatures from the current 220-2300 C to 250 2600 C will lead to problems with the boards and components as well as i increasing oxidation effects. There is a need to keep reflow temperatures low without reducing solderablity. Some results on benefits of inert atmospheres are discussed in this paper. For example, testing in a nitrogen atmosphere, with 300 ppm oxygen, by the N National Physical Laboratory (NPU has revealed clear benefits for ine$\pi$mg lead-free alloys, by restoring the solderability to lead/tin levels, by enabling lower soldering temperatures. However, there has been little testing over a range of oxygen levels in nitrogen and this is an important issue in determining n nitrogen supply and oven costs. Some results are reported here from work by NPL conducted for BOC in w which solderability was evaluated for tin기ead and tin/silver/copper eutectic a alloys in a wetting balance over a range of oxygen levels form 10 ppm to 21% ( (air). The studies confirm that acceptable wetting times occur in inert atmospheres a at soldering temperatures 20 to 300 C lower than are possible in air.