EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON LASER AND HOT AIR REFLOW SOLDERING OF

Laser and hot air reflow soldering of PBGA solder ball was investigated. Experimental results showed that surface quality and shear strength of solder bumps reflowed by laser was superior than the solder bumps reflowed by hot air, and the microstructure inside the solder bumps reflowed by laser was much finer. Analysis on interfacial reaction showed that eutectic solder reacted with Au/Ni/Cu pad shortly after the solder was melted. Interface of solder bump reflowed by laser consists of a continuous AuSn$_4$ layer and remnant Au element. Needle-like AuSn$_4$ grew sidewise from interface, and then spread out to the entire interface region. A thin layer of Ni$_3$Sn$_4$ intermetallic compound was found at the interface of solder bump reflowed by hot air, AuSn$_4$ particles distributed inside the whole solder bump randomly. It is the combination effect of the continuous AuSn$_4$ layer and finer eutectic microstructure inside the solder bump reflowed by laser that resulted in higher shear strength.