• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.3 s.32
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• pp.47-53
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• 2004

Eutectic Au-20Sn(compositions are all in weight percent unless specified otherwise) solder alloys were soldered on the Ni substrate with various time and temperature. The composition, phase identification and morphology of intermetallic compounds(IMC) at the interface were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM). There were two types of IMCs, $(Au,Ni)_3Sn_2$ and $(Au,Ni)_3Sn$ at the interface. The transition in morphology of $(Au,Ni)_3Sn_2$ has been observed at $300{\~}400^{\circ}C$. The morphology transition of $(Au,Ni)_3Sn_2$ is due to the decrease of enthalpy of formation of $(Au,Ni)_3Sn_2$ phase and has been explained well by Jackson's parameter with temperature. Because the number of diffusion channel is different at each soldering temperature, IMC thickness is nearly same at all temperature.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2003

The interfacial reaction between ultra-small 58Bi-42Sn solder and Au/Ni/Ti under bump metallurgy (UBM) for ultra-fine flip chip application was investigated. The ultra-small 58Bi-42Sn solder bump, about $46{\mu}m$ in diameter, was fabricated by using the lift-off method and reflowed using the rapid thermal annealing (RTA) system. The intermetallic compounds were characterized using a secondary electron microscopy (SEM), an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and an x-ray diffractometer (XRD). The faceted and polygonal intermetallic compounds were found in the Bi-Sn solder bumps on $Au(0.1{\mu}m)/Ni/Ti$ UBM and they were indentified as $(Au_xBi_yNi_{1-x-y})Sn_2$ Phase. The intermetallic compounds grown from the $Au(0.1{\mu}m)/Ni/Ti$ UBMinterface were dispersed in the solder bump.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.68-71
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• 2003

The reaction of ultra-small eutectic 58Bl-42Sn solder bump with Au/Ni/Ti and Au/Cu/Ti UBMs during reflow was studied. The eutectic Bi-Sn solder bumps of $46{\mu}m$ diameter were fabricated by using the evaporation method and were reflowed using the rapid thermal annealing system. The intermetallic compound was characterized using a SEM, an EDS, and an XRD. The $(Cu_xAu_{1-x})_6Sn_5$ compounds formed at the interface between Bi-Sn solder and Au/Cu/Ti UBM. On the other hand, in the Bi-Sn solder bump on Au/Ni/Ti UBM, the faceted and rectangular intermetallic compounds were observed on the solder bump surface and inside the solder bump as well as at the UBM interface. These intermetallic compounds were Identified as $(Au_{l-x-y}Bi_xNi_y)Sn_2$ phase.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.181-183
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• 2006

This paper studies the mechanical behaviors of Sn-3.5Ag solder joint against substrate(such as Au/Ni/Cu, Au/cu, Ni/Cu and Cu pad) after induction heating, a new soldering method. It was found that the solder bump formation depends on the time and current of the induction heating system. Also the heating value of the solder bump were found to vary with respect to the thermal conductivity of the pads on the substrate. In case of Au/Ni/Cu pad and Au/Cu pad, solder bump's shear strength were high for the heating time of $1.5{\sim}2sec$. For Ni/Cu pad, solder bump's shear strength were found to increase with time increment.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.450-455
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• 2002

Cu-cored Sn-Ag solder balls were fabricated by coating pure Sn and Ag on Cu balls. The melting behavior and the solderability of the BGA joint with the Ni/Au coated Cu pad were investigated and were compared with those of the commercial Sn-Ag and Sn-Ag-Cu balls. DSC analyses clarified the melting of Cu-cored solders to start at a rather low temperature, the eutectic temperature of Sn-Ag-Cu. It was ascribed to the diffusion of Cu and Ag into Sn plating during the heating process. After reflow soldering the microstructures of the solder and of the interfacial layer between the solder and the Cu pad were analyzed with SEM and EPMA. By EDX analysis, formation of a eutectic microstructure composing of $\beta$-Sn, Ag$_3$Sn, ad Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ phases was confirmed in the solder, and the η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer was found to form at the interface between the solder and the Cu pad. By conducting shear tests, it was found that the BGA joint using Cu-cored solder ball could prevent the degradation of joint strength during aging at 423K because of the slower growth me of η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer formed at the solder, pad interface. Furthermore, Cu-cored multi-component Sn-Ag-Bi balls were fabricated by sequentially coating the binary Sn-Ag and Sn-Bi solders on Cu balls. The reflow property of these solder balls was investigated. Melting of these solder balls was clarified to start at the almost same temperature as that of Sn-2Ag-0.75Cu-3Bi solder. A microstructure composing of (Sn), Ag$_3$Sn, Bi and Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ phases was found to form in the solder ball, and a reaction layer containing primarily η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ was found at the interface with Ni/Au coated Cu pad after reflow soldering. By conducting shear test, it was found that the BGA joints using this Cu-core solder balls hardly degraded their joint shear strength during aging at 423K due to the slower growth rate of the η'-(Au, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer at the solder/pad interface.he solder/pad interface.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.85-91
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• 2002

Even though electroless Hi and Sn-Ag-Cu solder are widely used materials in electronic packaging applications, interfacial reactions of the ternary Ni-Cu~Sn system have not been known well because of their complexity. Because the growth of intermetallics at the interface affects reliability of solder joint, the intermetallics in Ni-Cu-Sn system should be identified, and their growth should be investigated. Therefore, in present study, interfacial reactions between electroless Ni UB7f and 95.5Sn-4.0Ag-0.5Cu alloy were investigated focusing on morphology of the IMCs, thermodynamics, and growth kinetics. The IMCs that appear during a reflow and an aging are different each other. In early stage of a reflow, ternary IMC whose composition is Ni$_{22}$Cu$_{29}$Sn$_{49}$ forms firstly. Due to the lack of Cu diffusion, Ni$_{34}$Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{60}$ phase begins growing in a further reflow. Finally, the Ni$_{22}$Cu$_{29}$Sn$_{49}$ IMC grows abnormally and spalls into the molten solder. The transition of the IMCs from Ni$_{22}$Cu$_{29}$Sn$_{49}$ to Ni$_{34}$Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{60}$ was observed at a specific temperature. From the measurement of activation energy of each IMC, growth kinetics was discussed. In contrast to the reflow, three kinds of IMCs (Ni$_{22}$Cu$_{29}$Sn$_{49}$, Ni$_{20}$Cu$_{28}$Au$_{5}$, and Ni$_{34}$Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{60}$) were observed in order during an aging. All of the IMCs were well attached on UBM. Au in the quaternary IMC, which originates from immersion Au plating, prevents abnormal growth and separation of the IMC. Growth of each IMC is very dependent to the aging temperature because of its high activation energy. Besides the IMCs at the interface, plate-like Ag3Sn IMC grows as solder bump size inside solder bump. The abnormally grown Ni$_{22}$Cu$_{29}$Sn$_{49}$ and Ag$_3$Sn IMCs can be origins of brittle failure.failure.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2001

The effects of wettability and surface oxidation on the low temperature and ultra-fine solder bump formation have been studied. Difference sequences of near eutectic In-Ag and eutectic Bi-Sn solders were evaporated on Au/Cu/Cr or Au/Ni/Ti Under Bump Metallurgy (UBM) pads. Solder bumps were formed using lift-off method and were reflowed in Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) system. The solder bumps in which In was in contact with UBM in In-Ag solder and the solder bumps in which Sn was in contact with UBM in Bi-Sn solder showed better bump formability during reflow than other solder bumps. The ability to form spherical solder bumps was affected mainly by the wettability of solders to UBM pads.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2004.02a
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• pp.37-59
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• 2004

In the case of Ni/Au finished pad on the package side, the solder joint of SnAgCu system can bring brittle fracture under impact load such as drop test. Therefore, it's difficult to prevent the brittle fracture of lead-free solder, by controlling Cu content. The failure locus existing on the interface between $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4\;and\;(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layers must be changed to other site in order to avoid brittle fracture due to impact load. It was not found any clear evidence that there were two IMC layers exist. But it was strongly assumed these were two layers which have different Cu-Ni composition. From the above analysis it was assumed that Cu atom in the solder alloy or substrate seemed to affect IMC composition and cause to IMC brittle fracture.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.74-79
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• 2000

In an attempt to estimate the wetting properties of wettable metal layers by wetting balance method, an analysis of wetting curves of the coating layer was performed. Based on the analysis, wetting properties of UBM-coated Si-plate were estimated by the new wettability indices. The wetting curves of the one and both sides-coated UBM layers have the similar shape and show the similar tendency to the temperature. So the wetting property estimation of one side coating is possible with wetting balance method. For UBM of Si-chip, Cr/Cu/Au UBM is better than Ti/Ni/Au in the point of wetting time. At general reflow temperature, the wettability of high melting point solders(Sn-Sb, Sn-Ag) is better than that of few melting point ones(Sn-Bi, Sn-In).The contact angle of the one side coated plate to the solder can be calculated from the farce balance equation by measuring the static state force and the tilt angle.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.63-66
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• 2013

This paper describes the highly productive process technologies of microprobe arrays, which were used for a probe card to test a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chip with fine pitch pads. Cantilever-type microprobe arrays were fabricated using conventional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) process technologies. Bonding material, gold-tin (Au-Sn) paste, was used to bond the Ni-Co alloy microprobes to the ceramic space transformer. The electrical and mechanical characteristics of a probe card with fabricated microprobes were measured by a conventional probe card tester. A probe card assembled with the fabricated microprobes showed good x-y alignment and planarity errors within ${\pm}5{\mu}m$ and ${\pm}10{\mu}m$, respectively. In addition, the average leakage current and contact resistance were approximately 1.04 nA and 0.054 ohm, respectively. The proposed highly productive microprobes can be applied to a MEMS probe card, to test a DRAM chip with fine pitch pads.