• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.25-30
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• 2015

SAC-coated Cu specimens were fabricated by novel pad finish process using a phenomenon that metal nanoparticles less than 20 nm in diameter melted at a temperature lower than the melting point of bulk metal, and their wettabilities were evaluated. The thickness of SAC305 layer coated at low temperature of $160^{\circ}C$ using SAC305 ink was extremely thin as the level of several nanometers. It was analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy that $Cu_6Sn_5$ intermetallic layer with a thickness of 10~100 nm and $Cu_3Sn$ intermetallic layer with a thickness of 50~150 nm were sequentially formed under the SAC305 coating layer. The thickness of formed intermetallic layers was thicker in electroplated Cu than rolled Cu, which attributed to improved surface roughness in the electroplated Cu. The improved surface roughness induces the contact, melting, and reaction of a larger number of SAC305 nanoparticles per the unit area of Cu specimen. In the wetting angle test using SAC305 solder balls, the Cu coated with SAC305 through the low temperature process presented evidently low wetting angles than those in non-coated Cu, indicating that only a few nanometer-thick SAC305 coating layer on Cu could also cause the enhancement of wettability.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 2017

In this paper, we evaluated the solderability of thin electroless nickel-electroless palladium-immersion gold (ENEPIG) plating layer for fine-pitch package applications. Firstly, the wetting behavior, interfacial reactions, and mechanical reliability of a Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder alloy on a thin ENEPIG coated substrate were evaluated. In the wetting test, maximum wetting force increased with increasing immersion time, and the wetting force remained a constant value after 5 s immersion time. In the initial soldering reaction, $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) and P-rich Ni layer formed at the SAC305/ENEPIG interface. After a prolonged reaction, the P-rich Ni layer was destroyed, and $(Cu,Ni)_3Sn$ IMC formed underneath the destroyed P-rich Ni layer. In the high-speed shear test, the percentage of brittle fracture increased with increasing shear speed.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.820-828
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• 2019

A highly reliable conductive adhesive obtained by transient liquid-phase sintering (TLPS) technologies is studied for use in high-power device packaging. TLPS involves the low-temperature reaction of a low-melting metal or alloy with a high-melting metal or alloy to form a reacted metal matrix. For a TLPS material (consisting of Ag-coated Cu, a Sn96.5-Ag3.0-Cu0.5 solder, and a volatile fluxing resin) used herein, the melting temperature of the metal matrix exceeds the bonding temperature. After bonding of the TLPS material, a unique melting peak of TLPS is observed at 356 ℃, consistent with the transient behavior of Ag₃Sn + Cu₆Sn₅ → liquid + Cu₃Sn reported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The TLPS material shows superior thermal conductivity as compared with other commercially available Ag pastes under the same specimen preparation conditions. In conclusion, the TLPS material can be a promising candidate for a highly reliable conductive adhesive in power device packaging because remelting of the SAC305 solder, which is widely used in conventional power modules, is not observed.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.25-29
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• 2014

Plasma organic thin film for PCB surface finish is a potential replacement of the conventional PCB finishes because of environment-friendly process, high corrosion-resistance and long shelf life over 1 year. In this study, solder joint properties of the plasma organic surface finish were estimated and compared with OSP surface finish. The plasma surface finish was deposited by chemical vapor deposition from fluorine-based precursors. The thickness of the plasma organic coating was 20 nm. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder was used as solder joint materials. From a salt spray test, the plasma organic coating had higher corrosion resistance than the OSP surface finish. The spreadability of SAC305 on plasma organic coating was higher than that on OSP surface finish. SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the interfacial microstructure of the plasma surface finish sample were similar to that of the OSP sample. Solder joint strength of the plasma finish sample was also similar to that of the OSP finished sample.