• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.97-102
• /
• 2002

The growth kinetics of intermetallic compound layers formed between the eutectic Sn-3.5Ag solder and the Cu and Ni/Cu pad by solid stateisothermal aging were examined. The interfacial reaction between the eutectic Sn-3.5Ag solder and the Cu and Ni/Cu pad was investigated at 70, 120, 150, $170^{\circ}C$ for various times. The intermetallic compound layer was composed of two phase: $Cu_6Sn_5$(${\varepsilon}-phase$) adjacent to the solder and $Cu_6Sn_5$(${\varepsilon}-phase$) adjacent to the copper and on solder/Ni pad the intermetallic compound layer was $Ni_3Sn_4$. Because the values of time exponent(n) have approximately 0.5, the layer growth of the intermetallic compound was mainly controlled by volume diffusion over the temperature range studied. The apparent activation energy for layer growth of total Cu-Sn($Cu_6Sn_5 + Cu_6Sn$), $Cu_6Sn_5$, $Cu_3Sn$ and $Ni_3Sn_4$ intermetallic compound were 64.82kJ/mol, 48.53kJ/mol, 89.06kJ/mol and 71.08kJ/mol, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.450-455
• /
• 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 KWS Conference
• /
• 2006.05a
• /
• pp.33-35
• /
• 2006

The interactions between Cu/Sn-Ag-(Cu) and Sn-Ag-(Cu)/Ni interfacial reactions were studied during isothermal aging at $150^{\circ}C$ for up to 1000h using Cu(ENIG)/Sn-3.5Ag-(0.7Cu)/Cu(ENIG) sandwich solder joints. A typical scallop-type Cu-Sn intermetallic compound (IMC) layer formed at the upper Sn-Ag/Cu interface after reflowing, whereas a $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layer was observed at the Sn-Ag/ENIG interface. The Cu in the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layer formed on the Ni side was sourced from the dissolution of the opposite Cu metal pad or Cu-Sn IMC layer. When the dissolved Cu arrived at the interface of the Ni pad, the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layer formed on the Ni interface, preventing the Ni pad from reacting with the solder. Although a long isothermal aging treatment was performed at $150^{\circ}C$, no Ni was detected in the Cu-Sn IMC layer formed on the Cu side. Compared to the single Sn-Ag/ENIG solder joint, the formation of the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layer of the Cu/sn-Ag/ENIG sandwich joint effectively retarded the Ni consumption from the electroless Ni-P layer.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.110-113
• /
• 2003

여러가지 Sn-Ag-Cu 솔더조성과 솔더링 후의 냉각속도에 따라 솔더링 접합부에서의 계면 미세조직의 다양한 변화를 관찰해 보았다. 현재까지 Sn-Ag-Cu 3원계 공정점에 대한 정확한 연구가 미흡하고, 상용으로 제품화되고 있는 Sn-Ag-Cu 합금계는 3원계 공정조성에서 약간 벗어난 조성들을 선택하고 있다고 할 수 있다. 따라서, 본 연구에서 사용한 Sn-Ag-Cu 합금 조성은 Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Ag-0.7Cu, Sn-3Ag-1.5Cu, Sn-3.7Ag-0.9Cu, Sn-6Ag-0.5Cu로 선택하였으며, 각 조성에서 Lap Shear Joint를 제조하였다. 사용한 Solder pad는 Cu pad와 Cu pad 위에 Au/Ni를 plating한 것을 이용하였다. 리플로우 솔더링 조건은 $250^{\circ}C$ 이상의 온도에서 60초 실시하였으며, 리플로우 솔더링 후의 냉각속도를 달리하여 냉각시켰다. 솔더링 후의 냉각속도가 느려질수록 계면 금속간화합물(IMC)의 두께가 더욱 증가하며, 조대화되었다. 또한 솔더 조성의 영향에서 Cu와 Ag의 함량이 높을수록 계면 IMC의 두께가 증가되었으며, 이는 솔더내부에 형성된 IMC 입자들이 조대화되어 계면 IMC층에 결합되어 나타났기 때문이다.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2010

The effect of PCB and BGA pad designs was investigated on the mechanical property of Pb-free solder joints. The mechanical property of solder joint was tested by three different test methods of drop impact tests, bending impact test, and high speed shear test. Two kinds of pad design such as NSMD (Non-Solder Mask Defined) and SMD (Solder Mask Defined) were applied with the OSP finished Pb-free solder (Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu, Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu). in the drop impact test and bending impact test, the characterized lifetime showed the same tendency, and SMD design showed better mechanical property of solder joint than NSMD regardless of test method, which was due to the different crack path. The fracture crack on SMD pad was propagated along the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer of solder joint, while the fracture crack on NSMD pad propagated through upper edge of land which shields pattern. In the high speed shear test, pad lift occurred on the solder joint of NSMD. SMD/SMD combination of pad design consequently illustrated the best mechanical property of BGA/PCB solder joint, followed by SMD/NSMD, NSMD/SMD, and NSMD/NSMD.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2002

The intermetallic formation between Sn-Ag-(Cu) solders and metal pads in a real BGA package was characterized using SEM, EDS, and XRD. The intermetallic phase formed in the interface between Sn-Ag-Cu and Au/Ni/Cu pad is likely to be ternary compound of $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ from EDS analysis High concentration of Cu was observed in the solder/Ni interface. XRD analysis confirmed that $\eta -Cu_6 Sn_5$ type was intermetallic phase formed in the interface between Cu containing solders and Ni substrates and $Ni_3$Sn_4$ intermetallic was formed in the Sn-Ag solder/Ni interface. The thickness of intermetallic phase increased with the reflow times and Cu concentration in solder.

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

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2004

The requirements for harsh environment electronic controllers in automotive applications have been steadily becoming more and more stringent. Electronic substrate technologists have been responding to this challenge effectively in an effort to meet the performance, reliability and cost requirements. An effect of the plasma cleaning at the ECM(Engine Control Module) alumina substrate and the intermetallic compound layer between Sn-37wt%Pb solder and pad joints after reflow soldering has been studied. Organic residual carbon layer was removed by the substrate plasma cleaning. So the interfacial adhesive strength was enhanced. As a result of AFM measurement, conductor pad roughness were increased from 304 nm to 330 nm. $Cu_6/Sn_5$ formed during initial reflow process at the interface between TiWN/Cu pad and solder grew by the succeeding reflow process, so the grains became coarse. A cellular-shaped $Ag_3Sn$ was observed at the interface between Ag-Pd conductor pad and solder. The diameters of the $Ag_3Sn$ grains ranged from about 0.1∼0.6 $\mu\textrm{m}$. And a needle-shaped was also observed at the inside of the solder.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.202-208
• /
• 2009

The effects of aging time on the microstructure and shear strength of the Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC)/Ag pad/Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG)/BGA solder joints were investigated through isothermal aging at $150^{\circ}C$ for 1000 h with conventional Sn-37Pb and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu. $Ni_3Sn_4$ intermetallic compound (IMC) layers was formed at the interface between Sn-37Pb solder and LTCC substrate as-reflowed state, while $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ IMC layer was formed between Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder and LTCC substrate. Additional $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer was found at the interface between the $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ layer and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder after aging at $150^{\circ}C$ for 500 h. Thickness of the IMC layers increased and coarsened with increasing aging time. Shear strength of both solder joints increased with increasing aging time. Failure mode of BGA solder joints with LTCC substrate after shear testing revealed that shear strength of the joints depended on the adhesion between Ag metallization and LTCC. Fracture mechanism of Sn-37Pb solder joint was a mixture of ductile and pad lift, while that of Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder joint was a mixture of ductile and brittle $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ IMC fracture morphology. Failure mechanisms of LTCC/Ag pad/ENIG/BGA solder joints were also interpreted by finite element analyses.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.78-83
• /
• 2007

The wettability of Sn-Xwt%Cu(X=$0{\sim}3wt%$) solder was evaluated with wetting balance tester. And, the intermetallic compounds(IMCs) which were formed at the interface between solders and pads were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS). The wetting force of Sn-0.7wt%Cu solder was higher than that of 100wt%Sn and Sn-3.0wt%Cu solder. The value of $\gamma_{fl}$ and ($\gamma_{fs}-\gamma_{ls}$) had a tendency to increase with increasing the wetting temperature. The activation energy with bare Cu pad and flux with 15% solid content was increased in the following order: Sn-0.7Cu (68.42 kJ/mol) ; Sn-3.0Cu(72.66 kJ/mol) ; Sn solder(94.53 kJ/mol). It was identified that the Cu6Sn5 phase was formed at the interface between Sn-Xwt%Cu solder and Cu pad.