• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.481-486
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• 2002

We have investigated the effects of plating materials for Cu lead (Sn-lOPb, AwPdJNi, Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Bi and Sn-0.7Cu) on properties of QFP joints using a Sn-8Zn-3Bi solder. The results were compared with the joints using Sn-3. 5Ag-0. 7Cu and Sn-37Pb solders. As a result, the joints with the Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3Bi and Sn-0.7Cu plated Cu lead had the reliability comparable to those of the Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu and Sn-37Pb soldered joints with respect to the joint strength after the high temperature holding tests at 348K to 423k. In particular, the joint with the Sn-3.5Ag plated Cu lead had the best reliability. This is caused by the low growth rate of a Cu-Sn interfacial reaction layer that degrades the joint strength of the soldered joints. Consequently, the Sn-3.5Ag plating was found to be most feasible plating for the Sn-8Zn-3Bi soldered joint.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.640-644
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• 2000

The microstructure, wettability, shear strength and aging effect of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu and Alloy42 lead-frame solder joints were measured for comparison. In the case of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu, Ag$_3$Sn and Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ phases in the matrix Sn and 1∼2$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ Phase at the interface of solder/lead-frame were formed. In the case of Sn-3.5AAg/A11oy42, only Ag$_3$Sn Phase of low density in the matrix Sn and 0.5∼1.5$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick FeSn$_2$phase at the interface of solder/lead-frame were formed. Comparing to Cu, Alloy42 shear strength of Alloy 42 solder joints was smaller than that of Cu and all declined after aging. After aging at 180$^{\circ}C$ for 1 week, η-Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ layer was formed on Cu lead-frame, while AgSn$_3$ phase in the matrix and thickened FeSn$_2$at the interface were formed on Alloy42 lead-frame.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.51-57
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• 2008

In this paper, wetting and interfacial reaction properties for low Ag containing Sn-Ag-Cu Pb-free solder alloy, i.e., Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu were investigated and compared with those of Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu and Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu. Melting behavior and stress-strain curves of some Sn-xAg-xCu alloys were also measured using a differential scanning calorimeter(DSC) and a tensile test machine, respectively. In order to enhance insufficient wetting properties of Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu alloy, the improvement of wetting properties were analyzed by applying fluxes containing higher content of halide or indium adding of 0.2wt.% into the solder alloy. It was concluded that the small addition of indium is more effective for the improvement of wettability in low temperature range of $230{\sim}240^{\circ}C$ than applying flux containing higher content of halide.

• Electronic Materials Letters
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.678-688
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• 2018

The repeated-bending properties of Sn-0.7Cu, Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu (SAC0307), and Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solders mounted on flexible substrates were studied using highly accelerated stress testing (HAST), followed by repeated-bending testing. In the Sn-0.7Cu joints, the $Cu_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) coarsened as the HAST time increased. For the SAC0307 and SAC305 joints, the $Ag_3Sn$ and $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMCs coarsened mainly along the grain boundary as the HAST time increased. The Sn-0.7Cu solder had a high contact angle, compared to the SAC0307 and SAC305 solders; consequently, the SAC0307 and SAC305 solder joints displayed smoother fillet shapes than the Sn-0.7Cu solder joint. The repeated-bending for the Sn-0.7Cu solder produced the crack initiated from the interface between the Cu lead wire and the solder, and that for the SAC solders indicated the cracks initiated at the surface, but away from the interface between the Cu lead wire and the solder. Furthermore, the oxide layer was thickest for Sn-0.7Cu and thinnest for SAC305, regardless of the HAST time. For the SAC solders, the crack initiation rate increased as the oxide layer thickened and roughened. $Cu_6Sn_5$ precipitated and grew along the grain and subgrain boundaries as the HAST time increased, embrittling the grain boundary at the crack propagation site.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2007

Electrochemical migration characteristics of Pb-free solder alloys are quantitatively correlated with corrosion characteristics in harsh environment conditions. In-situ water drop test and corrosion resistance test for Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys were carried out in NaBr and NaF solutions to obtain the electrochemical migration lifetime and pitting potential, respectively. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloy shows similar ionization and electrochemical migration behavior with pure Sn because of Ag and Cu do not migrate due to the formation of resistant intermetallic compounds inside solder itself. Electrochemical migration lifetime in NaBr is longer than in NaF, which seems to be closely related to higher pitting potential in NaBr than NaF solution. Therefore, it was revealed that electrochemical migration lifetime of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys showed good correlation to the corrosion resistance, and also the initial ionization step at anode side is believed to be the rate-determining step during electrochemical migration of Pb-free solders in these environments.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.31-36
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• 2012

In this study, the complex vibration reliability of Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-0.7Cu having a high melting temperature was investigated. For manufacturing of BGA test samples, Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-0.7Cu balls were joined on BGA chips finished by ENIG and the chips were mounted on PCB finished OSP by using reflow process. For measuring of resistance change during complex vibration test, daisy chain was formed in the test board. From the results of resistance change and shear strength change, the reliability of two solder balls was compared and evaluated. During complex vibration for 120 hours, Sn-0.7Cu solder was more stable than Sn-3.5Ag solder in complex vibration test.

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

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.71-77
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• 2007

In this study, the mechanical and electrical properties of three different ball grid array (BGA) solder joints, consisting of Sn-37Pb, Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-3.5Ag-0.75Cu (all wt.%), with organic solderability preservative (OSP)-finished Cu pads were investigated as a function of reflow number. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis results, a continuous $Cu_6Sn5$, intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was formed at the solder/substrate interface, which grew with increasing reflow number. The ball shear testing results showed that the shear force peaked after 3 reflows (in case of Sn-Ag solder, 4 reflows), and then decreased with increasing reflow number. The electrical property of the joint gradually decreased with increasing reflow number.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.33-35
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• 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.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.35-40
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• 2010

In this study, the reliability of thermal shock, thermal cycle, and complex vibration test at high temperature were examined for 3 types of lead-free solder alloys, Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-0.7Cu and Sn-5.0Sb. For the reliability test, daisychained BGA chips with ENIG-finished Cu pad was assembled with the three lead-free solders on OSP-finished PCBs. Among the 3 types solder alloys, Sn-3.5Ag solder alloy showed the highest degradation rate of electrical resistance and joint strength. On the other hand, Sn-0.7Cu solder alloy had high stability after the reliability tests.