• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.842-851
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• 2009

The long-term reliability of Sn-0.3wt%Ag-0.7wt%Cu solder joints was evaluated and compared with Sn-3.0wt%Ag-0.5wt%Cu under thermal shock conditions. Test vehicles were prepared to use Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu and Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys. To compare the shear strength of the solder joints, 0603, 1005, 1608, 2012, 3216 and 4232 multi-layer ceramic chip capacitors were used. A reflow soldering process was utilized in the preparation of the test vehicles involving a FR-4 material-based printed circuit board (PCB). To compare the shear strength degradation following the thermal shock cycles, a thermal shock test was conducted up to 2,000 cycles at temperatures ranging from $-40^{\circ}C$ to $85^{\circ}C$, with a dwell time of 30 min at each temperature. The shear strength of the solder joints of the chip capacitors was measured at every 500 cycles in each case. The intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of the solder joint interfaces werealso analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that the reliability of Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu solder joints was very close to that of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu. Consequently, it was confirmed that Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu solder alloy with a low silver content can be replaced with Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.39-43
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• 2002

The eutectic solder Sn-37Pb and the lead free solder alloys with the compositions of Sn-0.7Cu, Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3.5Ag-0.75Cu, Sn-2.0Ag-0.7Cu-3.0Bi were applied to the 48 BGA packages, and then it was discussed for the shear strength at the solder joints as the hardness and the composition of the small solder ball. As a result of experiments, the high degree of hardness with the displacement of 0.043 mm was obtained in Sn-2.0Ag-0.7Cu-3.0Bi. The shear strength of the lead free solder was higher than that of Sn-37Pb solder, and it can be obtained the maximum value of about 52% in Sn-2.0Ag-0.7Cu-3.0Bi.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.59-59
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• 2002

Sn-Ag-Cu solder is known as most competitive in many kinds of Pb-free solders. In this study, effects of solderability with plated layers such as Cu, Cu/Sn, Cu/Ni and Cu/Ni/Au were investigated. Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu solder balls were reflowed in commercial reflow machine (peak temp. : 250℃ and conveyer speed : 0.6m/min). In wetting test, immersion speed was 5mm/sec., immersion time 5sec., immersion depth 4mm and temperature of solder bath was 250℃. Wettability of Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu on Cu, Cu/Sn (5㎛), Cu/Ni (5㎛), and Cu/Ni/Au (5㎛/500Å) layers was investigated. Cu/Ni/Au layer had the best wettability as zero cross time and equilibrium force, and the measured values were 0.93 sec and 7mN, respectively. Surface tension of Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu solder turmed out to be 0.52N/m. The thickness of IMC is reduced in the order of Cu, Cu/Sn, Cu/Mi and Cu/Ni/Au coated layer. Shear strength of Cu/Ni, Cu/Sn and Cu was around 560gf but Cu/Ni/Au was 370gf.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.783-788
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• 2002

Sn-Ag-Cu solder is known as most competitive in many kinds of Pb-free solders. In this study, effects of solderability with plated layers such as Cu, Cu/Sn, Cu/Ni and Cu/Ni/Au were investigated. Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu solder balls were reflowed in commercial reflow machine (peak temp.:$250^{\circ}C$and conveyer speed:0.6m/min). In wetting test, immersion speed was 5mm/sec., immersion time 5sec., immersion depth 4mm and temperature of solder bath was $250^{\circ}C$. Wettability of Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu on Cu, Cu/Sn ($5\mu\textrm{m}$), Cu/Ni ($5\mu\textrm{m}$), and Cu/Ni/Au ($5\mu\textrm{m}/500{\AA}$) layers was investigated. Cu/Ni/Au layer had the best wettability as zero cross time and equilibrium force, and the measured values were 0.93 sec and 7mN, respectively. Surface tension of Sn-3.5Ag-0.7Cu solder turmed out to be 0.52N/m. The thickness of IMC is reduced in the order of Cu, Cu/Sn, Cu/Mi and Cu/Ni/Au coated layer. Shear strength of Cu/Ni, Cu/Sn and Cu was around 560gf but Cu/Ni/Au was 370gf.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2007

Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu lead fee solder was generally utilized in electronics assemblies. But it is insufficient to research about activation energy(Q) that is applying to evaluate the solder joint reliability of environmental friendly electronics assemblies. Therefore this study investigated Q values which are needed to IMC formation and growth of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu/Cu and Sn-40pb/Cu solder joints during aging treatment. We bonded Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu and Sn-40Pb solders on FR-4 PCB with Cu pad$(t=80{\mu}m)$. After reflow soldering, to observe the IMC formation and growth of the solder joints, test specimens were aged at 70, 150 and $170^{\circ}C$ for 1, 2, 5, 20, 60, 240, 960, 15840, 28800 and 43200 min, respectively. SEM and EDS were utilized to analysis the IMCS. From these results, we measured the total IMC$(Cu_6Sn_5+Cu_3Sn)$ thickness of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu/Cu and Sn-40Pb/Cu interface, and then obtained Q values for the IMC$(Cu_6Sn_5,\;Cu_3Sn)$ growth of the solder joints.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.94-98
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• 2017

In the past few years, Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (weight%) solder composition has been a representative material to electronic industries as a replacement of Pb-base solder alloy. Therefore, extensive studies on process and/or reliability related with the composition have been reported. However, recent rapid rise in Ag price has demanded solder compositions of low Ag content. In this study, Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder bar sample was fabricated by melting of Sn, Ag and Cu metal powders. Crystal structure and element concentration were analyzed by XRD, optical microscope, FE-SEM and EDS. The Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder sample was composed of ${\beta}$-Sn, ${\varepsilon}-Ag_3Sn$ and ${\eta}-Cu_6Sn_5$ phases.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.4 s.33
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• pp.43-48
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• 2004

Electromigration of Sn-3.5Ag-0.5Cu solder bumps was investigated with current densities of $3{\~}4{\times}10^4 A/cm^2$ at temperatures of $130{\~}160^{\circ}C$ using flip chip specimens which consisted of upper Si chip and lower Si substrate. Electromigration failure of the Sn-3.5Ag-0.5Cu solder bump occurred with complete consumption of Cu UBM and void formation at cathode side of the solder bump. The activation energies for electromigration of the Sn-3.5Ag-0.5Cu solder bump were measured as 0.61 eV at current density of $3{\times}10^4 A/cm^2$, 0.63 eV at $3.5{\times}10^4 A/cm^2$, and 0.77 eV at $4{\times}10^4 A/cm^2$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.130-134
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• 2018

In the past few years, various solder compositions have been a representative material to electronic packages and surface mount technology industries as a replacement of Pb-base solder alloy. Therefore, extensive studies on process and/or reliability related with the low Ag composition have been reported because of recent rapid rise in Ag price. In this study, Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu, Sn-0.7Cu and Sn-0.3Ag-0.5Cu solder bar samples were fabricated by melting of Sn, Ag and Cu metal powders. Crystal structure and element concentration were analyzed by XRD, XRF, optical microscope, FE-SEM and EDS. The fabricated solder samples were composed of ${\beta}-Sn$, ${\varepsilon}-Ag_3Sn$ and ${\eta}-Cu_6Sn_5$ phases.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.235-237
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• 2007

In this paper, fabrication of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder bumping having accurate composition and behavior of intermetallic compounds(IMCs) growth at interface between Sn-Ag-Cu bumps and Cu substrate were studied. The ternary alloy of the Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder was made by two binary(Sn-Cu, Sn-Ag) electroplating on Cu pad. For the manufacturing of the micro-bumps, photo-lithography and reflow process were carried out. After reflow process, the micro-bumps were aged at $150^{\circ}C$ during 1 hr to 500 hrs to observe behavior of IMCs growth at interface. As a different of Cu contents(0.5 or 2wt%) at Sn-Cu layer, behavior of IMCs was estimated. The interface were observed by FE-SEM and TEM for estimating of their each IMCs volume ratio and crystallographic-structure, respectively. From the results, it was found that the thickness of $Cu_3Sn$ layer formed at Sn-2.0Cu was thinner than the thickness of that layer be formed Sn-0.5Cu. After aging treatment $Cu_3Sn$ was formed at Sn-0.5Cu layer far thinner.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 2011

The failure of electronic instruments is mostly caused by heat and shock. This shock causes the crack initiation at the solder joint interface of PCB component which is closely related with the formation of intermetallic compound(IMC). The Ag content in Pb-free Sn-xAg-0.5Cu solder alloy used in this study was 1.0, 1.2 and 3.0 wt.%, respectively. After soldering with PCB component, isothermal aging was performed to 1000 hrs. The growth of IMC layer was observed during isothermal aging. The drop impact property of solder joint was evaluated by impact bending test method. The solder joint made with the solder containing lower Ag content showed better impact bending property compared with that with higher Ag content. On the contrary to this result, the solder joint made with solder containing higher Ag content showed better impact bending property after aging. It should be caused by the formation of fine $Ag_3Sn$, which relieved the impact. It showed consequently the different effect of fine $Ag_3Sn$ and coarse $Cu_6Sn_5$ particles formed in the IMC layer on the impact bending property.