• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.45-51
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• 2013

Thermal annealing tests were performed in an in-situ scanning electron microscope chamber at $130^{\circ}C$, $150^{\circ}C$, and $170^{\circ}C$ in order to investigate the effects of solder structure on the growth kinetics of intermetallic compound (IMC) in Cu/Sn-3.5Ag microbump. Cu/Sn-3.5Ag($6{\mu}m$) microbump with spreading solder structure showed $Cu_6Sn_5$ and $Cu_3Sn$ phase growths and then IMC phase transition stages with increasing annealing time. By the way, Cu/Sn-3.5Ag($4{\mu}m$) microbump without solder spreading, remaining solder was transformed to $Cu_6Sn_5$ right after bonding and had only a phase transition of $Cu_6Sn_5$ to $Cu_3Sn$ during annealing. Measured activation energies for the growth of the $Cu_3Sn$ phase during the annealing were 0.80 and 0.71eV for Cu/Sn-3.5Ag($6{\mu}m$) and Cu/Sn-3.5Ag($4{\mu}m$), respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2001

Optical properties of $Ag_2CdSnSe_4$ and $Ag_2CdSnSe_4:Co^{+2}$ quaternary semiconductor single crystals grown by the chemical transport reaction method were investigated. The analysis of the X - ray powder diffraction measurements showed that these crystals have a wurtzite structure with lattice constants a = 4.357 $\AA$, c = 7.380 $\AA$, for $Ag_2CdSnSe_4$ and a = 4.885 $\AA$, c = 7.374 $\AA$, for $Ag_2CdSnSe_4:CO^{2+}$. The direct band gap at 298K, obtained from the optical absorption measurement, is found to be 1.21 eV for $Ag_2CdSnSe_4$ and 1.02 eV for $Ag_2CdSnSe_4:CO^{2+}$. The shrinkage of the band gap due to Co-doping is observed and is about 190 meV, We observed four absorption bands of $Co^{2+}$ ions in two near infrared regions of optical absorption spectra of $Ag_2CdSnSe_4$:$Co^{+2}$. These absorption bands were assigned as due to electronic transitions between the split energy levels of $Co^{2+}$ ions in $T_d$ crystal field under spin-orbit interactions.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.598-603
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• 2005

To develope new lead-free solders with the melting temperature close to that of Sn-37Pb$(183^{\circ}C)$, Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-1Ga, Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-1Ag, Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-5Bi-1Ag, and Sn-0.7Cu-SBi-1Ag alloys were composed by adding low-netting elements such as Ga, Bi, Pb, and Ag to Sn-0.7Cu. Then the melting temperatures, microstructures, wettability, and adhesion properties of these alloys were evaluated. DSC analysis showed that the melting temperature of Sn-0.7Cu-SPb-1Ga was $211^{\circ}C$, and those of other alloys was in the range of $192\~200^{\circ}C$. Microstructures of these alloys after heat-treatment at $150^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs were basically composed of coarsely- grown $\beta-Sn$ grains, and $Cu_6Sn_5$ and $Ag_3Sn$ intermetallic precipitates. Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-1Ga and Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-5Bi-1Ag showed excellent wettability, while Sn-0.7Cu-5Bi-1Ag and Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-5Bi-1Ag revealed good adhesion strength with the Cu substrates. Among 4 alloys, Sn-0.7Cu-5Pb-5Bi-1Ag with the lowest melting temperature $(192^{\circ}C)$ and relatively excellent wettability and adhesion strength was suggested to be the best candidate solder to replace Sn-37Pb.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.33-37
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• 2011

In this study, the degradation mechanism of mounted chip resistors with Ag-epoxy isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) under the humidity exposure ($85^{\circ}C$/85%RH) was examined by electrical resistance change and microstructural study. The effect of the chloride content in Ag-epoxy ICA on joint stability was also examined. The increasing range of the electrical resistance in the typical ICA joint was greater than that in the low Cl content ICA joint. In the case of the typical ICA joint, Sn oxides such as SnO, $SnO_2$, and Sn-Cl-O were formed inhomogeneously on the surface of the Sn plating during the $85^{\circ}C$/85%RH test. In contrast, no Sn-Cl-O was found in the low Cl content ICA joint during the $85^{\circ}C$/85%RH. It is suggested that Cl in Ag-epoxy ICA accelerate the electrical degradation of Sn plated chip components joined with Ag-epoxy ICA.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2011

SnAgCu lead-free solder alloy is considered as the best alternative to eutectic tin-lead solder. However, the detailed material properties of SnAgCu solder are not available in public. Hence, this paper presents an estimation of mechanical properties of SnAgCu lead-free solder. In particular, the weight percent of Ag was varied as 1.0wt%, 2.5wt%, 3.0wt%, and 4.5wt% in order to estimate the effect of Ag in the Sn-xAg-0.5Cu ternary alloy system. For this purpose, four types of SnAgCu bars were first molded by casting and then standard specimens were cut out of molded bars. Micro-Vickers hardness, tensile tests were finally performed to estimate the variations in mechanical properties according to the weight percent of Ag. Test results reveal that the higher the weight percent of Ag is, the higher the hardness, yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength become. More material properties will be further investigated in the future work.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.106-109
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• 2003

With the variation of Ag concentration in bath, current density, additive and agitation for electroplating of Sn-Ag solder, the compositions and the morphologies of solder were studied. It was possible to control Ag content in Sn-Ag solder by varying Ag concentration in bath and current density The microstructure size of Sn-Ag solder decreased with increasing current density. Duty cycle of pulse electroplating and quantity of additive affected on Ag content of deposit and surface roughness. In this work eutectic Sn-Ag solder bumps with fine pitch of 30m and height of 15m was formed successfully. The Ag content of electrodeposited solder was confirmed by EDS and WDS analyses and the surface morphologies was analyzed by SEM and 3D surface analyzer.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.81-86
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• 2003

Electromigration of Sn-3.5Ag solder bump was investigated using flip chip specimens which consisted of upper Si chip and lower Si substrate. While the resistance of the flip chip sample did not almost change until the time right before the failure, the resistivity increased abruptly at the moment when complete failure of the solder joint occurred in the flip chip sample. At current densities of $3\times 10^4$∼$4\times 10^4$A/$\textrm{cm}^2$, the activation energy for electromigration of the Sn-3.5Ag solder bump was characterized as ∼0.7 eV. Failure of the Sn-3.5Ag solder bump occurred at the solder/UBM interface due to the formation and propagation of voids at cathode side of the solder bump.

• 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.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.50-55
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• 2007

The smaller size and higher integration of advanced electronic package systems result in severe electrochemical reliability issues in microelectronic packaging due to higher electric field under high temperature and humidity conditions. Under these harsh conditions, electronic components respond to applied voltages by electrochemical ionization of metal and the formation of a filament, which leads to short-circuit failure of an electronic component, which is termed electrochemical migration. This work aims to evaluate electrochemical migration susceptibility of the pure Sn, Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys in $Na_{2}SO_{4}$. The water drop test was performed to understand the failure mechanism in a pad patterned solder alloy. The polarization test and anodic dissolution test were performed, and ionic species and concentration were analyzed. Ag and Cu additions increased the time to failure of Pb-free solder in 0.001 wt% $Na_{2}SO_{4}$ solution at room temperature and the dendrite was mainly composed of Sn regardless of the solders. In the case of SnAg solders, when Ag and Cu added to the solders, Ag and Cu improved the passivation behavior and pitting corrosion resistance and formed inert intermetallic compounds and thus the dissolution of Ag and Cu was suppressed; only Sn was dissolved. If ionic species is mainly Sn ion, dissolution content than cathodic deposition efficiency will affect the composition of the dendrite. Therefore, Ag and Cu additions improve the electrochemical migration resistance of SnAg and SnAgCu solders.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2017

We have studied the effects of Ag on the characteristics of $Sn_{43}Bi_{57}Ag_x$(wt%) lead-free solders for photovoltaic ribbon. Ag atoms in the solder formed an alloy phase of Ag3Sn after reacting with some part of Sn atoms, while they did not react with Bi atoms, but decreased the mean size of Bi solid phase and the thickness of solder. When Ag atoms of 3.0 wt% was added to eutectic $Sn_{43}Bi_{57}$(wt%) solder, it showed the optimally useful results that the peel strength of photovoltaic ribbon greatly increased and the sheet resistance of the solder decreased. In the meanwhile, the eutectic $Sn_{43}Bi_{57}$(wt%) solder showed a low melting temperature of $138.9^{\circ}C$, and showed a very similar result regardless of the added amount of Ag atoms.