• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.37-42
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• 2001

The concerns of the toxicity and health hazard of lead in solders have demanded the research to find suitable lead-free solder alloys. It was discussed that effect of the intermetallic formation and structure on the reliability of solder joints. In this study, lead-free solder alloys with compositions of Sn/3.5Ag/0.75Cu, Sn/2.0Ag/0.5Cu/2.0Bi were applied to the 48 $\mu$BGA packages. Also, the lead-free solder alloys compared with eutectic Sn/37Pb solder using shear test under various aging temperature. Common $\mu$BGA with solder components was aged at $130^{\circ}C$, $150^{\circ}C$ and $170^{\circ}C$. And the each temperature applied to 300, 600 and 900 hours. The thickness of the intermetallics was measured for each condition and the activation energy for their growth was computed. The fracture surfaces were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) with EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). These results for reliability of lead-free interconnections are discussed.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.81-88
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• 2019

In this study, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) addition on electromigration (EM) lifetime of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu Pb-free solder joint between a ball grid array (BGA) package and printed circuit board (PCB) were investigated. After as-bonded, $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) was formed at the interface of package side finished with electroplated Ni/Au, while $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC was formed at the interface of OSP-treated PCB side. Mean time to failure of solder joint without GO solder joint under $130^{\circ}C$ with a current density of $1.0{\times}10^3A/cm^2$ was 189.9 hrs and that with GO was 367.1 hrs. EM open failure was occurred at the interface of PCB side with smaller pad diameter than that of package side due to Cu consumption by electrons flow. Meanwhile, we observed that the added GO was distributed at the interface between $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC and solder. Therefore, we assumed that EM reliability of solder joint with GO was superior to that of without GO by suppressing the Cu diffusion at current crowding regions.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.12 no.2 s.35
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• pp.95-103
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• 2005

The interfacial reaction between 42Sn-58Bi solder (in wt.$\%$ unless specified otherwise) and electroless Ni-P/immersion Au has been investigated before and after thermal aging, with a focus on formation and growth of an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer, consumption of under bump metallurgy (UBM), and bump shear strength. The immersion Au layer with thicknesses of 0 (bare Ni), 0.1, and $1{\mu}m$ was plated on the $5{\mu}m$ thick electroless Ni-P ($14{\~}15 at.\%$P) layer. Then, the 42Sn-58Bi solder balls were fabricated on three different UBM structures by screen-printing and pre-reflow. The $Ni_3Sn_4$ layer (IMC1) was formed at the joint interface after pre-reflow for all the three UBM structures. On aging at $125^{\circ}C$, a quaternary phase (IMC2) was observed above the $Ni_3Sn_4$ layer in the Au-containing UBM structures, which was identified as $Sn_{77}Ni{15}Bi_6Au_2$ (in at.$\%$). The thick $Sn_{77}Ni{15}Bi_6Au_2$ layer deteriorated the integrity of the solder joint and the shear strength of the solder bump was decreased by about $40\%$ compared with non-aged joints.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.23-27
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• 2017

This paper proposes an approach to predict the reliability of high temperature heaters by identifying their primary failure modes and mechanisms in the field. Test specimens were designed to have the equivalent stress conditions with the high temperature heaters in the field in order to examine the effect of stress conditions on the solder joint failures. There failures often result from cracking due to intermetallic compound (IMC) or void formation within a solder joint. Aging tests have been performed by exposing the test specimens to a temperature of $170^{\circ}C$ in order to reproduce solder joint failures in the field. During the test, changes in IMC formation were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the cross-sections of the test specimens, while changes in void formation were monitored both by resistance spectroscopy and by micro-computed tomography (microCT), alternately. The test results demonstrated the void volume within the solder increased as the time at the high temperature increased. Also, the phase shift of high frequency resistance was found to have high correlation with the void volume. These results implied the failure of high temperature heaters can be non-destructively predicted based on the correlation.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.19-27
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• 2003

Surface finishes of PCB laminates are important in the solder joint reliability of flip chip package because the types and thicknesses of intermetallic compound(IMC), and compositions and hardness of solders are affected by them. In this study, effects of surface finishes of PCB on the low cycle fatigue resistance of Sn-based lead-free solders; Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-3.5Ag-XCu(X=0.75, 1.5), Sn-3.5Ag-XBi(X=2.5, 7.5) and Sn-0.7Cu were investigated for the Cu and Au/Ni surface finish treatments. Displacement controlled room temperature lap shear fatigue tests showed that fatigue resistance of Sn-3.5Ag-XCu(X=0.75, 1.5), Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-0.7Cu alloys were more or less the same each other but much better than that of Bi containing alloys regardless of the surface finish layer used. In general, solder joints on the Au/Ni finish showed better fatigue resistance than those on the Cu finish. Cross-sectional fractography revealed microcracks nucleation inside of the interfacial IMC near the solder mask edge, more frequently on the Cu than the Au/Ni surface finish. Macro cracks followed the solder/IMC interface in the Bi containing alloys, while they propagated in the solder matrix in other alloys. It was ascribed to the Bi segregation at the solder/IMC interface and the solid solution hardening effect of Bi in the $\beta-Sn$ matrix.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 1999

This paper investigated optimum drying time of PCB and the relationship between humidity in PCB and solderability. As experimental results, soldering was improved with increasing drying time. The wetting time of a dry specimen was shorter about 0.2 seconds than that of a wet specimen. The wetting force was Increased by 2~4mN after drying the wet specimen. When PCB was dried over 30 minute, solder defects and tensile strength of soldered joints was optimized. Effects of drying tome of PCB on the soldering, wetting curve, soldered shape, solder ball, and tensile strength, were investigated.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2000

This paper introduces the partial melting process for solder application and characterization of its possibility using off-eutectic Pb-Sn alloy. In order to show that the liquid phase in the semi-liquid state maintains the wettability as the single-phase liquid, the wetting balance test are conducted with varying temperatures and compositions. The results are then compared with the surface tension of liquid, both measured and calculated, to examine the correlation. The results from this investigation indicate that the partial melting can yield satisfactory solder joints as long as the liquid phase acquires sufficient chemical activity. At a condition where the partial melting is effective, a direct correlation between the wettability and the surface tension is found to exist. All alloys are found to show a reasonable wettability in semi-liquid state.

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

• ETRI Journal
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.396-407
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• 2019

Laser-assisted bonding (LAB) is an advanced technology in which a homogenized laser beam is selectively applied to a chip. Previous researches have demonstrated the feasibility of using a single-tier LAB process for 3D through-silicon via (TSV) integration with nonconductive paste (NCP), where each TSV die is bonded one at a time. A collective LAB process, where several TSV dies can be stacked simultaneously, is developed to improve the productivity while maintaining the reliability of the solder joints. A single-tier LAB process for 3D TSV integration with NCP is introduced for two different values of laser power, namely 100 W and 150 W. For the 100 W case, a maximum of three dies can be collectively stacked, whereas for the 150 W case, a total of six tiers can be simultaneously bonded. For the 100 W case, the intermetallic compound microstructure is a typical Cu-Sn phase system, whereas for the 150 W case, it is asymmetrical owing to a thermogradient across the solder joint. The collective LAB process can be realized through proper design of the bonding parameters such as laser power, time, and number of stacked dies.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1035-1040
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• 2010

The research efforts on GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) keep increasing due to their significant impact on the illumination industry. Surface mount technology (SMT) is widely used to mount the LED packages for practical application. In surface mount soldering both the device body and leads are intentionally heated by a reflow process. We studied on the effects of multiple reflows on microstructural variation and joint strength of the solder joints between the LED package and the substrate. In this study, Pb-free Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder and a finished pad with organic solderability preservatives (OSP) were employed. A $Cu_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was formed during the multiple reflows, and the thickness of the IMC layerincreased with an increasing number of reflows. The shear force decreased after three reflows. From the observation of the fracture surface after a shear test, partially brittle fractures were observed after five reflows.