Abstract
The initiation and the propagation of solder joint crack depend on its environmental conditions, such as high temperature creep and thermal fatigue. Creep is known to be the most important factor for the mechanical failure of solder joints in micro-electronic components and micro-systems. This is mainly caused by the different thermal expansion coefficients of the materials used in the micro-electronic packages. To determine the reliability of solder joints and consequently the electronic components, the characterization of the creep behavior of this group of materials is crucial. This paper is to apply the theory of creep into solder joints and to provide related technical information needed for evaluation of reliability of solder joint to failure. 63Sn-37Pb solder was used in this study. This paper experimentally shows a way to enhance the reliability of solder joints.