• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.545-551
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• 2012

In semiconductor manufacturing, the circuit integrity of packaged BGA devices is tested by measuring electrical resistance using test sockets. Test sockets have been reported to often fail earlier than the expected life-time due to high contact resistance. This has been attributed to the formation of Sn oxide films on the Au coating layer of the probe pins loaded on the socket. Similar to contact failure, and known as "fretting", this process widely occurs between two conductive surfaces due to the continual rupture and accumulation of oxide films. However, the failure mechanism at the probe pin differs from fretting. In this study, the microstructural processes and formation mechanisms of Sn oxide films developed on the probe pin surface were investigated. Failure analysis was conducted mainly by FIB-FESEM observations, along with EDX, AES, and XRD analyses. Soft and fresh Sn was found to be transferred repeatedly from the solder bump to the Au surface of the probe pins; it was then instantly oxidized to SnO. The $SnO_2$ phase is a more stable natural oxide, but SnO has been proved to grow on Sn thin film at low temperature (< $150^{\circ}C$). Further oxidation to $SnO_2$ is thought to be limited to 30%. The SnO film grew layer by layer up to 571 nm after testing of 50,500 cycles (1 nm/100 cycle). This resulted in the increase of contact resistance and thus of signal delay between the probe pin and the solder bump.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.9-18
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• 1999

In this study, Metallugical properties between Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-37Pb eutectic solders and Au/Ni/cu substrate according to time span above the melting point were investigated. A conventional reflow soldering machine wert used for this study and time span above the melting point was determined by changing peak soldering temperature and conveyor speed. As results, scallop type intermetallic compounds of $Ni_3Sn_4$ were formed at joint interface and no Cu-Sn compounds were found at all; Ni layer performed as a barrier for Cu diffusion. As the peak soldering temperature increased, thickness of the intermetallic compound layer increased; maximum thickness of the scallop-layer was 2.2$\mu\textrm{m}$. The shape of scallops were transformed from hemi-sphere type to elliptical shape with smaller size. Micro-hardness of the solder joint decreased as the eutectic structure of Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-37Pb increased.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11b
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• pp.332-336
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• 2001

In this study, the reaction at UBM(Under Bump Metallurgy) and solder interface was investigated. The UBM employed in conventional optical packages, Au/Pt/Ti layer, were found to dissolve into molten Au-Sn eutectic solder during reflow soldering. Therefore, the reaction with different diffusion barrier layer such as Fe, Co, Ni were investigated to replace the conventional Pt layer. The reaction behavior was investigated by reflowing the solder on the pad of the metals defined by Cr layer for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 minutes at $330^{\circ}C$. Among the metals, Co was found to be most suitable for the diffusion barrier layer as the wettability with the solder was reasonable and the reaction rate of intermetallic formation at the interface is relatively slow.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.332-336
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• 2001

In this study, the reaction at UBM(Under Bump Metallurgy) and solder interface was investigated. The UBM employed in conventional optical packages, Au/Pt/Ti layer, were found to dissolve into molten Au-Sn eutectic solder during reflow soldering. Therefore, the reaction with different diffusion barrier layer such as Fe, Co, Ni were investigated to replace the conventional R layer. The reaction behavior was investigated by reflowing the solder on the pad of the metals defined by Cr layer for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 minutes at 330$^{\circ}C$. Among the metals, Co was found to be most suitable for the diffusion barrier layer as the wettability with the solder was reasonable and the reaction rate of intermetallic formation at the interface is relatively slow.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.30-32
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• 2005

This paper reports on an LTCC-based packaging method using Au/Sn eutectic bonding process for RF MEMS applications. The proposed packaging structure was realized by a micromachining technology. An LTCC substrate consists of metal filled vertical via feedthroughs for electrical interconnection and Au/Sn sealing rim for eutectic bonding. The LTCC capping substrate and the glass bottom substrate were aligned and bonded together by a flip-chip bonding technology. From now on, shear strength and He leak rate will be measured then the fabricated package will be compared with the LTCC package using BCB adhesive bonding method which has been researched in our previous work.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2002

As environmental concerns increasing, the electronics industry is focusing more attention on lead free solder alternatives. In this research, we have researched wettability of intermediate solder of Sn3Ag9Bi5In, which include In and Bi and has similar melting temperature to Sn37Pb eutectic solder. We investigated the wetting property of Sn3Ag9Bi5In. To estimate wettability of Sn3Ag9Bi5In solder on various substrates, the wettability of Sn3Ag9Bi5In solder on high-pure Cu-coupon was measured. Cu-coupon that plated Sn, Ni and Au/Ni and Si-wafer adsorbed Ni/Cu under bump metallurgy on one side. As a result, the wetting property of Sn3Ag9Bi5In solder is a little better than that of Sn37Pb and Sn3.5Ag.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1041-1046
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• 2010

The reactions between a Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloy and electroless Ni/electroless Pd/immersion Au (ENEPIG) surface finishes with various Pd layer thicknesses (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, $0.4{\mu}m$) were examined for the effect of the Pd layer on the massive spalling of the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer during reflow at $235^{\circ}C$. The thin layer deposition of an electroless Pd (EP) between the electroless Ni ($7{\mu}m$) and immersion Au ($0.06{\mu}m$) plating on the Cu substrate significantly retarded the massive spalling of the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer during reflow. Its retarding effect increased with an increasing EP layer thickness. When the EP layer was thin (${\leq}0.1{\mu}m$), the retardation of the massive spalling was attributed to a reduced growth rate of the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer and thus to a lowered consumption rate of Cu in the bulk solder during reflow. However, when the EP layer was thick (${\geq}0.2{\mu}m$), the initially dissolved Pd atoms in the molten solder resettled as $(Pd,Ni)Sn_4$ precipitates near the solder/$(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ interface with an increasing reflow time. Since the Pd resettlement requires a continuous Ni supply across the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer from the Ni(P) substrate, it suppressed the formation of $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ at the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5/Ni(P)$ interface and retarded the massive spalling of the $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2021

In this paper, methods for improving the sensitivity of gas sensors to NO₂ gas are presented. A gas sensor was fabricated based on an SnO₂ nanowire network using the vapor-phase-growth method. In the gas sensor, the Au electrode was replaced with a fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO) electrode, to achieve high sensitivity at low temperatures and concentrations. The gas sensor with the FTO electrode was more sensitive to NO₂ gas than the sensor with the Au electrode: notably, both sensors were based on typical SnO₂ nanowire network. When the Au electrode was replaced by the FTO electrode, the sensitivity improved, as the contact resistance decreased and the surface-to-volume ratio increased. The morphological features of the fabricated gas sensor were characterized in detail via field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.176-181
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• 2001

Reflow soldering characteristics of Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-37Pb balls for BGA(Ball grid Array) were investigated. Diameter of 0.76mm ball was set on a Cu/Ni/Au-coated pad and reflowed in air with changing peak soldering temperature and conveyor speed. Peak temperatures were changed from 240 to 28$0^{\circ}C$ for Sn-3.5Ag, and from 220 to 26$0^{\circ}C$ for Sn-37Pb balls. As results, heights of solder balls increased and widths decreased with peak soldering temperature. Through aging treatment at 10$0^{\circ}C$ for 1.000 hrs, average hardness of Sn-3.5Ag balls bonded at 25$0^{\circ}C$ cecreased from 14.90Hv to 12.83Hv And with same aging conditions, average shear strength of Sn-3.5Ag balls bonded at 26$0^{\circ}C$ decreased from 1727gf to 1650gf.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.130-133
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• 2010

Although many structures based on $SnO_2$ nanowires have been demonstrated, there is a limitation towards practical application due to the unwanted contact potential between the metal electrode and the $SnO_2$ nanowire. This is mostly due to the presence of the native oxide layer that acts as an insulator between the metal contact and the nanowire. In this study the contact properties between Ti/Au contacts and a single $SnO_2$ nanowire was compared to the electrical properties of a contact without the oxide layer. RIE(Reactive Ion Etching) is used to selectively remove the oxide layer from the contact area. The $SnO_2$ nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and dispersed on a $Si/Si_3N_4$ substrate. The Ti/Au (20nm/100nm) electrodes were formed bye-beam lithography, e-beam evaporation and a lift-off process.