• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.11-15
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• 2001

In this paper, hermetic sealing technology was studied for wafer level packaging of the RF-MEMS devices. With the flip-chip bonding method. this non-conductive B-stage epoxy sealing will be profit to the MEMS device sealing. It will be particularly profit to the RF-MEMS device sealing. B-stage epoxy can be cured by 2-step and hermetic sealing can be obtained. After defining 500 $\mu\textrm{m}$-width seal-lines on the glass cap substrate by screen printing, it was pre-baked at $90^{\circ}C$ for about 30 minutes. It was, then, aligned and bonded with device substrate followed by post-baked at $175^{\circ}C$ for about 30 minutes. By using this 2-step baking characteristic, the width and the height of the seal-line could be maintained during the sealing process. The height of the seal-line was controlled within $\pm$0.6 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in the 4 inches wafer and the bonding strength was measured to about 20MPa by pull test. The leak rate, that is sealing characteristic of the B-stage epoxy, was about $10^{-7}$ cc/sec from the leak test.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.23-29
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• 2000

We demonstrate the fabrication method of high-density and high-quality solder bump solving a copper (Cu) cross-contamination in Si-LSI laboratory. The Cu cross-contamination is solved by separating solder-bump process by two steps. Former is via-formation process excluding Cu/Ti under ball metallurgy (UBM) layer sputtering in Si-LSI laboratory. Latter is electroplating process including Ti-adhesion and Cu-seed layers sputtering out of Si-LSI laboratory. Thick photoresist (PR) is achieved by a multiple coating method. After TiW/Al-electrode sputtering for electroplating and via formation in Si-LSI laboratory, Cu/Ti UBM layer is sputtered on sample. The Cu-seed layer on the PR is etched during Cu-electroplating with low-electroplating rate due to a difference in resistance of UBM layer between via bottom and PR. Therefore Cu-buffer layer can be electroplated selectively at the via bottom. After etching the Ti-adhesion layer on the PR, Sn/Pb solder layer with a composition of 60/40 is electroplated using a tin-lead electroplating bath with a metal stoichiometry of 60/40 (weight percent ratio). Scanning electron microscope image shows that the fabricated solder bump is high-uniformity and high-quality as well as symmetric mushroom shape. The solder bumps with even 40/60 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in diameter/pitch do not touch during electroplating and reflow procedures. The solder-bump process of high-uniformity and high-density with the Cu cross-contamination free in Si-LSI laboratory will be effective for electronic microwave application.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 2015

The effects of electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and organic solderability preservative (OSP) surface finishes on the in-situ intermetallics reaction and the electromigration (EM) reliability of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder bump were systematically investigated. After as-bonded, $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) was formed at the interface of the ENIG surface finish at solder top side, while at the OSP surface finish at solder bottom side,$ Cu_6Sn_5$ and $Cu_3Sn$ IMCs were formed. Mean time to failure on SAC305 solder bump at $130^{\circ}C$ with a current density of $5.0{\times}10^3A/cm^2$ was 78.7 hrs. EM open failure was observed at bottom OSP surface finish by fast consumption of Cu atoms when electrons flow from bottom Cu substrate to solder. In-situ scanning electron microscope analysis showed that IMC growth rate of ENIG surface finish was much lower than that of the OSP surface finish. Therefore, EM reliability of ENIG surface finish was higher than that of OSP surface finish due to its superior barrier stability to IMC reaction.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.11-18
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• 2011

The quantitative interfacial adhesion energy of the Cu-Cu direct bonding layers was evaluated in terms of the bonding temperature and Ar+$H_2$ plasma treatment on Cu surface by using a 4-point bending test. The interfacial adhesion energy and bonding quality depend on increased bonding temperature and post-annealing temperature. With increasing bonding temperature from $250^{\circ}C$ to $350^{\circ}C$, the interfacial adhesion energy increase from $1.38{\pm}1.06$ $J/m^2$ to $10.36{\pm}1.01$ $J/m^2$. The Ar+$H_2$ plasma treatment on Cu surface drastically increase the interfacial adhesion energy form $1.38{\pm}1.06$ $J/m^2$ to $6.59{\pm}0.03$ $J/m^2$. The plasma pre-treatment successfully reduces processing temperature of Cu to Cu direct bonding.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2022

Effects of film stack structure and peeling rate on the peel strength of screen-printed (SP) Ag/polyimide (PI) systems were investigated by a 90° peel test. When PI film was peeled at PI/SP-Ag and PI/SP-Ag/electroplated (EP) Cu structures, the peel strength was nearly constant regardless of the peeling rate. When EP Cu was peeled at EP Cu/SP-Ag/PI structure, the peel strength continuously increased as peeling rate increased. Considering uniaxial tensile test results of EP Cu/SP-Ag film with respect to loading rate, the increase of 90° plastic bending energy and peel strength was attributed to increased flow stress and toughness. On the other hand, viscoelastic PI film showed little variation of flow stress and toughness with respect to loading rate, which was assumed to result in nearly constant 90° plastic bending energy and peel strength.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.65-69
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• 2012

Environmental and health concerns over the lead have led to investigation of the alternative Pb-free solders to replace commonly used Pb-Sn solders in microelectronic packaging application. The leading candidates for lead-free solder alloys are presently the near eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu alloys. Therefore, extensive studies on reliability related with the composition have been reported. However, the insufficient drop property of the near eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu alloys has demanded solder compositions of low Ag content. In addition, the solder interconnections in automobile applications like a smart box require significantly improved vibration resistance. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of alloying elements (Ag, Bi, In) on the vibration fatigue strength. The vibration fatigue was conducted in 10~1000Hz frequency and 20Grms. The interface of the as-soldered cross section close to the Cu pad indicated the intermetallic compound ($Cu_6Sn_5$) regardless of solder composition. The type and thickness of IMC was not significantly changed after the vibration test. It indicates that no thermal activities occurred significantly during vibration. Furthermore, as a function of alloying composition, the vibration crack path was investigated with a focus on the IMCs. Vibration crack was initiated from the fillet surface of the heel for QFP parts and from the plating layer of chip parts. Regardless of the solder composition, the crack during a vibration test was propagated as same as that during a thermal fatigue test.

• 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.27 no.3
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• pp.41-47
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• 2020

The effect of Co interlayer on the interfacial reliability of SiN_x/Co/Cu thin film structure for advanced Cu interconnects was systematically evaluated by using a double cantilever beam test. The interfacial adhesion energy of the SiN_x/Cu thin film structure was 0.90 J/㎡. This value of the SiN_x/Co/Cu thin film structure increased to 9.59 J/㎡.Measured interfacial adhesion energy of SiN_x/Co/Cu structure was around 10 times higher than SiN_x/Cu structure due to CoSi₂ reaction layer formation at SiN_x/Co interface, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The interfacial adhesion energy of SiN_x/Co/Cu structure decreased sharply after post-annealing at 200℃ for 24 h due to Co oxidation at SiN_x/Co interface. Therefore, it is required to control the CoO and Co₃O₄ formation during the environmental storage of the SiN_x/Co/Cu thin film to achieve interfacial reliability for advanced Cu interconnections.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.7-12
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• 2018

The effects of Ru deposition temperature and post-annealing conditions on the interfacial adhesion energies of atomic layer deposited (ALD) Ru diffusion barrier layer and Cu thin films for the advanced Cu interconnects applications were systematically investigated. The initial interfacial adhesion energies were 8.55, 9.37, $8.96J/m^2$ for the sample deposited at 225, 270, and $310^{\circ}C$, respectively, which are closely related to the similar microstructures and resistivities of Ru films for ALD Ru deposition temperature variations. And the interfacial adhesion energies showed the relatively stable high values over $7.59J/m^2$ until 250h during post-annealing at $200^{\circ}C$, while dramatically decreased to $1.40J/m^2$ after 500 h. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy Cu 2p peak separation analysis showed that there exists good correlation between the interfacial adhesion energy and the interfacial CuO formation. Therefore, ALD Ru seems to be a promising diffusion barrier candidate with reliable interfacial reliability for advanced Cu interconnects.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.43-50
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• 2014

By the trends of electronic package to be smaller, thinner and more integrative, the reliability of interconnection between Si chip and printed circuit board is required. This paper reports on a study of high speed shear energy of Sn-4.0wt%Ag-0.5wt%Cu (SAC405) solder joints with different the thicknesses of electroless Ni-P deposit. A high speed shear testing of solder joints was conducted to find a relationship between the thickness of Ni-P deposit and the brittle fracture in electroless Ni-P deposit/SAC405 solder. A focused ion beam (FIB) was used to polish the cross sections to reveal details of the microstructure of the fractured pad surface with and without $HNO_3$ vapor treatment. The high speed shear energy of SAC405 solder joint with $1{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit was found to be lower without $HNO_3$ vapor, compared to those of over $3{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit. This could be due to the edge of solder resist in $1{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit, which provides a fracture location for the weakened shear energy of solder joints and brittle fracture in high speed shear test. With $HNO_3$ vapor, the brittle fracture mode in high speed shear test decreased with increasing the thickness of Ni-P deposit. Then the roughness (Ra) of Ni-P deposits decreased with increasing its thickness. Thus, this gives the evidence that the decrease in roughness of Ni-P deposit for Eelectroless Ni/ Electroless Pd/ Immersion Au (ENEPIG) surface play a critical role for improving the robustness of SAC405 solder joint.