• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.163-169
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• 2019

Sn-Pb solder alloys in electronics rapidly has been replaced to Pb free solder alloys because of various environmental regulations such as restriction of hazardous substances directive (RoHS), European Union waste electrical, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), registration evaluation authorization and of chemicals (REACH) etc. Because Sn58%Bi (in wt.%) solder alloy has low melting point and higher mechanical properties than that of Sn-Pb solder, it has been studied to manufacture electronic components. However, the reliability of Sn58%Bi solder could be lowered because of the brittleness of Bi element included in the solder alloy. Therefore, we observed the microstructures of Sn58%Bi composite solders with various contents of Sn-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube (Sn-MWCNT) particles and evaluated bonding strength of the FR-4 components assembled with Sn58%Bi composite solder. Also, microstructures and bonding strengths of the Sn58%Bi composite solder joints were evaluated with the number of reflows from 1 to 7 times, respectively. Bonding strengths and fracture energies of the Sn58%Bi composite solder joints were measured by die shear test. Microstructures and fracture modes were observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM). Microstructures in the Sn58%Bi composite solder joints were finer than that of only Sn58%Bi solder joint. Bonding strength and fracture energy of Sn58%Bi composite solder including 0.1 wt.% of Sn-decorated MWCNT particles increased up to 20.4% and 15.4% at 5 times in reflow, respectively.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2007

Electrochemical migration characteristics of Pb-free solder alloys are quantitatively correlated with corrosion characteristics in harsh environment conditions. In-situ water drop test and corrosion resistance test for Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys were carried out in NaBr and NaF solutions to obtain the electrochemical migration lifetime and pitting potential, respectively. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloy shows similar ionization and electrochemical migration behavior with pure Sn because of Ag and Cu do not migrate due to the formation of resistant intermetallic compounds inside solder itself. Electrochemical migration lifetime in NaBr is longer than in NaF, which seems to be closely related to higher pitting potential in NaBr than NaF solution. Therefore, it was revealed that electrochemical migration lifetime of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloys showed good correlation to the corrosion resistance, and also the initial ionization step at anode side is believed to be the rate-determining step during electrochemical migration of Pb-free solders in these environments.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.12 no.1 s.34
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• pp.65-71
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• 2005

At present, Electronic industries push ahead to eliminate the Pb(Lead) -a hazardous material-from all products. Especially, we have performed to select the optimum standard composition of lead free alloy for the application to products for about 3 years from 2000. These days, we have the chance for applying to the mass-production. This project constructed the system for applying the lead free solders on consumer electronic products, which is one of the major products of the LG Electronics. To select the lead free solders with corresponding to the product features, we have passed through the test and applied with Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu alloy system to our products, and for the application to the high melting temperature composition, we secured the thermal resistance of the many parts and substrate and optimized the processing conditions. We have operated the temperature cycling test and the high temperature storage test under the standards to confirm the reliability of the products. On these samples, we considered the consequence of our decision by the operating test. For the long life time of the product, we have operated the temperature cycling test at $-45^{\circ}C\;-\;+125^{\circ}C$, 1 cycle/hour, 1000 cycles. Also we have tested the tin whisker growth about lead free plating on lead finish. We have analyzed with the SEM, EDS and any other equipment for confirming the failure mode at the joint and the tin whisker growth on lead free finish.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 2014

Photovoltaic (PV) cell is considered as one of the finest ways to utilize the solar power. A study of improving solar cell's efficiency is important because the lifetime of solar cell is determined by photovoltaic module technology. Therefore, oxidation (and/or corrosion) of solder materials will be one of the primary yield and long-term reliability risk factor. Recently, the development of lead-free solder alloy has been done actively about lead-free solder alloys of the thermodynamic and mechanical properties. However, the oxidation behavior have rarely been investigated In this study, the oxidations of 60 wt% Sn-40 wt% Pb, 62 wt% Sn-36 wt% Pb -2 wt% Ag, 50wt% Sn-48 wt% Bi-2 wt% Ag alloys for the interconnect ribbon after exposure in atmosphere at $100^{\circ}C$ for several times were investigated. The wettability of 62 wt% Sn-36 wt% Pb-2 wt% Ag and 50 wt% Sn-48 wt% Bi-2 wt% Ag solders was also studied to compare with that of 60 wt% Sn-40 wt% Pb alloy. The results howed that the zero cross time and the wetting time of 50 wt% Sn-48 wt% Bi-2 wt% Ag solder were better than other two samples. The surface of tested samples was analyzed by XPS. The XPS result showed that in all samples, SnO grew first and then the mixture of SnO and $SnO_2$ was detected. $SnO_2$ grew predominantly for the long time aging. Moreover XPS depth profile analysis has found surface enrichment of tin oxide.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.175-177
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• 2006

Electrically Conductive Adhesives(ECAs) with solderable particles have been developed as an alternative to Pb-free solders. Our previous study proved that good wettability of solder particle is a prerequisite for the establishment of conduction paths. In this paper, two types of ECAs were formulated and the wetting characteristic low-melting-point Sn-In solder on Cu and Ni/Au pads was investigated. It was found that Sn-In solder in the developed resin material with reduction capability shows good wettability, especially on Cu pad.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.450-455
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• 2002

Cu-cored Sn-Ag solder balls were fabricated by coating pure Sn and Ag on Cu balls. The melting behavior and the solderability of the BGA joint with the Ni/Au coated Cu pad were investigated and were compared with those of the commercial Sn-Ag and Sn-Ag-Cu balls. DSC analyses clarified the melting of Cu-cored solders to start at a rather low temperature, the eutectic temperature of Sn-Ag-Cu. It was ascribed to the diffusion of Cu and Ag into Sn plating during the heating process. After reflow soldering the microstructures of the solder and of the interfacial layer between the solder and the Cu pad were analyzed with SEM and EPMA. By EDX analysis, formation of a eutectic microstructure composing of $\beta$-Sn, Ag$_3$Sn, ad Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ phases was confirmed in the solder, and the η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer was found to form at the interface between the solder and the Cu pad. By conducting shear tests, it was found that the BGA joint using Cu-cored solder ball could prevent the degradation of joint strength during aging at 423K because of the slower growth me of η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer formed at the solder, pad interface. Furthermore, Cu-cored multi-component Sn-Ag-Bi balls were fabricated by sequentially coating the binary Sn-Ag and Sn-Bi solders on Cu balls. The reflow property of these solder balls was investigated. Melting of these solder balls was clarified to start at the almost same temperature as that of Sn-2Ag-0.75Cu-3Bi solder. A microstructure composing of (Sn), Ag$_3$Sn, Bi and Cu$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ phases was found to form in the solder ball, and a reaction layer containing primarily η'-(Au, Co, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ was found at the interface with Ni/Au coated Cu pad after reflow soldering. By conducting shear test, it was found that the BGA joints using this Cu-core solder balls hardly degraded their joint shear strength during aging at 423K due to the slower growth rate of the η'-(Au, Cu, Ni)$_{6}$Sn$_{5}$ reaction layer at the solder/pad interface.he solder/pad interface.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.3 s.32
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• pp.23-30
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• 2004

Interfacial reaction of Pb-free $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu$ and $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu$ solders and Pt during aging has been investigated. After the $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $250^{\circ}C$ for 30s and the $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $260^{\circ}C$, the specimens were aged at $125^{\circ}C,\;150^{\circ}C$ and $170^{\circ}C$ for 25-121 hours. The intermetallic thitkness and morphology change during aging were characterized using SEM, EDS and XRD. $PtSn_4$ and $PtSn_2$ were observed in the solder/pt interface and the intermetallic formation was governed by diffusion. The activation energy of intermetallic formation was 145.3 kJ/mol for$Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens for $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens from the measurement of the intermetallic thickness with aging temperature and time.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.95-98
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• 2011

Recently, there is a growing tendency that fine-pitch electronic devices are increased due to higher density and very large scale integration. Finer pitch printed circuit board(PCB) is to be decrease insulation resistance between circuit patterns and electrical components, which will induce to electrical short in electronic circuit by electrochemical migration when it exposes to long term in high temperature and high humidity. In this research, the effect of soldering flux acting as an electrical carrier between conductors on electrochemical migration was investigated. The PCB pad was coated with OSP finish. Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu solder paste was printed on the PCB circuit and then the coupon was treated by reflow process. Thereby, specimen for ion migration test was fabricated. Electrochemical migration test was conducted under the condition of DC 48 V, $85^{\circ}C$, and 85 % relative humidity. Their life time could be increased about 22% by means of removal of flux. The fundamentals and mechanism of electrochemical migration was discussed depending on the existence of flux residues after reflow process.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.239-245
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• 2001

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Sn-3.1 wt.%Ag-6.9 wt.%Bi system solders on Cu-substrate were studied. The Sn3.1 wt.%Ag-6.9 wt.%Bi alloy was designed by phase diagram and chemical properties and was prepared by melting in argon atmosphere. The mechanical properties of solder/Cu joints were examined by shear strength test, and also creep test. The microstructure of Sn-3.1 wt.%Ag-6.9 wt.%Bi alloy consists of Bi-rich phase and $Ag_3Sn$ precipitate in {\beta}-Sn$ matrix phase. The shear strength of the joint was decreased with aging treatment. Crack path under shear test was through the solder. Similar crack path change mode was observed at the creep test of solder/Cu joint. The creep behavior of Sn-3.1 wt.%Ag-6.9 wt.%Bi alloy represented the inverse primary creep behavior at all test condition. It is suggested that the inverse primary creep behavior is induced from Bi solute atoms in Sn-matrix. The creep resistance of Sn-3.1Ag-6.9Bi alloy is better than that of Sn-3.5 wt.%Ag alloy at all test conditions.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.373-378
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• 2003

With increasing environmental concerns, application of lead-free solder and fluxless soldering process have been taken attention from the electronic packaging industry. Plasma treatment is one of the soldering methods for the fluxless soldering, and it can prevent environmental pollution cased by flux. On this study fluxless soldering process under $Ar-H_2$plasma using lead free solders such as Sn-3.5 wt%Ag, Sn-3.5 wt%Ag-0.7 wt%Cu and Sn-37%Pb for a reference was investigated. As the plasma reflow has higher soldering temperature than normal air reflow, the effects of UBM(Under Bump Metallization) thickness on the interfacial reaction and bonding strength can be critical. Experimental results showed in case of the thin UBM, Au(20 nm)/Cu(0.3 $\mu\textrm{m}$)/Ni(0.4 $\mu\textrm{m}$)/Al(0.4 $\mu\textrm{m}$), shear strength of the soldered joint was relatively low as 19-27㎫, and it's caused by the crack observed along the bonded interface. The crack was believed to be produced by the exhaustion of the thin UBM-layer due to the excessive reaction with solder under plasma. However, in case of thick UBM, Au(20 nm)/Cu(4 $\mu\textrm{m}$)/Ni(4 $\mu\textrm{m}$)/Al(0.4 $\mu\textrm{m}$), the bonded interface was sound without any crack and shear strength gives 32∼42㎫. Thus, by increasing UBM thickness in this study the shear strength can be improved to 50∼70%. Fluxed reflow soldering under hot air was also carried out for a reference, and the shear strength was 48∼52㎫. Consequently the fluxless soldering with plasma showed around 65∼80% as those of fluxed air reflow, and the possibility of the $Ar-H_2$ plasma reflow was evaluated.