• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2004.02a
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• pp.37-59
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• 2004

In the case of Ni/Au finished pad on the package side, the solder joint of SnAgCu system can bring brittle fracture under impact load such as drop test. Therefore, it's difficult to prevent the brittle fracture of lead-free solder, by controlling Cu content. The failure locus existing on the interface between $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4\;and\;(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ IMC layers must be changed to other site in order to avoid brittle fracture due to impact load. It was not found any clear evidence that there were two IMC layers exist. But it was strongly assumed these were two layers which have different Cu-Ni composition. From the above analysis it was assumed that Cu atom in the solder alloy or substrate seemed to affect IMC composition and cause to IMC brittle fracture.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.30-32
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• 2006

The interfacial reaction and reliability of eutectic Sn-Pb and Pb-free eutectic Sn-Ag ball-grid-array (BGA) solders with an immersion Ag-plated Cu substrate were evaluated following isothermal aging at $150^{\circ}C$. During reflowing, the topmost Ag layer was dissolved completely into the molten solder, leaving the Cu layer exposed to the molten solder for both solder systems. A typical scallop-type Cu-Sn intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was formed at both of the solder/Cu interfaces during reflowing. The thickness of the Cu-Sn IMCs for both solders was found to increase linearly with the square root of isothermal aging time. The growth of the $Cu_3Sn$ layer for the Sn-37Pb solder was faster than that for the Sn-3.5Ag solder, In the case of the Sn-37Pb solder, the formation of the Pb-rich layer on the Cu-Sn IMC layer retarded the growth of the $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC layer, and thereby increased the growth rate of the $Cu_3Sn$ IMC layer. In the ball shear test conducted on the Sn-37Pb/Ag-plated Cu joint after aging for 500h, fracturing occurred at the solder/$Cu_6Sn_5$ interface. The shear failure was significantly related to the interfacial adhesion strength between the Pb-rich and $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC layers. On the other hand, all fracturing occurred in the bulk solder for the Sn-3.5Ag/Ag-plated Cu joint, which confirmed its desirable joint reliability.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.202-208
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• 2009

The effects of aging time on the microstructure and shear strength of the Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC)/Ag pad/Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG)/BGA solder joints were investigated through isothermal aging at $150^{\circ}C$ for 1000 h with conventional Sn-37Pb and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu. $Ni_3Sn_4$ intermetallic compound (IMC) layers was formed at the interface between Sn-37Pb solder and LTCC substrate as-reflowed state, while $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ IMC layer was formed between Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder and LTCC substrate. Additional $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ layer was found at the interface between the $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ layer and Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder after aging at $150^{\circ}C$ for 500 h. Thickness of the IMC layers increased and coarsened with increasing aging time. Shear strength of both solder joints increased with increasing aging time. Failure mode of BGA solder joints with LTCC substrate after shear testing revealed that shear strength of the joints depended on the adhesion between Ag metallization and LTCC. Fracture mechanism of Sn-37Pb solder joint was a mixture of ductile and pad lift, while that of Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu solder joint was a mixture of ductile and brittle $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ IMC fracture morphology. Failure mechanisms of LTCC/Ag pad/ENIG/BGA solder joints were also interpreted by finite element analyses.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.60-67
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• 2014

The ability of electronic packages and assemblies to resist solder joint failure is becoming a growing concern. This paper reports on a study of high speed shear energy of Sn-4.0wt%Ag-0.5wt%Cu (SAC405) solder with different electroless Ni-P thickness, with $HNO_3$ vapor's status, and with various pre-conditions. 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 interconnection. 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. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS) confirmed that there were three intermetallic compound (IMC) layers at the SAC405 solder joint interface: $(Ni,Cu)_3Sn_4$ layer, $(Ni,Cu)_2SnP$ layer, and $(Ni,Sn)_3P$ layer. The high speed shear energy of SAC405 solder joint with $3{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit was found to be lower in pre-condition level#2, compared to that of $6{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit. Results of focused ion beam and energy dispersive x-ray analysis of the fractured pad surfaces support the suggestion that the brittle fracture of $3{\mu}m$ Ni-P deposit is the result of Ni corrosion in the pre-condition level#2 and the $HNO_3$ vapor treatment.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2002

This study examined the effects of adding Zn to Sn-3.5Ag solder on the microstructure changes and behavior of interface reaction of the solder joint with Cu substrate. The solder/Cu joints were examined with microscope to observe the characteristics of microstructure changes and interfacial reaction layer with aging treatment for up to 120 days at $150^{\circ}C$. Results of the microstructure changes showed that the microstructures were coarsened with aging treatment, while adding 1%Zn suppresses coarsening microstructures. The Sn-3.5Ag/Cu had a fast growth rate of the reaction layer in comparison with the Sn-3.5Ag-1Zn at the aging temperature of $150^{\circ}C$. Through the SEM/EDS analysis of solder joint, it was proved that intermetallic layer was $Cu_6Sn_5$ phase and aged specimens showed that intermetallic layer grew in proportion to $t^{1/2}$, and the precipitate of $Ag_3Sn$ occur to both inner layer and interface of layer and solder. In case of Zn-containing composite solder, $Cu_6Sn_5$ phase formed at the side of substrate and Cu-Zn-Sn phase formed at the other side in double layer. It seems that Cu-Zn-Sn phase formed at solder side did a roll of banrier to suppress the growth of the $Cu_6Sn_5$ layer during the aging treatment.

• Electronic Materials Letters
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.678-688
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• 2018

The repeated-bending properties of Sn-0.7Cu, Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu (SAC0307), and Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solders mounted on flexible substrates were studied using highly accelerated stress testing (HAST), followed by repeated-bending testing. In the Sn-0.7Cu joints, the $Cu_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) coarsened as the HAST time increased. For the SAC0307 and SAC305 joints, the $Ag_3Sn$ and $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMCs coarsened mainly along the grain boundary as the HAST time increased. The Sn-0.7Cu solder had a high contact angle, compared to the SAC0307 and SAC305 solders; consequently, the SAC0307 and SAC305 solder joints displayed smoother fillet shapes than the Sn-0.7Cu solder joint. The repeated-bending for the Sn-0.7Cu solder produced the crack initiated from the interface between the Cu lead wire and the solder, and that for the SAC solders indicated the cracks initiated at the surface, but away from the interface between the Cu lead wire and the solder. Furthermore, the oxide layer was thickest for Sn-0.7Cu and thinnest for SAC305, regardless of the HAST time. For the SAC solders, the crack initiation rate increased as the oxide layer thickened and roughened. $Cu_6Sn_5$ precipitated and grew along the grain and subgrain boundaries as the HAST time increased, embrittling the grain boundary at the crack propagation site.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.145-153
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• 2013

In this study, shear punch-creep (SP-Creep) at Sn-4Ag/Cu pad the joint was tested by using environment-friendly Pb-free solder alloy Sn-4Ag of electronic components. Pb eutectic alloy (Sn-37Pb) joints limited to environmental issues with reflow time (10sec, 30sec, 100sec, 300sec) according to two types of solder alloy joints are compared and evaluated by creep strain rate, rupture time and IMC (Intermetallic Compound) behavior. As the results, reflow time increases with increasing thickness of IMC can be seen at overall 100sec later in case of two solder joints on the IMC thickness of Sn-4Ag solder joints thicker than Sn-37Pb solder joints. In addition, when considering creep evaluation factors, lead-free solder alloy Sn-4Ag has excellent creep resistance more than Pb eutectic alloy. For this reason, the two solder joints, such as in the IMC (Cu6Sn5) was formed. However, the creep resistance of Sn-4Ag solder joints was largely increased in the precipitation strengthening effect of dispersed Ag3Sn with interface more than Sn-37Pb solder joints.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.37-42
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• 2003

In soldering of electronic packaging, the research on substituting lead-free solder materials for Pb-Sn alloys has become active due to environmental and health concerns over the use of lead. The reliability of the solder joint is very important in the development of solder materials and it is known that it is related to wettability of the solder over the substrate and microstructural evolution during soldering. It is also highly affected by type and extent of the interfacial reaction between solder and substrate and therefore, it is necessary to understand the interfacial reaction between solder and substrate completely. In order to predict the intermetallic compound (IMC) phase which forms first at the substrate/solder interface during the soldering process, a thermodynamic methodology has been suggested. The activation energy for the nucleation of each IMC phases is represented by a function of the interfacial energy and the driving force for phase formation. From this, it is predicted that the IMC phase with the smallest activation energy forms first. The grain morphology of the IMC at the solder joint is also explained by the calculations which use the energy. The Jackson parameter of the IMC grain with a rough surface is smaller than 2 but it is larger than 2 in the case of faceted grains.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.54-58
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• 2013

Joint properties of vehicle ECU (Electric Control Unit) module which was manufactured by using Sn-Cu-Cr-Ca alloy were investigated. A new solder which has a middle melting temperature about $231^{\circ}C$ was fabricated as the type of 300um solder ball and paste type. The prototype modules were made by reflow process and measured spreadability, wettability shear strength and estimated interface reaction. The spreadability of the alloy was about 84% from the measurement of contact angle of the solder ball and the wetting force was measured 2mN. The average shear strength of the module which was manufactured by using the solder paste, was 1.9 $kg/mm^2$. Also, the thickness of IMC(intermetallic compound) was evaluated with various aging temperature and time in order to understand Cr effect on Sn-0.7Cu solder. $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC was formed between Cu pad and the solder alloy and the average thickness of the $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC was measured about 4um and it was about 50% of thickness of $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC in Sn-0.7Cu. It is expected to have a positive effect on reliability of the solder joint.