Analytical Solutions and a Numerical Approach for Diffusion-Induced Stresses in Intermetallic Compound Layers of Solder Joints

Intermetallic compounds (IMC) play a key role in the mechanical reliability of solder joints. The present work investigates the diffusion-induced stress developed in the Cu pad/IMC/solder sandwich structure during a solid-state isothermal aging process. An analytical model and a numerical approach are proposed to predict the stress. The model consists of a Cu6Sn5 layer sandwiched between a Cu pad and a solder layer, and it is assumed that the diffusivity of the Cu atoms is much greater than that of the Sn atoms. We use the Laplace transformation method to obtain the distribution of the Cu atoms concentration. The diffusion-induced stress is determined analytically by the volumetric strain resulted from the effect of the atomic diffusion. It is found that the Cu6Sn5 layer is subjected to compressive stress due to the Cu atoms diffusion. As the diffusion time is long enough, the diffusion-induced stress shows a linear relationship with the thickness of the Cu6Sn5 layer. A finite element approach to calculate the diffusion-induced stress is proposed, and it is compared and validated by the analytical solution. The results show that the proposed approach can give a well estimation of the diffusion-induced stress in the Cu6Sn5 layer, and is also efficient in predicting the diffusion-induced stress in the structures with more complex geometry. The distribution of the Cu atoms concentration and the diffusion-induced stress in the model with a scallop-like or flat-like Cu6Sn5/solder interface are calculated by the numerical approach. The results show that the interfacial morphology of the Cu6Sn5/solder has great influence on the evolution of the Cu atoms concentration, and the diffusion-induced stress in the Cu6Sn5 layer with the scallop edge is less than that with the flat edge.

Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn Intermetallics Study in the Sn-40Pb/Cu System during Long-term Aging

Replacing Sn-Pb solder with lead-free solder is a great challenge in the electronics industry. The presented lead-free solder is Sn based and forms two intermetallic species upon reaction with the Cu substrate, namely Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn. The growth of Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn intermetallics have been investigated with respect to Sn-40Pb/Cu solderjoints. The joints were aged under long-term thermal exposure using single shear lap joints and the intermetallics were observed using scanning electron microscopy. As-soldered solder joints exhibit a single Cu6Sn5 phase, however after aging a Cu3Sn layer below the Cu6Sn5 is observed to manifest. The Cu6Sn5 layer develops with a scalloped morphology, whereas the Cu3Sn layer always develops an undulating planar shape in phase with the Cu6Sn5. The Cu6Sn5 layer begins to transform from a scalloped- to a planar-shape as aging progresses in order to minimize the interfacial energy. The intermetallic layers exhibit a linear dependence on the square root ofaging time, which corresponds to diffusion-controlled growth. The activation energy for the growth of the Cu6Sn5, intermetallic layer has been determined to be 56.16 kJ/mol.

Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn lntermetallics Study in the Sn-40Pb/Cu System during Long-term Aging

Replacing Sn-Pb solder with lead-free solder is a great challenge in the electronics industry. The presented lead-free solder is Sn based and forms two intermetallic species upon reaction with the Cu substrate, namely Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn. The growth of Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn intermetallics have been investigated with respect to Sn-40Pb/Cu solder joints. The joints were aged under long-term thermal exposure using single shear lap joints and the intermetallics were observed using scanning electron microscopy. As-soldered solder joints exhibit a single Cu6Sn5 phase, however after aging a Cu3Sn layer below the Cu6Sn5 is observed to manifest. The Cu6Sn5 layer develops with a scalloped morphology, whereas the Cu in layer always develops an undulating planar shape in phase with the Cu6Sn5. The Cu6Sn5 layer begins to transform from a scalloped- to a planar-shape as aging progresses in order to minimize the interfacial energy. The intermetallic layers exhibit a linear dependence on the square root of aging time, which corresponds to diffusion-controlled growth. The activation energy for the growth of the Cu6Sn5 intermetallic layer has been determined to be 56.16 kJ/mol.

IMC Growth Mechanisms of SAC305 Lead-Free Solder on Different Surface Finishes and Their Effects on Solder Joint Reliability of FCBGA Packages

Intermetallic compound (IMC) growth behavior of lead-free solder plays an important role in ball grid array (BGA) solder joint reliability for flip chip BGA (FCBGA) packaging applications. The growth mechanism of IMC is reported based on a diffusion model. Thermal treatment such as accelerated thermal cycling (ATC) and isothermal aging exposure also contribute to the growth rate and morphology of lead-free solder IMC. Among the lead-free solder alloys, Sn-3.0wt.%Ag-0.5wt.%Cu (SAC305) solder is a promising substitute for Sn-Pb because of its good mechanical properties and wettability with current surface finishes. After thermal exposure, BGA solder joint reliability is degraded due to IMC formation and growth. In this study, two different thermal treatments, ATC and isothermal aging, and two different pad surface finishes, solder on pad (SOP) and electroless Ni immersion gold (ENIG), are considered in terms of IMC growth rate and mechanical solder joint reliability. An SOP finished interface forms a thin ε-phase Cu3Sn layer and a scallop-like η-phase Cu6Sn5 layer. In contrast, the ENIG finished interface forms a thick (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC layer and prevents overall IMC growth. Different surface finished test vehicles are evaluated in an ATC test in a 0°C to 100°C temperature range and the Ni diffusion layer shows a longer solder joint fatigue lifetime than the nondiffusion barrier interface based on the micro cross-section and dye penetration analysis results. In an isothermal aging test at 100°C and 150°C, the aging temperature and time are valid factors to decide mechanical shock reliability. Interfacial fractures are found in the 100°C aged test vehicle due to easier crack propagation at the interface between the thin Cu3Sn layer and the scallop-like Cu6Sn5 layer based on SEM microstructure analysis results. Finally, this investigation proposes how to improve solder joint reliability and prevent interfacial fracture for SAC305 lead-free application.

Effect of Isothermal Aging on the Growth and Morphology of the Intermetallic Compounds Formed at the Solder/Cu Interface of the Lead - Free Solder Joint

The growth and morphology of the intermetallic compounds (IMC) formed at the interface between the solder ( Sn–3.5Ag–0.5Cu ) and the Cu substrate of the lead - free solder joint have been investigated by means of isothermal aging at 125°C. The scalloped Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound layer was formed at the interface between the solder and Cu substrate upon reflow. The thickness of Cu6Sn5 layer increased with aging time. Cu3Sn appeared between Cu6Sn5 layer and Cu substrate when isothermally aged for 100 hours. Compare to Cu6Sn5 , the thickness of Cu3Sn was rather low, and nearly did not increase with aging time. In this paper, the comparison was made among the Sn-Pb and the Sn-Ag-Cu(SAC) solders which were pre-treated differently before soldering.

Enhanced Growth Kinetics of Intermetallic Compounds between Bi-Containing Sn-3.5Ag Solders and Cu Substrate during Aging

The effect of adding Bi to a eutectic Sn-3.5Ag solder alloy on the growth kinetics of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in solder/Cu joints was examined at the aging temperatures of 130°C, 150°C and 180°C. At 150°C and 180°C, the growth rate of the Cu6Sn5 layer was significantly enhanced, but that of the Cu3Sn layer was rather reduced with increasing Bi content up to 12 wt.%. At 130°C, however, both the η and ε layers appeared to grow faster as the Bi content in the solder was increased to 12 wt.%. These results suggest that the accumulation of Bi ahead of the Cu6Sn5 layers can affect not only the interfacial reaction barrier but also the local thermodynamics at the interface between the Cu6Sn5 layer and the solder.

Stability of channels at a scalloplike Cu6Sn5 layer in solder interconnections

The thermodynamic stability of the solder channels at a scalloplike Cu6Sn5 layer formed between Sn-containing solders and Cu substrate was evaluated by studying the penetration behavior of the liquid solders into the grain boundaries of a Cu6Sn5 substrate. The orientational relationship between the grains of the Cu6Sn5 layer formed during reflow soldering was also analyzed using the electron backscattered diffraction technique. The results showed that liquid solders penetrate into the grain boundaries at an order of faster speed than the growth rate of the layer, which provided a direct evidence of thermodynamic stability of the channel.