Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Experiments on the eutectic tin-lead (Sn-Pb) alloys were conducted to study the effects of grain boundary sliding on the deformation and damage processes at the microscopic level. The primary objective is to gain mechanistic undersanding of solder joint reliability in microelectronic packaging. Bulk specimens were subjected to relatively fast deformations of tension, compression, and bending, for the purposes of examining the pure mechanical effect without the influence of diffusion-related phenomena. Grain realignment and phase redistribution were characterized by microscopy and microhardness indentation. A micromechanical model is proposed to elucidate the observed microstructural changes and progressive damage. This study illustrates the significance of damage in the form of microscopic heterogeneity caused by grain boundary sliding. It also illustrates the possibility of mechanically induced phase coarsening in actual solder joints. High-frequency cyclic shear tests on Sn-Pb solder joints showed damage along the coarsened band after only a short time, in accord with the proposed effects. Boundary sliding without the influence of atomic diffusion plays an essential role in fatigue damage in solder.

Keywords

solder microstructure grain boundary sliding fatigue damage eutectic tin-lead alloy

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abell, K.C.R. and Shen, Y.-L. (2002). Acta Mater., 50: 3191-3202 .

Ashby, M.F. and Verall, R.A. (1973). Acta Metall., 21: 149-159 .

Cutiongco, E.C. , Vaynman, S. , Fine, M.E. and Jeannotte, D.A. (1990). ASME J. Electron. Packag., 112: 110-114 .

Frear, D.R. , Morgan, H. , Burchett, S. and Lau, J. (1994). The Mechanics of Solder Alloy Interconnects, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York .

Furushiro, N. and Hori, S. (1979). Scripta Metall., 13: 653-656 .

Garrett, S. E. (2001). Project Report, University of New Mexico.

Geckinli, A.E. and Barrett, C.R. (1976). J. Mater. Sci., 11: 510-521 .

Guo, Z. and Conrad, H. (1996). ASME J. Electron. Packag., 118: 49-54 .

Gupta, D. , Vieregge, K. and Gust, W. (1999). Acta Mater., 47: 5-12 .

10.

Hacke, P.L. , Fahmy, Y. and Conrad, H. (1998). J. Electron. Mater., 27: 941-947 .

11.

Hazzledine, P.M. and Newbury, D.E. (1976). In: Chadwick, G.A. and Smith, D.A. (eds), Grain Boundary Structure and Properties, p. 235. Academic Press, London .

12.

Hotz, W. , Ruedl, E. and Schiller, P. (1975). J. Mater. Sci., 10: 2003-2006 .

13.

Kashyap, B.P. , Arieli, A. and Mukherjee, A.K. (1985). J. Mater. Sci., 20: 2661-2686 .

14.

Lau, J.H. (1991). Solder Joint Reliability: Theory and Applications Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York .

15.

Liu, D.R. and Pao, Y.-H. (1997). J. Electron. Mater., 26: 1058-1064 .

16.

Plumbridge, W.J. (1996). J. Mater. Sci., 119: 2501-2514 .

17.

Rai, G. and Grant, N.J. (1983). Metall. Trans. A, 14A: 1451-1458 .

18.

Shen, Y.-L. and Abell, K.C. R. (2002). J. Mater. Sci. Lett., 21: 631-633 .

19.

Shen, Y.-L. , Abeyta, M.C. and Fang, H.E. (2001a). Mater. Sci. Engng. A, 308: 288-291 .

20.

Shen, Y.-L. , Li, W. and Fang, H.E. (2001b). ASME J. Electron. Packag., 123: 74-78 .

21.

Stephens, J.J. and Frear, D.R. (1999). Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 30A: 1301-1313 .

22.

Tribula, D. , Grivas, D. , Frear, D.R. and Morris, J.W. Jr. (1989). Welding Research Supplement, October, 404s-409s .

23.

Valiev, R.Z. and Langdon, T.G. (1993). Acta Metall. Mater., 41: 949-954 .

24.

Vastava, R.B. and Langdon, T.G. (1979). Acta Metall., 27: 251-257 .

25.

Vianco, P.T. , Burchett, S.N. , Neilsen, M.K. , Rejent, J.A. and Frear, D.R. (1999). J. Electron. Mater., 28: 1290-1298 .

26.

Wei, Y. , Chow, C.L. , Fang, H.E. and Neilsen, M.K. (2001). ASME J. Electron. Packag., 123: 278-283 .

27.

Wolverton, W.M. (1987). Brazing and Soldering, 13: 33-38 .

28.

Zelin, M.G. , Dunlap, M.R. , Rosen, R. and Mukherjee, A.K. (1993). J. Appl. Phys., 74: 4972-4982 .