Effect of multiple reflow cycles on ball impact responses of Sn‐Ag‐Cu solder joints

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the effect of multiple reflow cycles on ball impact test (BIT) responses and fractographies obtained at an impact velocity of 500 mm/s on Sn‐4Ag‐0.5Cu solder joints.

Design/methodology/approach

Solder balls were mounted on copper substrate pads with immersion tin surface finish, supplied by two vendors. For these particular test vehicles and test conditions, fracture near the interface between the interfacial Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic compound (IMC) and copper pad was identified as the only failure mode induced by BIT.

Findings

Measurement results indicate that BIT characteristics in general degrade as the number of reflow cycles increases. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy observations show that the thickness and grain size of interfacial Cu₆Sn₅ increase with increasing number of reflow cycles. This correlation confirms the familiar notion that a thicker Cu₆Sn₅ degrades the interfacial strength.

Originality/value

There are few reports that can attribute failure directly to the IMC(s) at the interface. This paper, however, successfully correlates the weakening solder joints with the thickening and shape changes of IMC(s) in a direct way.

Citation

Lai, Y., Kao, C.R., Chang, H. and Kao, C. (2009), "Effect of multiple reflow cycles on ball impact responses of Sn‐Ag‐Cu solder joints", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 4-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/09540910910970358