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A comparison study of the interfacial reactions and mechanical shear strengths of normal and thin electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder during isothermal aging at 150 °C is presented. The thicknesses of the Ni layers of the normal and thin ENEPIG were 6 and 0.1 μm, respectively. In the normal ENEPIG substrate, small and thin needle-shaped (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were formed at the interface after reflowing, and a relatively thin IMC layer remained despite a long aging period of 1000 h. On the other hand, in the thin ENEPIG substrate, the thin Ni layer as well as the Au and Pd layers were completely reacted, and a relatively thick (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC was formed at the interface after reflowing. In addition, the interfacial IMC layer grew continuously with increasing aging time. During aging at 150 °C, the interfacial IMC layers at the thin ENEPIG joints were consistently thicker than those at the normal ENEPIG joints. During a low-speed shear test, the shear strength did not significantly change depending on the aging time and surface finish, and all the fractures occurred in the ductile mode. On the other hand, in the high-speed shear test, the thick (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC layer significantly deteriorated the shear strength of the thin ENEPIG joints. The thin ENEPIG joints showed inferior mechanical reliability (especially, high impact reliability) than the normal ENEPIG joints during solid-state isothermal aging at 150 °C.

The feasibility of transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding technology for high-temperature endurable power electronics packaging has been evaluated in this study. An Ag-Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu hybrid solder paste was fabricated and used as a bonding material. The bonding reactions between chip/substrate and hybrid solder paste and die shear strengths of the TLP-bonded joints were evaluated during conventional soldering and vacuum soldering processes. Compared to the conventional soldering, the vacuum-soldered joints had fewer voids and relatively good metallurgical microstructures. After TLP bonding, (Cu,Ni)6Sn5, Ag3Sn, and Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compounds formed at the chip interface, in the middle of the joint, and at the bottom interface, respectively. It was confirmed that the vacuum soldering process could create good interfacial uniformity with minimal voids in the Si chip/ceramic substrate joints. The formation of voids during TLP bonding significantly affected the mechanical shear strength of the TLP-bonded joints. The vacuum-soldered joints had high shear strength values of approximately 40 MPa. To ensure the high joint strength and long-term reliability of Sn-based TLP-bonded joints, critical void control in the joints is needed.

The suitability of Ni–Sn combination paste as a transient liquid phase sintering (TLPS) bonding material for applications in high-temperature power electronic technologies was investigated. The microstructure and mechanical properties of joints bonded through TLPS with a Sn-30 wt% Ni paste were investigated at varying bonding temperatures (250, 270, 300, and 350 °C) and times using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analyzer, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction analyses. The results indicated that Ni and Sn reacted and bonded quickly to form Ni–Sn intermetallic compounds, which primarily consisted of Ni3Sn4 and residual Ni particles. The mechanical strength analysis results show that the shear strength values of the joints tended to increase as the bonding temperature increased. As Ni3Sn4 reacted with Ni particles, the joints achieved a stable and dense microstructure. The shear strength values were determined to be 47.9 MPa (300 °C) and 41.4 MPa (350 °C) for 15 and 5 min, respectively. Furthermore, the shear strength value saturated at a bonding temperature of 350 °C for a bonding duration of 5 min.

The microelectronics packaging industry, although rapidly growing, faces several challenges including 3-D integration, issues with multifunctional capability, and fluctuating input/output (I/O) density, among others. Better-performing microelectronics assemblies for mitigating these challenges require alloys with superior solderability and minimal metallization layer thickness. To this end, in this study, we investigated two kinds of electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with 0.3 μm Ni, 0.1 μm pure Pd or Pd-phosphorous (Pd(P)), and 0.1 μm Au layers plated on a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate. To analyze the effects of the pure Pd and Pd(P) layers in the thin ENEPIG, we evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of the SAC305 solder with a pure Pd or Pd(P) layer in the thin ENEPIG joints after aging at 150 °C. Needle-type and chunky-type (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs were formed at the interfaces of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints, respectively. The (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC of the pure Pd joint was thinner than that of the Pd(P) joint after reflowing and aging for 100 h. However, the total IMC of the Pd(P) joint was thinner than that of the pure Pd joint from 250 to 1000 h. In a low-speed shear test, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joint was higher than that of the pure Pd joint for the entire aging time. Most fractures occurred at the Sn-rich surface with a ductile mode, regardless of the different substrates and aging times. After high-speed shear testing, the shear strength of the pure Pd joint was higher than that of the Pd(P) joint until aging for 100 h. After aging for 250 h, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joint was higher than that of the pure Pd joint. The results for brittle fracture rate were similar to those for high-speed shear strength. Hence, Pd(P) joints are expected to demonstrate higher reliabilities than pure Pd joints after long aging treatment.

We performed 30Ni–70Sn (wt%) transient liquid phase sintering (TLPS) bonding with micro-sized Ni and Sn powders for high-temperature power applications. A Ni–Sn paste was fabricated and TLPS bonding was performed. We investigated the interfacial reactions, transformations into Ni3Sn4 intermetallic compound (IMC) phases, and joint strength in this study. The Ni–Sn TLPS bonding was an easy and simple process under a relatively low bonding temperature and short bonding time. After TLPS bonding, low melting point Sn element was completely consumed, and the bonded joint was composed of Ni3Sn4 IMCs and the remaining Ni particles. The Ni3Sn4 IMC joint formed with remaining Ni particles was very stable. All the Ni–Sn TLPS samples had high shear strengths of over 70 MPa, and the shear strength was approximately 32% higher than that of the conventional Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder joint. The Ni–Sn TLPS bonded joints in the present study were not brittle and exhibited superior adhesion strength. This suggests high applicability of the Ni–Sn TLPS bonding for high-temperature power electronic applications in future EV/HEV systems.

We investigated the interfacial reactions and mechanical reliabilities of different Ni layer thicknesses and P-containing Pd layers in thin electroless-Ni electroless-Pd immersion gold (thin-Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P)) surface-finished printed circuit board (PCBs) with Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC 305) solder joints. To analyze the optimal Ni layer thickness in the thin-Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) for aging, we evaluated 0.3- to 1.0-μm Ni layers in thin-Au/Pd(P)/Ni(P) PCBs with SAC 305 solder joints aged at 75, 100, 125, and 150 °C for 1000 h. A scallop-type (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) dominantly formed at the bottom and top sides of the interfaces of all Ni joints under all aging conditions. Furthermore, a P-rich Ni layer formed at the interface between the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC and Cu substrate during aging regardless of Ni layer thickness. The (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs of the joints with 0.3- and 0.5-μm Ni layers aged at 125 and 150 °C for 1000 h were thicker than those of 0.7- and 1.0-μm Ni layers. In high-speed shear tests, the shear strength reduction rates of the joints with 0.3-μm Ni layer aged at 125 and 150 °C were higher than those of the 0.7- and 1.0-μm Ni layers. The brittle fracture rates of the joints with 0.3- and 0.5-μm Ni layers aged at 150 °C for 1000 h were higher than those of the 0.7- and 1.0-μm Ni layers. We determined that these trends arose from the diffusion barrier role of the relatively thick P-rich Ni layers maintained at the interfaces of the joints with 0.7- and 1.0-μm Ni layers for all aging temperatures and times. In low-speed shear tests, the shear strengths of the joints with 0.3-μm Ni layer were slightly lower than those of the 0.5- to 1.0-μm Ni layers. The low- and high-speed shear strengths of the joint with 0.7-μm Ni layer were similar to those of the 1.0-μm Ni layers for each condition. Therefore, Ni joint thicknesses of over 0.7 μm are expected to provide high reliability for aging.

The effects of the thickness of the Ni layer in thin electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (thin-ENEPIG) surface-finished printed circuit boards (PCB) with Sn-3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder joints during aging treatment were investigated. We evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of 0.3–1.0 µm thick Ni layers in thin-ENEPIG PCBs with SAC305 solder joints at aging temperatures of 75, 100, 125, and 150 °C for 1000 h. A needle-type (Cu,aNi)6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layer formed at the interface of the SAC solder and Cu substrate. In addition, P-rich Ni layers were formed at the interface of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC and Cu substrate for the 0.5–1.0 µm thick Ni joints. The thicknesses of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs with 0.3 and 0.5 µm Ni joints were strongly affected by the aging time and temperature. In contrast, the IMC growth rates of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm thick Ni joints were significantly lower than that of the 0.3 µm thick Ni joint. The reason for this behavior is that the P-rich Ni layer acts as a barrier for Sn and Cu diffusion at the joint and was maintained at the IMC/Cu interface after aging. In high-speed shear tests, the shear strengths of all Ni joints aged at 75 °C were similar. However, the rate of reduction in shear strength decreased with increasing Ni layer thickness as the aging time and temperature increased, but the shear strength of the 0.3 µm Ni joint rapidly decreased with increasing aging temperature and time. In contrast, the shear strengths of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints slightly decreased with increasing aging temperature and time. The brittle fracture rates of the joints decreased with increasing Ni thickness, and we determined that this occurred because of the remaining P-rich Ni layer, which acts as a diffusion barrier during aging, at the interface of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints. In low-speed shear tests, the shear strengths of the 0.7 and 1.0 µm Ni joints were slightly higher than those of the 0.3 and 0.5 µm Ni joints after aging at 125 and 150 °C for the entire aging period. Most fractures occurred via a ductile mode regardless of the Ni layer thickness. Therefore, a Ni layer thickness of more than 0.7 µm in thin-ENEPIG finished PCB with SAC305 solder joints is expected to yield high reliability on aging.

A comparative study of initial interfacial reactions and kinetics of Ag In and Au In as die-attach materials for high-temperature power electronics applications was performed in this study. Sequential interfacial reactions and transformations of the In solder to intermetallic compound (IMC) phases of the Ag/In/Ag and Au/In/Au joints were investigated and compared for transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding at 190 °C for 1 min under different bonding pressures. The interfacial reaction of the Ag/In/Ag joint was faster than that of the Au/In/Au joint under same bonding conditions. In the Ag/In/Ag joints, the TLP joint was fully converted into the Ag-rich Ag2In IMC. On the other hand, the Au/In/Au TLP joint was composed of three Au In IMCs of Au7In3, AuIn, and AuIn2.

In this study, the feasibility and high-temperature stability of Ni-Sn bonded joints fabricated by transient liquid phase sintering (TLPS) were investigated for high-temperature power electronics applications. A 30Ni-70Sn (wt%) TLPS paste was fabricated with micro-sized pure Ni and Sn powders, and chip bonding was performed on a direct bonded copper (DBC) substrate. During TLPS bonding, Sn particles melted and reacted with Ni particles, which resulting in the formation of stable Ni-Sn TLPS intermetallic joints. During aging treatments at 150 and 200 °C, the formed Ni3Sn4 phases were transformed into the Ni3Sn2. With increasing aging treatments, the reactions between Ni3Sn4 intermetallics and remaining Ni particles increased, which resulted in the formation of the Ni-rich Ni-Sn intermetallics. Even after 1000 h at an aging temperature of 200 °C, there is no significant difference in the stable and dense microstructure of Ni-Sn TLPS joints. In addition, their mechanical strengths did not vary significantly even after long-term treatment for 1000 h at 150 and 200 °C. This means that the Ni-Sn TLPS joints have a good long-term microstructural stability and mechanical reliability at high temperatures up to 200 °C. Therefore, we conclude that the Ni-Sn paste is a promising candidate as a die-attach material for high-temperature electronic assemblies.

A micro-sized Ag paste was fabricated with the metal content of approximately 85% as a sinter-bonding material in this study. The sintering reactions and joint strengths of Ag sintered joints with three different surface finishes of Cu, Ag, and electroless Ni-immersion Au (ENIG) were evaluated at different sinter bonding times during the sintering process. Stable interfacial microstructures and relatively dense Ag sintered layers were formed in the three Ag sintered joints, and the interdiffusion behaviors between the Ag paste and substrate metals promoted in the formation of good metallurgical bonding during the Ag sintering process, regardless of surface finish. The bonding time of 10 min was sufficient for full sintering reactions between the chip and different substrate finishes. The shear strength did not increase with increased sintering time regardless of surface finish. The substrate metals strongly affected the die shear strengths of the Ag sintered joints, and the Ag-finished joint had a more stable interfacial microstructure and superior shear strength compared to the other metal-finished joints.

The transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding of Au/In/Au as a die-attach material for high-temperature applications was studied in this work. The sequential interfacial reactions between Au and In layers and the phase transformations of an In solder to the intermetallic compound (IMC) phases of the Au/In/Au joints were investigated for TLP bonding at 190 °C for up to 30 min under different bonding pressures (0.2–10 MPa). The TLP joint was fully converted into the Au-rich Au7In3 IMC. During TLP bonding, the In solder was sequentially transformed in the following order: I (Au7In3, AuIn, and AuIn2), II (Au7In3 and AuIn), and III (Au7In3). We effectively fabricated the Au/In/Au TLP-bonded joint under moderate bonding pressures of 5 and 10 MPa for a short bonding time.

A new multilayer metallization, electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) with a thin 0.1-μm-thick Ni(P) layer (thin-ENEPIG), was plated onto a Cu printed circuit board substrate for fine-pitch package applications. We evaluated the interfacial reactions and mechanical strengths of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder on thin ENEPIG-coated substrates over various reflow times and compared them to those of a conventional ENEPIG-coated substrate with a 6-μm-thick Ni(P) layer. Thin Au, Pd, and Ni layers on the thin ENEPIG substrates were exhausted during the initial reflow time, which brought the underlying Cu layer in direct contact with the molten SAC305 solder, resulting in the formation of scallop-shaped (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface. The interfacial IMC layer for the thin ENEPIG substrate was thicker than that for the normal ENEPIG substrate due to the direct contact between the SAC305 solder and the Cu layer. In the low-speed shear test, all the fractures occurred in the bulk solder regardless of the different substrates and reflow times. In the high-speed shear test, the fracture mode was changed from ductile to brittle on increasing the reflow time. The P-rich Ni layer and thick Cu–Sn IMC formation deteriorated the shear strengths of the normal and thin ENEPIG joints, respectively. The thin ENEPIG joints showed better mechanical strength in the solder joint than the normal ENEPIG joints, despite the thick interfacial IMCs.

Cu pillar bumps were mechanically enhanced using electroless Ni plating for fine-pitch electronic packaging applications. The interfacial reaction and mechanical properties of the Ni-plated Cu pillar bump joints were evaluated. After reflowing, the plated Ni layer dissolved into the Sn-Ag solder caps. The Ni was incorporated into the interfacial reactions, forming a (Cu,Ni) 6 Sn 5 intermetallic compound on the Cu pillar bumps. Adding Ni to the Cu pillar bumps significantly affected the mechanical properties of the joint and increased the bump shear strength of the solder cap.

Recently, research and development of power electronics, such as inverter systems and power modules, in electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are increasing. In the power electronic systems, the chip junction temperature is extremely high during operation. Therefore, the new bonding materials and methods are needed for operation at high temperatures for power electronic packaging. Some good candidates for high temperature die-attach applications include high-temperature solders such as Au-Sn, Ag sinter pastes, and transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding materials. Among them, a TLP bonding technology utilizes cheap metals such as Cu, Ni, and Sn. This process is also similar to the conventional soldering process and is reliable when subjected to high temperatures over long durations. TLP bonding is a die-attach technology wherein an intermetallic compound (IMC) is formed via a diffusion reaction by incorporating a low melting point metal between metals with high melting points. This paper presents the growth rate of forming Cu-Sn IMCs in the composite preform that is used as a die-attach material for a TLP bonding. To overcome the drawbacks of the TLP bonding such as a long bonding time, the composite preform was fabricated, and the feasibility for high-temperature power electronics applications was evaluated in this study. The composite preform is composed of a Cu core layer with a high-melting temperature and a low-melting temperature Sn coating at both sides of the Cu core layer. During aging treatment, the Cu-Sn IMC layer was rapidly formed by consuming the both low-melting point Sn layers. The IMC formation by the reaction between Cu and Sn is very important because it affects the thermal, electrical and mechanical reliability for electronic packaging technologies. After isothermal aging treatments at $150^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ for various times, the thicknesses of Sn, Cu, and Cu-Sn IMC layers in the composite preform were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM, INSPECT F, FEI, USA) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) and focused ion beam (FIB, NOVA-600, FEI, USA).

The effects of Ni(P) layer thickness (5 μm and 0.7 μm) on the microstructural behavior and electrical reliability of electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) (substrate-side) surface-finished printed circuit boards (PCBs) with Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) solder joints under current stressing of 9000 A/cm2 have been investigated. An organic solderability preservative (OSP) surface finish was applied on the chip-side. (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 and Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layers were formed on the chip-side (the interface between SAC305 and the OSP surface finish) and substrate-side (the interface between the ENEPIG surface finish and SAC305) solder joints after reflow. The thicknesses of the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 and Cu6Sn5 IMC layers of the chip- and substrate-side of the normal- and thin-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints increased with increasing current stressing time, regardless of the nickel phosphorous (Ni(P)) layer thickness. The total IMC thicknesses of normal-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints were relatively thinner than those of thin-ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joints under current stressing for 50–120 h. This is the reason why only a P-rich Ni layer was formed at the interface between SAC305 solder and the Cu pad in the thin-ENEPIG/SAC305 solder joints under current stressing. Otherwise, the P-rich Ni and Ni(P) layers remained at the interface of the normal-ENEPIG/SAC305 solder joint under current stressing. The Ni(P) layer of the ENEPIG surface finish played an important diffusion barrier role by suppressing IMC growth and movement toward the SAC305 solder under current stressing. In the electrical evaluation, the time to failure at the normal-ENEPIG solder joint was relatively longer (approximately 2.2 times) than that of the thin-ENEPIG solder joint. Therefore, the relatively thick Ni(P) layer contained in the ENEPIG/SAC305/OSP solder joint is expected to attain higher electrical reliability under the electromigration test.

A comparative study of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) and Au–20Sn solders as die-attach materials for high-temperature power electronic applications was performed. The solid-state interfacial reactions of SAC305 and Au–20Sn solders with a Ni-plated Si chip and a direct-bonded-copper substrate, as well as the growth of interfacial intermetallic compound layers and interfacial stability, were investigated and compared during aging at 150 and 200 °C for up to 2000 h. The SAC305 solder exhibited a higher interfacial intermetallic compound growth rate and a higher consumption rate of the Ni layer than the Au–20Sn solder. The Au–20Sn solder had a superior interfacial stability for high-temperature power electronic applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Automotive today has been transforming to an electronic product by adopting a lot of convenience and safety features, suggesting that joining materials and their mechanical reliabilities are getting more important. In this study, a Sn-Cu-Cr-Ca solder composition having a high melting temperature (>230℃) was fabricated and its joint properties and reliability was investigated with an aim to evaluate the suitability as a joining material for electronics of engine room. Furthermore, mechanical properties change under complex environment were compared with several existing solder compositions. As a result of contact angle measurement, favorable spreadability of 84% was shown and the average shear strength manufactured with corresponding composition solder paste was 1.9kg/mm 2 . Also, thermo-mechanical reliability by thermal shock and vibration test was compared with that of the representative high temperature solder materials such as Sn-3.5Ag, Sn-0.7Cu, and Sn-5.0Sb. In order to fabricate the test module, solder balls were made in joints with ENIG-finished BGA and then the BGA chip was reflowed on the OPS-finished PCB pattern. During the environmental tests, resistance change was continuously monitored and the joint strength was examined after tests. Sn-3.5Ag alloy exhibited the biggest degradation rate in resistance and shear stress and Sn-0.7Cu resulted in a relatively stable reliability against thermo-mechanical stress coming from thermal shock and vibration.

Cu paste has been considered as a promising substitute for Ag paste for high-temperature-endurable chip-bonding applications, particularly for power electronics packaging, because it is cheaper than Ag. However, the primary disadvantage of using Cu paste is its possible oxidation during the handling and bonding process. In this context, to overcome the oxidation problem of the Cu sinter paste and to exploit the advantages of transient liquid-phase sintering (TLPS) bonding technology, we prepare Sn-coated Cu micro paste in this study, and we evaluate its feasibility as a die-attach material for power electronics packaging. We first prepare various Sn-coated Cu powders under various plating conditions, and we successfully perform TLPS bonding with Sn-coated Cu paste at a relatively low bonding temperature and a short bonding time. During the TLPS bonding, Sn is completely consumed, and the resulting bonded joint is composed of the Cu–Sn intermetallic compounds and remnant Cu particles. The TLPS-bonded joints exhibit relatively high shear strength values of ~40 MPa, and all fractures mainly occur at the chip-side interfaces irrespective of the Cu particle size. We believe that our findings can contribute to the use of Sn-coated Cu paste as an alternative bonding technology for power electronics applications.

We analyzed the effects of phosphorous (P) in a palladium (Pd) layer on the interfacial reactions and mechanical properties of Sn–58Bi solder with thin electroless-nickel electroless-palladium immersion gold (ENEPIG) joints (pure Pd and Pd(P) joints) after a high-temperature storage test. Flake-type (Pd,Au)Sn4 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) mainly formed in the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints. After being aged at 85–115 °C for 300 h, top- and bottom-side (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs formed at the interface between the (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMC and partially destroyed P-rich Ni layer of the pure Pd joints. In contrast, a Ni3Sn4 IMC formed at the interface between the (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMC and P-rich Ni layer of the Pd(P) joints after most aging temperatures and durations. This is because the reaction rate of the Pd(P) joint was lower than that of the pure Pd joints. The unreacted Ni layer remained at the Pd(P) joints after aging. In a high-speed shear test, the shear strength of the pure Pd joints rapidly decreased after being aged at 115 °C for 100 h. In contrast, the shear strength of the Pd(P) joints slightly decreased after being aged at 115 °C for 1000 h. The shear strengths of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints were quite different under same aging conditions because of the different diffusion rates and IMC compositions of the pure Pd and Pd(P) joints. Fracture surfaces of the pure Pd joints after being aged at 115 °C were observed on the Cu substrate, but those of the Pd(P) joints were on the Ni3Sn4 IMC surface. Therefore, the Sn–58Bi solder with a Pd(P) layer in thin-ENEPIG is expected to be more reliable than that with pure Pd joints under aging treatment.

This paper presents the interfacial reaction and growth rate of Cu-Sn intermetallic compounds (IMCs) for various aging times in a composite preform for a die-attach material at high temperature. The feasibility of the composite preform we fabricated for power electronic applications to reduce the long bonding time of transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding was evaluated in this work. After the plating process, the composite preform was composed of Sn layers at both sides of the Cu core layer and the Cu layer. In terms of the aging treatment, the IMC layer was formed rapidly at the Cu-Sn interface in the composite preform by consuming the Sn layers, and the reduction and growth rates of Cu and Cu3Sn were calculated, respectively. We performed the TLP bonding process at 270 °C using various aged composite preforms. The Cu-Sn IMC was formed rapidly on both sides adjacent to the Cu core layer. The thickness of Cu decreased as the aging time elapsed. Therefore, the amount of Cu3Sn adjacent to the Cu core layer increased and the amount of Cu6Sn5 rapidly increased, simultaneously. We investigated the thicknesses and variations of the phase of the joint in the composite preform during the aging treatment process and sequential TLP bonding process for various times. We fabricated pre-annealed Sn/Cu/Sn preforms and performed fast Cu-Sn TLP bonding for high temperature power electronic applications.

Herein, we investigated the interfacial reactions of crystalline Pd (pure Pd) and amorphous Pd (Pd(P)) layers in thin electroless-Ni electroless-Pd immersion-Au (thin-ENEPIG) surface-finished printed circuit board with Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder joints reflowed at 260 °C for 10–180 s. After 20 s reflow, a thick (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMC was formed at the interface of the pure Pd joint, while thick AuSn4 and thin (Pd,Au)Sn4 IMCs were formed at the interface of the Pd(P) joint. After 30 s reflow, needle-type (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC was mainly formed at the top-side interface of the pure Pd joint, while scallop-type (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC was formed at the top-side interface of Pd(P) joints. Finally, the top-side (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC of the pure Pd and the top- and bottom-side (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs of the Pd(P) joints coarsened with increasing reflow time up to 180 s. In the results of top-view SEM micrographs, the (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs on the Pd(P) joint were larger than those on the pure Pd joint for reflow times of 30–180 s. Therefore, P in the Pd layer was concluded to significantly affect the interfacial reactions and IMC morphology of the SAC 305 solder with ENEPIG joints during reflow reactions.

In this study, the feasibility of low-cost Cu-sintering technology for power electronics packaging and the effect of sintering conditions on the bonding strength of the Cu-sintered joint have been evaluated. A Cu paste with nano-sized Cu powders and a metal content of ~78% as a high-temperature bonding material was fabricated. The sinter-bonding reactions and mechanical strengths of Cu-sintered joints were evaluated at different sinter bonding pressures, temperatures, and durations during the sintering process. The shear strength of the Cu-sintered joints increased with increasing sintering pressure. Good interfacial uniformity and stable metallurgical microstructures were observed in the Cu joints sintered at a high sintering pressure of 10 MPa, irrespective of the sintering time. It was confirmed that a high-pressure-assisted sintering process could create relatively dense sintered layers and good interfacial uniformity in the Cu-sintered joints, regardless of the sintering temperatures being in the range of 225&ndash, 300 &deg, C. The influence of the sinter bonding pressure on the shear strengths of the Cu-sintered joints was more significant compared to that of the sintering temperature. Durations of 10 min (at 300 &deg, C) and 60 min (at 225 and 250 &deg, C) are sufficient for complete sintering reactions between the Si chip and the direct bond copper (DBC) substrate. Relatively good metallic bonding and dense sintered microstructures created by a high sintering pressure of 10 MPa resulted in high shear strength in excess of 40 MPa of the Cu-sintered joints.

The exemption of Pb-bearing automobile electronics in the End of Life Vehicle (ELV) directive has recently expired, bring an urgent need to find Pb-free alloys that can maintain good performance under high-temperature and vibration conditions for automobile application. In this study, a new lead-free solder, Sn-0.7Cu-0.2Cr (wt.%) alloy, was developed. To evaluate the thermomechanical reliability of the new solder alloy in automobile electronics, a thermal shock test was performed. The results show that the presence of Cr in solder inhibits the growth of interfacial Cu3Sn layer and the formation of Kirkendall voids, which effectively improves the joint reliability under intense thermal shock condition compared with the commercial SAC305 and SC07 solders. Specifically, the shear strength of the Sn-0.7Cu-0.2Cr/Cu solder joints was higher by 23% and 44% than that of SAC305 and SC07 solder joints after 2000 cycles of thermal shock at 1 m/s shear speed.

Interfacial reactions and joint mechanical reliability of a representative low melting temperature Sn–58 wt%Bi solder with three different surface finishes were evaluated during a reflow process. The surface materials consisted of organic solderability preservative (OSP), electroless nickel–immersion gold (ENIG), and electroless nickel–electroless palladium–immersion gold (ENEPIG). The relationships between the interfacial reaction, surface finish, shear speed, and shear force were elucidated in this study. The interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) on the ENEPIG substrate were sequentially changed during reflowing at 180 °C in the following order: (Pd,Ni)Sn4, (Pd,Ni)Sn4 + Ni3Sn4, and Ni3Sn4. Compared to the Cu6Sn5 IMC on the OSP-finished Cu substrate, the Ni3Sn4 IMCs on the ENIG and ENEPIG substrates were much thinner. The IMCs of each of the different surface finishes grew as the reflow time increased; however, the morphologies of the IMCs were different each other. Layer-type interfacial IMCs created a stable metallurgical interfacial structure during the reflow reaction, resulting in reduced rates of IMC growth and Ni–P consumption. High-speed shear tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of interfacial reactions on the mechanical properties of three Sn–58Bi solder joints. In spite of the different interfacial reactions and IMC formations, there were no large differences among shear forces in the three Sn–58Bi solder joints. Further, the type of surface finish material did not significantly affect the shear force of the Sn–58Bi solder joints under high-speed shear loading.

In this study, we investigated the phenomena of electrochemical migration (ECM) on a silicon (Si) substrate with directly printed Ag pattern using the screen-printing method. The microstructures and electrical characteristics of the directly printed Ag patterns under different sintering conditions were estimated. In addition, the ECM characteristics of the directly patterned Ag circuits on Si substrates were evaluated according to the sintering conditions. Clusters were formed by interparticle necking during the sintering process; the cluster size in the patterns increased as the sintering temperature and time increased. Granular Ag films, which were sintered at high temperatures and for long time periods of time, had excellent electrical characteristics as a result of the formation of interparticle necking of sufficient size. Also, the directly printed Ag patterns exposed to higher sintering temperatures and longer sintering times had higher resistances to ECM than those exposed to lower sintering temperatures and shorter sintering times.

In this study, electrodes on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) and rigid printed circuit board (RPCB) were bonded by a thermo-compression bonding. Pb-free Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder was used as an interlayer. In order to determine the optimum bonding conditions for bonding pressure and time, a 90° peel test of the FPCB–RPCB joint was conducted. The relationships between the bonding conditions, interfacial reactions, and peel strength were investigated. The optimum bonding pressure and time were 2.04 MPa and 5 s at 260 °C, respectively. Thin and uniform (Ni,Cu) 3 Sn 4 intermetallic compound (IMC) layers formed at both FPCB/Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu/RPCB interfaces. In a high temperature storage (HTS) test of 125 °C, the peel strength decreased as the aging time increased. After the HTS test, brittle interfaces formed in the PCB joints, resulting in the switching of the failure mode from a polyimide–electrode failure to a brittle IMC failure.

We examined the effect of surface treatment using atmospheric pressure plasma on the patternability of screen-printed Ag nanopaste in an attempt to fabricate the ideal patterned shape. We also evaluated the electrical property of conductive circuit according to the kinds and degree of treatments. In hydrophobic treatment, the contact angle was up to 108.94°. In hydrophilic treatment, the contact angle was around 20. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic treatments affected the characteristics of the printed Ag pattern. With the hydrophobic treatment, the thickness of the patterns increased as the treatment time increased but decreased with the hydrophilic treatment. For the electrical property, excessive surface treatment of either treatment increased the insertion losses as compared with a sputtered pattern on a non-treated surface. We confirmed that electrical property and patternability in direct printed conductive circuits could be improved by properly controlled APP treatment.

In this study, we investigated the phenomena of electrochemical migration (ECM) on a silicon (Si) substrate with directly printed Ag paste with epoxy binder (7wt.%) using a screen-printing method. The microstructure and electrical characteristics of the directly printed Ag patterns under different sintering conditions were estimated. In addition, the ECM characteristics of the directly patterned Ag circuits on Si substrates were evaluated according to the sintering conditions. The ECM characteristics of the Ag paste with epoxy binder were compared with the ECM characteristics of Ag paste without epoxy binder. Clusters were formed by interparticle necking during the sintering process; the cluster size in the patterns increased as the sintering temperature and time increased. Granular Ag films, which were sintered at high temperatures and for long time periods of time, had excellent electrical characteristics as a result of the formation of interparticle necking of sufficient size. The directly printed Ag patterns that were exposed to higher sintering temperatures and longer sintering times had higher resistances to ECM than those that were exposed to lower sintering temperatures and shorter sintering times. Also, the directly printed Ag pattern with epoxy binder had a higher resistance to ECM phenomenon than the pattern without epoxy binder.

To replace conventional Al heavy wire bonding in interconnecting power devices, we have explored the use of Cu heavy wire bonding, which offers superior electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties compared to Al wires that leads to better interconnection reliability. Chip pad metallizations that are strong enough to support Cu wires firmly against chip pads and endure high bonding parameters were first evaluated by 3D finite element modeling (FEM) of the Cu heavy wire bonding process. The FEM results indicated that an electroless plated Ni layer may be used as the primary candidate for the pad metallization of Cu heavy wire bonding because it enables the reinforcement of standard Al pads in power devices and allows for metallurgical interaction with Cu wires. Further, the deposition of the Ni layer entailed a simple protocol. The three major bonding parameters including force, ultrasonic energy, and time were optimized to achieve successful wire bonding of 300-μm-thick Cu wires to pads strengthened with Ni layers in power devices. Microstructures and compositions of the bonded interface were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, which provided insight into the bonding characteristics between the Cu wires and the Ni pads. Reliability tests of the bonding were also carried out by the thermal shock test and pressure cooker test.

Recently, the eco-friendly vehicles such as Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) have been spotlighted. EV has power semiconductors which generate a lot of heat. So, the power semiconductors have to guarantee reliability because it is driven at high temperature. Furthermore, it was able to be driven at a higher temperature by developing the semiconductor devices such as SiC and GaN. Thus, power electronics packaging requires die-attach methods which have reliability and are suitable at high temperature. Vehicles also require long life-time to use 5 to10 years. Therefore, in this study, Transient Liquid Phase (TLP) bonding technology was studied as high temperature die-attach method. TLP bonding technology is suitable at high temperature but require reliability verification. For this reason, we performed the TLP bonding process to evaluate the possibility of the method for high power applications. We compared Cu-Sn to Ni-Sn TLP bonded joints in this study. We first evaluated the interfacial reaction and transformation of solder (Sn) to intermetallic compound (IMC) phase according to different bonding conditions. IMC phases in the TLP bonded joints were observed by SEM. In addition, the distribution and transformation of IMC phases were analysed by EDS element mapping method.

The shear force and failure behaviors of the Sn-58Bi epoxy solder joints with various surface finishes under the high-speed shear test were investigated. The relationships between the shear speed, shear force, and fracture mode are elucidated in this study. The shear force of the Sn-58Bi solder joints increased with increasing shear speed, mainly due to the high strain-rate sensitivity of the solder alloys. Brittle interfacial fractures were more easily achieved at higher shear speed in the high-speed shear test. This result was discussed in terms of the relationship between the strain-rate of the solder alloy, the work-hardening effect, and the resulting stress concentration in the interfacial regions. The fracture mode changed from ductile solder fracture to brittle interfacial fracture with increasing shear speed. On the other hand, the different surface finish materials did not affect the shear force and fracture mode of the Sn-58Bi solder joints under high-speed shear loading.

We investigated the feasibility of a printing technology for Ag circuit formation on a FR4 substrate. A conductive paste containing Ag nanoparticles (73 wt%) of 20-50 nm diameter was screen printed on an FR4 substrate and sintered under a sintering temperature ranging from 100 degrees C to 200 degrees C for 30 min. We carried out the thermal analysis of the Ag nanopaste to confirm the suitability of the set-up conditions. To investigate the sintering degree with various temperatures, fractured cross-sections were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). For electrical characterization of the printed Ag circuit, a four-point probe method was used to measure the direct current (DC) resistivity, while a network analyzer and Cascade's probe system in the frequency range from 10 MHz to 20 GHz were used to measure the scattering parameters (S-parameter) of the sintered Ag conducting patterns. The resistivity under the application of a DC signal decreased as the temperature increased. The measured S-parameters indicated that the electrical losses decreased as the sintering temperature increased due to the interparticle neck formation after heat treatment at high temperatures.

The performance of surface finishes as a function of the pH of the utilized plating solution was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization tests in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. In addition, the surface finishes were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), and the contact angle of the liquid/solid interface was recorded. NiP films on copper substrates with gold coatings exhibited their highest coating performance at pH 5. This was attributed to the films having the highest protective efficiency and charge transfer resistance, lowest porosity value, and highest contact angle among those examined as a result of the strongly preferred Au(111) orientation and the improved surface wettability.

The adhesion strength of a Cu/Ni-Cr/polyimide flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL), was evaluated according to the thickness of the Ni-Cr (Ni:Cr=95:5 ratio) seed layer using the 90^o peel test. The changes in the morphology, chemical bonding and adhesion properties were characterized by SEM, AFM and XPS. The peel strength of the FCCL increased with increasing thickness of the Ni-Cr seed layer, due to the increase in the ion bombardment caused by the higher power used in the Ni-Cr sputtering process. This increase in the FCCL peel strength was attributed to the lower proportion of C-N bonds and higher proportion of C-O bonds in the polyimide surface. The adhesion strength between the metal and polyimide was mostly attributed to the chemical interaction between the metal layer and the functional groups of the polyimide.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the current density on the interfacial reaction and mechanical reliability of an electroless Ni/immersion Au (ENIG) substrate with Sn-3.5Ag solder. We first evaluated the interfacial reactions of the solder joint under aging for up to 800h and current stressing with current densities of 3x10^2A/cm^2 and 5x10^3A/cm^2. Also, we successfully revealed the correlation between the interfacial reaction behavior and mechanical reliability under current stressing. With increasing aging time, the thickness of the Ni"3Sn"4 layer increased. At both low and high current densities, the thickness of the Ni"3Sn"4 layer increased up to 400h and decreased thereafter at the cathode, while that of the IMC increased up to 800h at the anode. After the die shear test, the ductile fracture was observed in the as-reflowed joint without current stressing. The fracture mode changed from ductile fracture to brittle fracture when thermal aging and current flow were simultaneously applied. The combination of the current stressing and isothermal aging at high temperature significantly deteriorated the mechanical reliability of the solder joint.

In this study, the effect of a Ni-Cr seed layer on the adhesion strength of flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) was evaluated after thermal treatment. The changes in the chemical composition, morphology and adhesion property were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and 90^o peel test. The peel strength of the FCCLs was significantly affected by the thermal treatment and the FCCL with a higher peel strength had a higher thermal stability than that with a lower peel strength. The roughness of the fracture surface for the FCCLs decreased with increasing thermal treatment temperature and holding time. The thermal treatment of the FCCL increased the ratio of the C-N bonds and reduced that of the C-O and carbonyl (C?O) bonds in the polyimide.

The hygrothermal and mechanical reliability of board-level packages with various underfills under sequential temperature and humidity (TH) testing and drop testing were investigated. Board-level packages with underfill had greater resistance to drop shock than that without underfill, indicating that underfill protects the package from failure by absorption of the applied drop shock. The underfill, which was composed of polypropylene glycol epoxy resin and silane, exhibited good reliability for drop shock because of the improved adhesion of the underfill compared with that without the polypropylene glycol epoxy resin and silane. In addition, the drop reliability of board-level packages with underfill decreased with increasing TH test duration. Adhesion between the substrate and underfill or between the solder and underfill was decreased by moisture absorption. Components positioned at the board center were more susceptible to failure by drop shock than were corner components.

The research efforts on GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) keep increasing due to their significant impact on the illumination industry. Surface mount technology (SMT) is widely used to mount the LED packages for practical application. In surface mount soldering both the device body and leads are intentionally heated by a reflow process. We studied on the effects of multiple reflows on microstructural variation and joint strength of the solder joints between the LED package and the substrate. In this study, Pb-free Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder and a finished pad with organic solderability preservatives (OSP) were employed. A Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was formed during the multiple reflows, and the thickness of the IMC layerincreased with an increasing number of reflows. The shear force decreased after three reflows. From the observation of the fracture surface after a shear test, partially brittle fractures were observed after five reflows. (Received May 20, 2010)

In this study, we investigated the phenomenon of electrochemical migration (ECM) on a silicon (Si) substrate with a silver pattern directly printed using the screen-printing method. The microstructure and electrical characteristics of the directly printed Ag pattern under different sintering conditions were examined. In addition, the ECM characteristics of a directly patterned Ag circuit on a Si substrate were evaluated and compared with those of an immersion Ag circuit. Clusters were formed by interparticle necking during the sintering process; the cluster size in the patterns increased with increasing sintering temperature. The granular Ag films sintered at high temperatures had excellent electrical characteristics as a result of the formation of interparticle necking with sufficient size, despite the presence of porosity and large voids. The directly printed Ag pattern had lower resistance to ECM than the immersion Ag electrode.

The adhesion strength of a Cu/Ni-Cr/polyimide flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL), which was manufactured via a roll-to-roll process, was evaluated according to the thickness of the Ni-Cr seed layer using a 90° peel test. The changes in the morphology, chemical bonding, and adhesion properties were characterized using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an atomic force microscopy (AFM), and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The thickness of the Ni-Cr (Ni:Cr = 80:20) seed layer in which the maximum peel strength of the FCCL was observed was 200A. The higher FCCL peel strength was attributed to the lower proportion of C-N bonds and higher proportion of C-O and carbonyl (C = O) bonds in the polyimide surface compared with the FCCL with a lower adhesion strength. The FCCL with a higher peel strength had a fractured polyimide surface with a higher surface roughness. The adhesion strength between the metal and polyimide was pirmarily attributed to the chemical interaction between the metal layer and the functional groups of the polyimide.

In this study, the effect of various seed layers (95Ni–5Cr, 80Ni–20Cr and Cr) on the adhesion strength of flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL), which was manufactured by the roll-to-roll process, was evaluated after heat treatment. The changes in the morphology, chemical bonding, and adhesion properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a 90° peel test. The results showed that both the peel strength and thermal resistance of the FCCL increased as the Cr ratio of the seed layer increased. The roughness of the fracture surface decreased as the heat treatment temperature and holding time increased. The heat treatment of the FCCL increased the proportion of C–N bonds and reduced that of the C–O and carbonyl (C=O) bonds in the polyimide. The chemical function and roughness of the fracture surface were affected by the composition and ratio of the seed layer. Therefore, the adhesion strength between the metal and polyimide was mostly attributed to the chemical interaction between the metal layer and the functional groups of the polyimide.

We investigated the effect of adding cerium (Ce) to low Ag content Sn–1.0wt.%Ag solder on the interfacial reactions between the Sn–1.0Ag solder and Cu substrate. The formation and growth of interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) between the Sn–1.0Ag–0.3Ce solder and Cu substrate were studied and the results were compared to those obtained for the Ce-free Sn–1.0Ag/Cu and most promising Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu/Cu systems. The addition of Ce to the Sn–Ag solder significantly reduced the growth of the interfacial Cu–Sn IMCs, retarded the interfacial reactions between the solder and the substrate, and prevented the IMC from spalling from the interface. The Sn–1.0Ag–0.3Ce solder alloy had a good interfacial stability with the Cu substrate during solid-state isothermal aging in the viewpoint of IMC growth.

We investigated the effects of adding small amounts of cerium (Ce) to low Ag content Sn solder (Sn–1.0 wt.%Ag) on melting temperature, microstructure, wettability and mechanical properties using differential scanning calorimeter, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, wetting balance tester, Vickers hardness tester and tensile tester assays. The addition of Ce had little influence on the melting behavior of Sn–1.0Ag solder, but improved its wettability, mechanical properties, and microstructure.

In this study, the effect of two laminating parameters, laminating pressure and holding time, on the adhesion strength of flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) with an epoxy-type adhesive layer was evaluated. The changes in the adhesion property, fracture surface, morphology, and chemical bonding state were characterized by 90° peel test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the adhesion strength of the FCCL was decreased as the laminating pressure was increased beyond the suitable level. Laminating pressure exerted the greatest influence over the FCCL adhesion strength. On the other hand, the holding time did not significantly affect the peel strength of the FCCL. The fracture of FCCL occurred at the interface between the rolled Cu and the adhesive layer. In addition, the FCCL with high adhesion strength was stable with the variation of adhesion strength after temperature and humidity test.