The Influence of Sn Orientation on Intermetallic Compound Evolution in Idealized Sn-Ag-Cu 305 Interconnects: an Electron Backscatter Diffraction Study of Electromigration

Previous research showed the relationship between Sn grain orientation and the intermetallic growth rate in Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC)305 interconnects. Samples with the Sn c-axis aligned parallel to the current flow have an intermetallic compound growth rate significantly faster than samples with the c-axis perpendicular to the current flow. This study continues the previous research by investigating intermetallic growth in polygranular joints and in joints that have a thin Ni layer at the cathodic or anodic interface of the interconnect. Planar SAC305 interconnects were sandwiched between two Cu pads (sometimes incorporating a thin Ni layer at the interface) and subjected to uniaxial current. The crystallographic orientation of Sn in these samples was characterized with electron backscatter diffraction before and after electromigration testing. The results show that polycrystalline joints have relatively slow intermetallic growth rates, close to those found in single-crystal joints with the c-axis perpendicular to the current. When a Ni layer was present on the anode side, the intermetallic grew at a rate comparable to that in samples without a Ni layer. However, when the Ni layer was on the cathode side, the intermetallic growth was significantly retarded. The measured growth rates of the intermetallic, combined with literature values for the diffusion of Cu in Sn, were used to calculate values for the effective charge, z*, which is significantly smaller for samples with current parallel to the c-axis than for either polycrystalline samples or samples with the c-axis perpendicular to the electron flow.