Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of 0.5 wt% nano-TiO2 addition into low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu solder on the intermetallic growth with Cu substrate during isothermal aging

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The interfacial evolution of nano-TiO2 reinforced low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu composite solder on Cu substrate was investigated during 100 and 175 °C isothermal aging for up to 7 days. The thickness of interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) layers was quantitatively evaluated from SEM micrographs using imaging software. It was found that the mean thickness of interfacial Cu–Sn IMC layers increased linearly with the square root of the aging time. This relationship indicates that the growth of the IMC layer is a diffusion-controlled process. Kinetics analysis shows that the apparent activation energies for the growth of Cu–Sn IMC layers were 40.25 kJ/mol for low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu solder and 50.85 kJ/mol for low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu composite solder. The reduced diffusion coefficient was proved for the low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu composite solder/Cu joints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. I. Anderson, Development of Sn–Ag–Cu and Sn–Ag–Cu–X alloys for Pb-free electronic solder applications. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 18, 55–76 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. W.P. Liu, N.C. Lee, The effects of additives to SnAgCu alloys on microstructure and drop impact reliability of solder joints. JOM, 59, 26–31 (2007)

  3. L M. Lee, A.A. Mohamad, Interfacial reaction of Sn–Ag–Cu lead-free solder alloy on Cu: a review. Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2013, 1–11 (2013)

  4. D.W. Henderson, T. Gosselin, A. Sarkhel, S.K. Kang, W.K. Choi, D.Y. Shih, C. Goldsmith, K.J. Puttlitz, Ag3Sn plate formation in the solidification of near ternary eutectic Sn–Ag–Cu alloys. J. Mater. Res. 17, 2775–2778 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. S.Y. Chang, C.C. Jain, T.H. Chuang, L.P. Feng, L.C. Tsao, Effect of addition of TiO2 nanoparticles on the microstructure, microhardness and interfacial reactions of Sn3.5AgXCu Solder. Mater. Des. 32, 4720–4727 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Görlich, D. Baither, G. Schmitz, Reaction kinetics of Ni/Sn soldering reaction. Acta Mater. 58, 3187–3197 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. R.W. Wu, L.C. Tsao, S.Y. Chang, C.C. Jain, R.S. Chen, Interfacial reactions between liquid Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu solders and Ag Substrates. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 22, 1181–1187 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Bertheau, F. Hodaj, N. Hotellier, J. Charbonnier, Effect of intermetallic compound thickness on shear strength of 25 μm diameter Cu-pillars. Intermetallics 51, 37–47 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. L.C. Tsao, S.Y. Chuang, Effects of nano-TiO2 additions on thermal analysis, microstructure and tensile properties of Sn3.5Ag0.25Cu solder. Mater. Des. 31, 990–993 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. L.C. Tsao, S.Y. Chang, C.I. Lee, W.H. Sun, C.H. Huang, Effects of nano-Al2O3 additions on microstructure development and hardness of Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu solder. Mater. Des. 31, 4831–4835 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Tang, G.Y. Li, Y.C. Pan, Effects of TiO2 nanoparticles addition on microstructure, microhardness and tensile properties of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu–xTiO2 composite solder. Mater. Des. 55, 574–582 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. A. Fawzy, S.A. Fayek, M. Sobhy, E. Nassr, M.M. Mousa, G. Saad, Tensile creep characteristics of Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu (SAC355) solder reinforced with nano-metric ZnO particles. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 603, 1–10 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A.K. Gain, Y.C. Chan, Growth mechanism of intermetallic compounds and damping properties of Sn–Ag–Cu–1 wt% nano-ZrO2 composite solders. Microelectron. Rel. 54, 945–955 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. L.C. Tsao, C.W. Chen, Corrosion characterization of Cu–Sn intermetallics in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Corros. Sci. 63, 393–398 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. L.C. Tsao, Evolution of nano-Ag3Sn particle formation on Cu–Sn intermetallic compounds of Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu composite solder/Cu during soldering. J. Alloys Compd. 509, 2326–2333 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. L.C. Tsao, Suppressing effect of 0.5 wt% nano-TiO2 addition into Sn–3.5Ag–0.5Cu solder alloy on the intermetallic growth with Cu substrate during isothermal aging. J. Alloys Compd. 509, 8441–8448 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. A.A. El-Daly, G.S. Al-Ganainy, A. Fawzy, M.J. Younis, Structural characterization and creep resistance of nano-silicon carbide reinforced Sn–1.0Ag–0.5Cu lead-free solder alloy. Mater. Des. 55, 837–845 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. X.Y. Liu, M.L. Huang, Y.H. Zhao, C.M.L. Wu, L. Wan, The adsorption of Ag3Sn nano-particles on Cu–Sn intermetallic compounds of Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu/Cu during soldering. J. Alloys Comp 492, 433–438 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. A. Sharif, Y.C. Chan, Effect of Indium addition in Sn-rich solder on the dissolution of Cu metallization. J. Alloys Compd. 390, 67–73 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. S. Choi, J.P. Lucas, K.N. Subramanian, T.R. Bieler, Formation and growth of interfacial intermetallic layers in eutectic Sn–Ag solder and its composite solder joints. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 11, 497–502 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. S. Choi, T.R. Bieler, J.P. Lucas, K.N. Subramanian, Characterization of the growth of intermetallic interfacial layers of Sn–Ag and Sn–Pb eutectic solders and their composite solders on Cu substrate during isothermal long-term aging. J. Electron. Mater. 28, 1209–1215 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. D.R. Flanders, E.G. Jacobs, R.F. Pinizzotto, Activation energies of intermetallic growth of Sn–Ag eutectic solder on copper substrates. J. Electron. Mater. 26, 883–887 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. J.W. Yoon, S.B. Jung, Effect of isothermal aging on intermetallic compound layer growth at the interface between Sn–3.5Ag–0.75Cu solder and Cu substrate. J. Mater. Sci. 39, 4211–4217 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. S.Y. Chang, L.C. Tsao, M.W. Wu, C.W. Chen, The morphology and kinetic evolution of intermetallic compounds at Sn–Ag–Cu solder/Cu and Sn–Ag–Cu-0.5Al2O3 composite solder/Cu interface during soldering reaction. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 23, 100–107 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. L.C. Tsao, C.P. Chu, S.F. Peng, Study of interfacial reactions between Sn3.5Ag0.5Cu composite alloys and Cu substrate. Microelectron. Eng. 88, 2964–2969 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. R.J.K. Wassink, Soldering in Electronics (Electrochemical Publications Ltd., Ayr, 1989), pp. 149–159

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support of this work by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under Project No. NSC 97-2218-E-020-004. SEM was performed by the Precision Instrument Center of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan

    R. W. Wu & R. S. Chen

  2. Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, 91201, Pingtung, Taiwan

    L. C. Tsao

Authors
  1. R. W. Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. C. Tsao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. S. Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. C. Tsao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, R.W., Tsao, L.C. & Chen, R.S. Effect of 0.5 wt% nano-TiO2 addition into low-Ag Sn0.3Ag0.7Cu solder on the intermetallic growth with Cu substrate during isothermal aging. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 26, 1858–1865 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2621-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2621-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation