Abstract
Gold wires of different chemistry (denoted as Types A and B) are ballbonded on identical metallization and isothermally aged at 175°C. In both wire types the same intermetallic compounds Au4Al and Au8Al3 grow with parabolic time dependence as long as there is a supply of Al from the bondpad. After Al is completely reacted, composition of intermetallics in Type A wire remains unchanged but in Type B wire, the Au8Al3 compound undergoes a phase transformation into a second layer of Au Al. The phase transformation does not affect mechanical reliability of the ballbonds. Intermetallic growth kinetics, growth sequence and the possible origins of the phase transformation are discussed.
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Dr. Christopher Breach is a consultant at ProMat Consultants based in Singapore. He was formerly Director of R&D for Kulicke & Soffa bonding wire in Singapore. He was also a research scientist for Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology researching inkjet/microjet process applications and materials development in flexible and macro-electronics and providing expertise in a wide range of physical and chemical characterization techniques. He holds a PhD in physics & physical chemistry of materials (sponsored by the Defence Research Agency) from Brunel University, London. His postdoctoral research was sponsored by ICI at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge on the relationship between interdiffusion in polymers (reptation) and the physics of bi-material fracture. He is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Physicist, Professional Member of the Institute of Physics, member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Materials Research Society (MRS).
Mr. Frank Wulff is Manager for Materials Development & Characterization at Kulicke & Soffa’s bonding wire R&D facility in Singapore and has been with K&S for 10 years. Prior to joining Kulicke & Soffa, Mr. Wulff worked in industrial failure analysis and materials characterization for CEM Research Institute (Now Fraunhofer) for 6 years. His research interests include materials design, characterization, materials processing and reliability.
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Breach, C.D., Wulff, F.W. Intermetallic growth in gold ball bonds aged at 175°C: comparison between two 4N wires of different chemistry. Gold Bull 42, 92–105 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03214919
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03214919