The effect of electric current on the tin whisker growth on Sn stripes was studied. The Sn stripes, 1 μm in thickness, were patterned on silicon wafers. The design of the Sn stripes allowed the simultaneous study of the effect of current crowding and current density. Current stressing was performed in ovens set at 30, 50, or 70°C, and the current density used ranged from 4.5 × 104 A/cm2 to 3.6 × 105 A/cm2. It was found that the stress induced by the electric current caused the formation of many Sn whiskers. A higher current density caused more Sn whiskers to form. Of the three temperatures studied, 50°C was the most favorable one for the formation of the Sn whiskers. In addition, the current-crowding effect also influenced whisker growth.
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Lin, Y.W., Lai, YS., Lin, Y.L. et al. Tin Whisker Growth Induced by High Electron Current Density. J. Electron. Mater. 37, 17–22 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-007-0219-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-007-0219-0