Abstract
Reduction in microelectronic interconnect size gives rise to solder bumps consisting of few grains, approaching a single- or bicrystal grain morphology in C4 bumps. Single grain anisotropy, individual grain orientation, presence of easy diffusion paths along grain boundaries, and the increased current density in these small solder bumps aggravate electromigration. This reduces the reliability of the entire microelectronic system. This paper focuses on electromigration behavior in Pb-free solder, specifically the Sn-0.7 wt.%Cu alloy. We discuss the effects of texture, grain orientation, and grain boundary misorientation angle on electromigration (EM) and intermetallic compound formation in EM-tested C4 bumps. The detailed electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis used in this study reveals the greater influence of grain boundary misorientation on solder bump electromigration compared with the effect associated with individual grain orientation.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to recognize Intel Corporation’s support for this research and their dedication to higher education. Special thanks go to Ron Witt from EBSD Analytical for his assistance with our EBSD analysis. We acknowledge the use of facilities within the Center for Solid State Science at Arizona State University. Ms. Leticia Lara is grateful to her academic advisor Prof. Amaneh Tasooji, and to her industry mentor Dr. Kyuoh Lee for their dedicated support and guidance during her studies at ASU.
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Tasooji, A., Lara, L. & Lee, K. Effect of Grain Boundary Misorientation on Electromigration in Lead-Free Solder Joints. J. Electron. Mater. 43, 4386–4394 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3321-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3321-0