Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of current densities on creep behaviors of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder joint

  • Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Creep and electromigration (EM) have been two reliability concerns in microelectronic devices for a long time. The related failure mechanisms have been widely investigated and comprehended individually. However, there is a lack of attention with regard to the interaction(s) between current density and creep, the coupling effect of which is more analogous to the real service conditions of lead-free solder joint. In this study, a series of experiments were carried out on the simple shear lap joint to investigate the effects of current density magnitude on the creep behavior of solder joints. The results indicated that dislocation creep was the main failure mechanism for low current density sample. For high current density sample, the failure mechanism was mainly dominated by copper atom migrating process which led the joint experience a higher risk of brittle fracture failure.

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
FIG. 8
FIG. 9
FIG. 10
FIG. 11
FIG. 12
FIG. 13
FIG. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. K.O. Lee, J.W. Morris, and F. Hua: Mechanisms of creep deformation in pure Sn solder joints. J. Electron. Mater. 42(3), 516 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. C. Chen and S.W. Liang: Electromigration issues in lead-free solder joints. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 18(1–3), 259 (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  3. A. Lee, C.E. Ho, and K.N. Subramanian: Electromigration induced microstructure and morphological changes in eutectic SnPb solder joints. J. Mater. Res. 22(11), 3265 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. K. Lee, K-S. Kim, Y. Tsukada, K. Suganuma, K. Yamanaka, S. Kuritani, and M. Ueshima: Effects of the crystallographic orientation of Sn on the electromigration of Cu/Sn–Ag–Cu/Cu ball joints. J. Mater. Res. 26(03), 467 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Wang, K.H. Lu, V. Gupta, L. Stiborek, D. Shirley, S-H. Chae, J. Im, and P.S. Ho: Effects of Sn grain structure on the electromigration of Sn–Ag solder joints. J. Mater. Res. 27(08), 1131 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. F. Su, R. Mao, X. Wang, G. Wang, and H. Pan: Creep behaviour of Sn–3.8Ag–0.7Cu under the effect of electromigration: Experiments and modelling. Microelectron. Reliab. 51(5), 1020 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Pharr, K. Zhao, Z. Suo, F-Y. Ouyang, and P. Liu: Concurrent electromigration and creep in lead-free solder. J. Appl. Phys. 110(8), 083716 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. C. Kinney, T-K. Lee, K-C. Liu, and J.W. Morris: The interaction between an imposed current and the creep of idealized Sn-Ag-Cu solder interconnects. J. Electron. Mater. 38(12), 2585 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. C. Kinney, J.W. Morris, T.K. Lee, K.C. Liu, J. Xue, and D. Towne: The influence of an imposed current on the creep of Sn-Ag-Cu solder. J. Electron. Mater. 38(2), 221 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. J. Cadek: Creep in Metallic Materials (Elsevier Science Publishing Company, New York, NY, 1988), pp. 221–224.

    Google Scholar 

  11. G. Cuddalorepatta, M. Williams, and A. Dasgupta: Viscoplastic creep response and microstructure of as-fabricated microscale Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder interconnects. J. Electron. Mater. 39(10), 2292 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. J.H. Ke, H.Y. Chuang, W.L. Shih, and C.R. Kao: Mechanism for serrated cathode dissolution in Cu/Sn/Cu interconnect under electron current stressing. Acta Mater. 60(5), 2082 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. J.W. Nah, F. Ren, K.W. Paik, and K.N. Tu: Effect of electromigration on mechanical shear behavior of flip chip solder joints. J. Mater. Res. 21(3), 698 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. F. Ren, J-W. Nah, K.N. Tu, B. Xiong, L. Xu, and J.H.L. Pang: Electromigration induced ductile-to-brittle transition in lead-free solder joints. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89(14), 141914 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. C. Kinney, J.W. Morris, T-K. Lee, K-C. Liu, J. Xue, and D. Towne: The influence of an imposed current on the creep of Sn-Ag-Cu solder. J. Electron. Mater. 38(2), 221 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. G.F. Zhao and F.Q. Yang: Effect of DC current on tensile creep of pure tin. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 591, 97 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. H.Y. Liu, Q.S. Zhu, Z.G. Wang, and J.K. Shang: Stress relaxation behavior of Cu/Sn/Cu micro-connect after electrical current. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 528(3), 1467 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. S.S. Shao, F.Q. Yang, and F.Z. Xuan: Effect of electromigration on diffusional creep in polycrystalline materials. Int. J. Appl. Electrom. 40(2), 165 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  19. L. Ma, Y. Zuo, S. Liu, F. Guo, and X. Wang: The failure models of Sn-based solder joints under coupling effects of electromigration and thermal cycling. J. Appl. Phys. 113(4), 044904 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. M. Lu, D-Y. Shih, P. Lauro, and C. Goldsmith: Blech effect in Pb-free flip chip solder joint. Appl. Phys. Lett. 94(1), 011912 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. A.T. Wu, A.M. Gusak, K.N. Tu, and C.R. Kao: Electromigration-induced grain rotation in anisotropic conducting beta tin. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(24), 241902 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors acknowledge the support of this work from Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (2122004) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (51301007).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China

    Limin Ma, Yong Zuo, Fu Guo & Yutian Shu

Authors
  1. Limin Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yong Zuo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fu Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yutian Shu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fu Guo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ma, L., Zuo, Y., Guo, F. et al. Effects of current densities on creep behaviors of Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder joint. Journal of Materials Research 29, 2738–2747 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2014.307

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2014.307

Search

Navigation