Abstract
Sn whisker growth behavior, over periods of time up to 10,080 h at room temperature, was examined for Sn and Sn-Cu, Sn-Ag, Sn-Bi, and Sn-Pb coatings electroplated on copper in 2 μm and 5 μm thicknesses to understand the effects of the alloying elements on whisker formation. Sn-Ag and Sn-Bi coatings were found to significantly suppress Sn whisker formation compared with the pure Sn coatings, whereas whisker growth was enhanced by Sn-Cu coatings. In addition, annealed Sn and Sn-Pb coatings were found to suppress Sn whisker formation, as is well known. Compared with the 2-μm-thick coatings, the 5-μm-thick coatings had high whisker resistance, except for the Sn-Cu coating. Whisker growth was correlated with coating crystal texture and its stability during storage, crystal grain microstructure, and the formation of intermetallic compounds at Sn grain boundaries and substrate–coating interfaces.
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Baated, A., Hamasaki, K., Kim, S.S. et al. Whisker Growth Behavior of Sn and Sn Alloy Lead-Free Finishes. J. Electron. Mater. 40, 2278–2289 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-011-1712-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-011-1712-z