Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Sn grain orientation and strain distribution in 20-μm-diameter microbumps on crack formation under thermal cycling tests

  • Published:
Electronic Materials Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The thermo-mechanical properties of microbumps serving as interconnects between Si chips in three-dimensional integrated circuits were examined in this study. Arrays of SnAg microbumps were subjected to temperature cycling tests up to 2500 cycles. Extensive cracks formed in the microbumps, and some of them propagated across the entire microbump. A microstructural analysis by electron back scattering diffraction indicated that the cracks propagated along two paths: Sn grain boundaries with high misorientation angles and SnAg/Ni3Sn4 interfaces. The average Sn grain size was only 7.4 μm, implying a large proportion of grain boundaries per unit volume, which facilitated crack propagation across the microbump of 20 μm in diameter.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. K. N. Tu, Solder Joint Technology, Springer, New York, USA (2007).

    Google Scholar 

  2. D. A. Shnawah, M. F. M. Sabri, and I. A. Badruddin, Microelectron. Reliab. 52, 90 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. S. Terashima, Y. Kariya, T. Hosoi, and M. Tannaka, J. Electron. Mater. 32, 1527 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Y. Kariya, T. Hosoi, S. Terashima, M. Tanaka, and M. Otsuka, J. Electron. Mater. 33, 321 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D. R. Frear, J. W. Jang, J. K. Lin, and C. Zhang, JOM 53, 28 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. X. Liu, Q. Chen, V. Sundaram, M. Simmons-Matthews, K. P. Wachtler, R. R. Tummala, and S. K. Sitaraman, Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), 2011 IEEE 61st, p. 1190, IEEE, Lake Buena Vista, USA (2011).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Cheng, Y. Tsai, S. Lu, and W. Chen, IEEE Trans. Compon. Packag. Manuf. Technol. 3, 2037 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. T. R. Bieler, H. Jiang, L. P. Lehman, T. Kirkpatrick, and E. J. Cotts, IEEE Trans. Compon. Packag. Technol. 31, 370 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. J. G. Lee, A. Telang, K. N. Subramanian, and T. R. Bieler, J. Electron. Mater. 31, 1152 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Y. Shen and C. Chen, Scr. Mater. 128, 6 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. J. Sylvestre and A. Blander, J. Electron. Mater. 37, 1618 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. C. Lee, K. Kao, R. Cheng, C. Zhan, and T. Chang, Microelectron. Eng. 120, 138 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. S. Lu, J. Juang, H. Cheng, Y. Tsai, T. Chen, and W. Chen, IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Rel. 12, 296 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. M. A. Matin, E. W. C. Coenen, W. P. Vellinga, and M. G. D. Geers, Scr. Mater. 53, 927 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. C. Zhan, C. Chuang, J. Juang, S. Lu, and T. Chang, Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), 2010 Proceedings 60th, p. 1043, IEEE, Las Vegas, USA (2010).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Abtew and G. Selvaduray, Mat. Sci. Eng. R. 27, 95 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30010, Taiwan

    Yi-Cheng Chu & Chih Chen

  2. Engineering Center Material Engineer Division, Siliconware Precision Industries Co. Ltd., Taichung, Taiwan, 427, Taiwan

    Nicholas Kao & Don Son Jiang

Authors
  1. Yi-Cheng Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chih Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nicholas Kao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Don Son Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chih Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chu, YC., Chen, C., Kao, N. et al. Effect of Sn grain orientation and strain distribution in 20-μm-diameter microbumps on crack formation under thermal cycling tests. Electron. Mater. Lett. 13, 457–462 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13391-017-7041-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13391-017-7041-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation