SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of In Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Sn-0.7Cu-0.8Zn/Cu Solder Joints

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

Abstract

The effect of In addition on the microstructures, hardness, melting characteristics, wettability, thickness of intermetallic compounds (IMC), and shear strength of Sn-0.7Cu-0.8Zn Pb-free solder joints has been investigated. The results showed that the melting point and hardness of the solder decreased and increased, respectively, as the In content increased, and that the spreading area first increased and then decreased with increasing In content. The microstructure of the Sn-0.7Cu-0.8Zn solder joint was composed of β-Sn, coarse Cu6Sn5, Cu-Zn, and Cu6Sn5/Sn eutectic phases. Although the type of microstructure in the solder joint was not changed by the addition of In, the microstructure was refined. The shear strength of the welded joint increased as the In content increased, which is related to the combined effect of microstructure refinement, second-phase strengthening, and solution strengthening. The Sn-0.7Cu-0.8Zn solder with the addition of 3.5 wt.% In exhibited the best comprehensive properties.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H.R. Kotadia, P.D. Howes, and S.H. Mannan, A review: on the development of low melting temperature Pb-free solders. Microelectron. Reliab. 54, 1253–1273 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. H.K. Kim, H.K. Liou, and K.N. Tu, Morphology of instability of the wetting tips of eutectic SnBi, eutectic SnPb, and pure Sn on Cu. J. Mater. Res. 10, 497–504 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. F. Wang, D. Li, S. Tian, Z. Zhang, J. Wang, and C. Yan, Interfacial behaviors of Sn-Pb, Sn-Ag-Cu Pb-free and mixed Sn-Ag-Cu/Sn-Pb solder joints during electromigration. Microelectron. Reliab. 73, 106–115 (2017).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. O.R. Adetunji, R.A. Ashimolowo, P.O. Aiyedun, O.M. Adesusi, O.R.O. Hezekiah, O. Adeyemi, and B. Tensile, hardness and microstructural properties of Sn-Pb solder alloys. Mater. Today: Proc. 44, 321–325 (2021).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. K. Kanlayasiri and N. Mookam, Influence of Cu content on microstructure, grain orientation and mechanical properties of Sn-xCu lead-free solders. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China. 32, 1226–1241 (2022).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. V.P. Sharma and N.V. Datla, Effect of aging time and loading rate on fracture behavior of Cu/Sn-0.7Cu solder joints. Microelectron. Reliab. 127, 114381 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Y. Peng, C. Li, K. **ao, J. Yang, C. Pu, P. Gao, S. Guo, J. Zhang, and J. Yi, Effects of Ga alloying on microstructure and comprehensive performances of Sn–9Zn–2Bi alloys for the microelectronics industry. Microelectron. Reliab. 135, 114599 (2022).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. G. Ren and M.N. Collins, On the mechanism of Sn tunnelling induced intermetallic formation between Sn-8Zn-3Bi solder alloys and Cu substrates. J. Alloy. Compd. 791, 559–566 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. H. Wang, X. Hu, X. Jiang, and Y. Li, Interfacial reaction and shear strength of ultrasonically-assisted Sn-Ag-Cu solder joint using composite flux. J. Manuf. Process. 62, 291–301 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. P. Sivakumar, K.O. Donnell, and J. Cho, Effects of bismuth and nickel on the microstructure evolution of Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC)-based solders. Mater. Today Commun. 26, 101787 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. K.D. Min, K. Jung, C. Lee, B. Hwang, and S. Jung, Enhancement of electrochemical and thermal bonding reliability by forming a Cu3Sn intermetallic compound using Cu and Sn58Bi. J. Alloy. Compd. 857, 157595 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. R. Song, C.J. Fleshman, Y. Wang, S. Tsai, and J. Duh, IMC suppression and phase stabilization of Cu/Sn-Bi/Cu microbump via Zn do**. Mater. Lett. 282, 128735 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Y. Liu and K.N. Tu, Low melting point solders based on Sn, Bi, and In elements. Mater. Today Adv. 8, 100115 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. H. Wang, J. Fang, Z. Xu, and X. Zhang, Improvement of Ga and Zn alloyed Sn-0.7Cu solder alloys and joints. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 26, 3589–3595 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. F. Wang, X. Ma, and Y. Qian, Improvement of microstructure and interface structure of eutectic Sn-0.7Cu solder with small amount of Zn addition. Scr. Mater. 53, 699–702 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Y. Gao, J. Hui, X. Sun, F. Zhao, J. Zhao, C. Cheng, Z. Luo, and L. Wang, Role of zinc on shear property evolution between Sn-0.7Cu solder and joints. Proced. Eng. 16, 807–811 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. G. Zeng, S.D. McDonald, Q. Gu, Y. Terada, K. Uesugi, H. Yasuda, and K. Nogita, The influence of Ni and Zn additions on microstructure and phase transformations in Sn-0.7Cu/Cu solder joints. Acta Mater. 83, 357–371 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. S.K. Kang, D. Leonard, D. Shih, L. Gignac, D.W. Henderson, S. Cho, and J. Yu, Interfacial reactions of Sn-Ag-Cu solders modified by minor Zn alloying addition. J. Electron. Mater. 35, 479–485 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. M.G. Cho, S.K. Kang, D. Shih, and H.M. Lee, Effects of minor additions of Zn on interfacial reactions of Sn-Ag-Cu and Sn-Cu solders with various Cu substrates during thermal aging. J. Electron. Mater. 36, 1501–1509 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. J. Liu, G. Zhang, Z.-H. Wang, J. Ma, and K. Suganuma, Thermal property, wettability and interfacial characterization of novel Sn-Zn-Bi-In alloys as low-temperature lead-free solders. Mater. Des. 84, 331–339 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. K. Kanlayasiri and R.H. Kongchayasukawat, Property alterations of Sn-0.6Cu-0.05Ni-Ge lead-free solder by Ag, Bi, In and Sb addition. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. 28, 1166–1175 (2018).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. S. Tian, S. Li, J. Zhou, and F. Xue, Thermodynamic characteristics, microstructure and mechanical properties of Sn-07Cu-xIn lead-free solder alloy. J. Alloy. Compd. 742, 835–843 (2018).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. K. Moon, W.J. Boettinger, U.R. Kattner, C.A. Handwerker, and D. Lee, The effect of Pb contamination on the solidification behavior of Sn-Bi solders. J. Electron. Mater. 30, 45–52 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. C.H. Yeh, L.S. Chang, and B. Straumal, Study on the solidus line in Sn-rich region of Sn-In phase diagram. J. Phase Equilib. Diff. 30, 254–257 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. S.W. Yoon, J.R. Soh, H.M. Lee, and B. Lee, thermodynamics-aided alloy design and evaluation of Pb-free solder Sn-Bi-In-Zn system. Acta Mater. 45, 951–960 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. J. Song and Z. Wu, Variable eutectic temperature caused by inhomogeneous solute distribution in Sn-Zn system. Scr. Mater. 54, 1479–1483 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. H.R. Ma, C. Dong, M. Shang, M.M. Hussain, Y.P. Wang, X.G. Li, H.T. Ma, and J. Chen, Temperature-induced effect and control of Cu3Sn on the rotation of orientation-preferred Cu6Sn5 crystals at Sn-3.0Ag/(001)Cu interface. Mater. Charact. 171, 110830 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. L. Yang, Y. Zhang, J. Dai, Y. **g, J. Ge, and N. Zhang, Microstructure, Interfacial IMC and mechanical properties of Sn-0.7Cu-xAl (x = 0–0.075) lead-free solder alloy. Mater. Des. 67, 209–216 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. X.X. Tu, D.D. Yi, and J. Wu, Influence of Ce addition on Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder joints: thermal behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties. J. Alloy. Compd. 698, 317–328 (2017).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Key Laboratory for Microstructural Control of Metallic Materials of Jiangxi Province (NO. EJ202003430) and Nanchang Hangkong University PhD Start-up Fund (NO. EA202003425).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Forming and Joining Technology for Aerospace Components, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, China

    Wenbin Tu, Shanlin Wang, Yuhua Chen, Like He, Chenggang Yang & Liming Ke

Authors
  1. Wenbin Tu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shanlin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuhua Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Like He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chenggang Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Liming Ke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shanlin Wang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tu, W., Wang, S., Chen, Y. et al. Effect of In Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Sn-0.7Cu-0.8Zn/Cu Solder Joints. J. Electron. Mater. 52, 4775–4784 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-023-10371-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-023-10371-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation