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Volume 11
Issue 8
10.3390/coatings11080935
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Article

Effect of Electromigration and Thermal Ageing on the Tin Whiskers’ Formation in Thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Lead (Pb)-Free Solder Joints

by
Noor Zaimah Mohd Mokhtar
1,2,
Mohd Arif Anuar Mohd Salleh
1,2,*,
Andrei Victor Sandu
1,3,4,5,
Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli
1,6,
Jitrin Chaiprapa
7,
Petrica Vizureanu
1,3,* and
Mohd Izrul Izwan Ramli
1,2
1
Centre of Excellence Geopolymer & Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau 02600, Perlis, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau 02600, Perlis, Malaysia
3
Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, D. Mangeron 41, 700050 Iasi, Romania
4
Romanian Inventors Forum, St. P. Movila 3, 700089 Iasi, Romania
5
National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, Splaiul Independenței 294, 060031 București, Romania
6
Faculty of Electronic Engineering Technology (FETech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Padang Besar 02100, Perlis, Malaysia
7
Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI), Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Coatings 2021, 11(8), 935; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11080935
Submission received: 30 June 2021 / Revised: 20 July 2021 / Accepted: 30 July 2021 / Published: 4 August 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Treatment of Metals)
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Abstract

The investigation on tin (Sn) whiskers formation has been widely applied in the field of lead-free electronic packaging. This is due to the fact that use of the Sn–Pb finishes has converted to Pb-free finishes in the electronic industry. Sn whiskers can grow long enough to cause a short circuit, which affects electronic devices’ reliability. This study investigates Sn whiskers’ formation in the thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Pb-free solder under the influence of electromigration and thermal ageing for surface finish applications. The samples were stored in ambient conditions for 1000 h before being exposed to electromigration and thermal ageing to study the corresponding whiskers’ growth. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to study the Sn whiskers’ microstructure, while an optical microscope (OM) was utilized to investigate the IMC layers in the samples. The results show that the addition of 0.05 wt.% gallium (Ga) decreased the Sn whisker’s length and growth density while simultaneously refining the IMC layers. Synchrotron micro-XRF (µ-XRF) shows the existence and distribution of Ga addition in both electromigration and thermal ageing samples. The shear test was used to determine the solder alloys’ mechanical properties. As a result, the addition of Ga to the Sn–0.7Cu solder improved the fracture morphology of solder joints. In conclusion, Ga’s addition resulted in decreasing Sn whisker formation and refining of the IMCs while also increasing the shear strength of the Sn–0.7Cu solder by ~14%.
Keywords: gallium; tin whiskers; intermetallic compound; thermal ageing; electromigration; synchrotron micro-XRF gallium; tin whiskers; intermetallic compound; thermal ageing; electromigration; synchrotron micro-XRF

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mokhtar, N.Z.M.; Salleh, M.A.A.M.; Sandu, A.V.; Ramli, M.M.; Chaiprapa, J.; Vizureanu, P.; Ramli, M.I.I. Effect of Electromigration and Thermal Ageing on the Tin Whiskers’ Formation in Thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Lead (Pb)-Free Solder Joints. Coatings 2021, 11, 935. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11080935

AMA Style

Mokhtar NZM, Salleh MAAM, Sandu AV, Ramli MM, Chaiprapa J, Vizureanu P, Ramli MII. Effect of Electromigration and Thermal Ageing on the Tin Whiskers’ Formation in Thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Lead (Pb)-Free Solder Joints. Coatings. 2021; 11(8):935. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11080935

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mokhtar, Noor Zaimah Mohd, Mohd Arif Anuar Mohd Salleh, Andrei Victor Sandu, Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli, Jitrin Chaiprapa, Petrica Vizureanu, and Mohd Izrul Izwan Ramli. 2021. "Effect of Electromigration and Thermal Ageing on the Tin Whiskers’ Formation in Thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Lead (Pb)-Free Solder Joints" Coatings 11, no. 8: 935. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11080935

APA Style

Mokhtar, N. Z. M., Salleh, M. A. A. M., Sandu, A. V., Ramli, M. M., Chaiprapa, J., Vizureanu, P., & Ramli, M. I. I. (2021). Effect of Electromigration and Thermal Ageing on the Tin Whiskers’ Formation in Thin Sn–0.7Cu–0.05Ga Lead (Pb)-Free Solder Joints. Coatings, 11(8), 935. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11080935

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