Technical Library | 2007-01-31 15:17:04.0
The goal of this project is to evaluate the reliability of lead-free BGA solder joints with a variety of different pad sizes using several different BGA rework methods. These methods included BGAs reworked with both flux only and solder paste attachment techniques and with or without the use of the BEST stay in place StencilQuick™. The daisy chained test boards were placed into a thermal test chamber and cycled between -25ºC to 125ºC over a 30 minute cycle with a 30 minute dwell on each end of the cycle. Each BGA on the board was wired and the continuity assessed during the 1000 cycles the test samples were in the chamber.
Technical Library | 2013-01-24 19:16:35.0
The electronics industry has mainly adopted the higher melting point Sn3Ag0.5Cu solder alloys for lead-free reflow soldering applications. For applications where temperature sensitive components and boards are used this has created a need to develop low melting point lead-free alloy solder pastes. Tin-bismuth and tin-bismuth-silver containing alloys were used to address the temperature issue with development done on Sn58Bi, Sn57.6Bi0.4Ag, Sn57Bi1Ag lead-free solder alloy pastes. Investigations included paste printing studies, reflow and wetting analysis on different substrates and board surface finishes and head-in-pillow paste performance in addition to paste-in-hole reflow tests. Voiding was also investigated on tin-bismuth and tin-bismuth-silver versus Sn3Ag0.5Cu soldered QFN/MLF/BTC components. Mechanical bond strength testing was also done comparing Sn58Bi, Sn37Pb and Sn3Ag0.5Cu soldered components. The results of the work are reported.
Technical Library | 2009-04-09 20:43:09.0
Evidence has come to light that increased solder process temperatures, specifically for lead free solder, are dramatically shortening life expectancy of components; failures do not show up during initial test, but much later on in the products life,
Technical Library | 2010-06-10 21:01:48.0
This paper researches the effectiveness of the R.O.S.E. cleanliness testing process for dissolving and measuring ionic contaminants from boards soldered with no-clean and lead-free flux technologies.
Technical Library | 2015-08-13 15:52:40.0
Pad cratering has become more prevalent with the switch to lead free solders and lead free compatible laminates. This mainly is due to the use of higher reflow temperature, stiffer Pb-free solder alloys, and the more brittle Pb-free compatible laminates. However, pad cratering is difficult to detect by monitoring electric resistance since pad cratering initiates before an electrical failure occurs. Several methods have been developed to evaluate laminate materials' resistance to pad cratering. Pad-solder level tests include ball shear, ball pull and pin pull. The detailed methods for ball shear, ball pull, and pin pull testing are documented in an industry standard IPC-9708. Bansal, et al. proposed to use acoustic emission (AE) sensors to detect pad cratering during four-point bend test. Currently there is an industry-working group working on test guidelines for acoustic emission measurement during mechanical testing.
Technical Library | 2016-09-01 16:21:11.0
Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (SAC305) is currently the most popular near eutectic lead-free alloy used in the manufacturing processes. Over the last several years, the price of silver has dramatically increased driving a desire for lower silver alloy alternatives. As a result, there is a significant increase in the number of alternative low/no silver lead-free solder alloys available in the industry recently. Our previous study showed that many alternative low silver solder paste materials had good printing and wetting performance as compared to SAC305 solder pastes. However, there is lack of information on the reliability of alternative alloy solder joints assembled using alternative low silver alloy solder pastes.In this paper, we will present the reliability study of lead-free solder joints reflowed using various lead-free alloy solder pastes after thermal cycling test (3000 cycles, 0°C to 100°C). Six different lead-free pastes were investigated. SAC305 solder joints were used as the control. Low and no silver solder pastes and a low temperature SnBiAg solder pastes were also included.
Technical Library | 2015-11-19 18:15:07.0
The move to lead free (Pb-free) electronics by the commercial industry has resulted in an increasing number of ball grid array components (BGAs) which are only available with Pb-free solder balls. The reliability of these devices is not well established when assembled using a standard tin-lead (SnPb) solder paste and reflow profile, known as a backward compatible process. Previous studies in processing mixed alloy solder joints have demonstrated the importance of using a reflow temperature high enough to achieve complete mixing of the SnPb solder paste with the Pb-free solder ball. Research has indicated that complete mixing can occur below the melting point of the Pb-free alloy and is dependent on a number of factors including solder ball composition, solder ball to solder paste ratio, and peak reflow times and temperatures. Increasing the lead content in the system enables full mixing of the solder joint with a reduced peak reflow temperature, however, previous research is conflicting regarding the effect that lead percentage has on solder joint reliability in this mixed alloy solder joint.
Technical Library | 2014-10-02 20:10:07.0
Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (SAC305) is the most popular near eutectic lead-free alloy used in the manufacturing processes. Over the last several years, the price of silver has dramatically increased driving a desire for lower silver alloy alternatives. As the results, there is a significant increase in the number of alternative low/no silver lead-free solder alloys available in the industry recently.In this paper, we'll present the performance and process capability of various low/no silver alloy solder pastes. Data from printability, wetting test, slump test, solder ball test, voiding, etc… will be discussed and compared with the control SAC305 solder paste. Benefits and concerns of using low/no silver alloy solder paste materials will also be addressed.
Technical Library | 2023-08-04 15:27:30.0
A designed experiment evaluated the influence of several variables on appearance and strength of Pb-free solder joints. Components, with leads finished with nickel-palladium-gold (NiPdAu), were used from Texas Instruments (TI) and two other integrated circuit suppliers. Pb-free solder paste used was tin-silver-copper (SnAgCu) alloy. Variables were printed wiring board (PWB) pad size/stencil aperture (the pad finish was consistent; electrolysis Ni/immersion Au), reflow atmosphere, reflow temperature, Pd thickness in the NiPdAu finish, and thermal aging. Height of solder wetting to component lead sides was measured for both ceramic plate and PWB soldering. A third response was solder joint strength; a "lead pull" test determined the maximum force needed to pull the component lead from the PWB. This paper presents a statistical analysis of the designed experiment. Reflow atmosphere and pad size/stencil aperture have the greatest contribution to the height of lead side wetting. Reflow temperature, palladium thickness, and preconditioning had very little impact on side-wetting height. For lead pull, variance in the data was relatively small and the factors tested had little impact.
Technical Library | 2021-04-08 00:34:16.0
Creep corrosion is not a new phenomenon, it has become more prevalent since the enactment of the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) Directive on 1 July 2006. The directive bans the use of lead and other hazardous substances in products (where lead-based surface finishes offered excellent corrosion resistance). The higher melting temperatures of the lead-free solders and their poor wetting of copper metallization on PCBs forced changes to PCB laminates, surface finishes and processing temperature-time profiles. As a result, printed circuit boards might have higher risk of creep corrosion.
