Is Stress the Root of Tin Whisker Growth? Brown University professor and other experts to present research at 7th International Tin Whiskers Symposium

Tin whisker growth is difficult to prevent but researchers at Brown University believe they have identified the root cause of tin whiskers which are blamed for product defects in every electronics market sector. Eric Chason, Ph.D., professor of engineering at Brown University, will present his tin whisker research at the 7th International Tin Whiskers Symposium, November 12–13 in Costa Mesa, Calif., hosted by IPC with academic partner CALCE.

“We’re convinced it’s got to be stress from the intermetallics that causes tin whiskers to form,” says Chason. His presentation, “Real Time Study of Whiskers/Hillock Formation in Sn-Cu Systems During Thermal Cycling,” will provide information on the systematic experiments conducted to confirm it.

The symposium will begin with a keynote presentation on space industry requirements, “Space: The Intolerant Final Frontier,” by John Kowalchik, vice president of Mission Success, Lockheed Martin. Other featured presentations include: “Tin Whisker Risk Mitigation at a Large Defense OEM — Past Present and Future,” by  David Pinsky, Ph.D., Raytheon; “Conformal Coating Materials & Applications: State of the Industry Assessment,” by Dave Hillman, Rockwell Collins; and “Corrosion Induced Tin Whiskers – Influence of Tin Plating,” by Pierre Eckold, M.Sc., Robert BOSCH GmbH.

The 7th International Tin Whiskers Symposium precedes the IPC Conference on Solder and Reliability, which runs from noon November 13 through November 14. These back-to-back events will provide an ideal setting for a comprehensive update on reliability issues, with access to people who are experts in their fields. 

Complete agenda and registration information for the 7th International Tin Whiskers Symposium can be found at www.ipc.org/tin-whiskers.

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 3,300 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.