In this study, we investigated the phenomenon of thermomigration in 96.5Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu flip chip solder joints at an ambient temperature of 150 °C. We observed mass protrusion on the chip side (hot end), indicating that Sn atoms moved to the hot end, and void formation on the substrate side (cold end). The diffusion markers also moved to the substrate side, in the same direction of the vacancy flux, indicating that the latter played a dominant role during the thermomigration process. The molar heat of transport (Q*) of the Sn atoms was 3.38 kJ/mol.
Owing to the line-to-bump configuration in flip chip solder joints, current crowding occurs when electrons enter into or exit from the solder bump. At the cathode contact, where electrons enter into the bump, current crowding induced pancake-type void formation has now been observed widely. At the anode contact, where electrons exit from the bump, we report here that whisker is formed. Results of both eutectic SnPb and SnAgCu solder joints are presented and compared. The cross-sectioned surface in SnPb showed dimple and bulge after electromigration, while that of SnAgCu remained flat. The difference is due to a larger back stress in the SnAgCu, consequently, electromigration in SnAgCu is slower than that in SnPb. Nanoindentation markers were used to measure the combined atomic fluxes of back stress and electromigration.
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