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The formation of fine Sn grains in a Sn-1.2 mass%Ag-0.5 mass%Cu-0.05 mass%Ni solder due to thermal strain was investigated from the viewpoint of recrystallization. After thermal fatigue, small general grains recrystallized at the strain concentrated location in Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni. Through isothermal annealing, however, grains, which had near h110i orientation at a chip-substrate direction before isothermal annealing, coarsened preferentially. Hence, not isothermal annealing but thermal strain was a driving force for recrystallization. Both grain growth after recrystallization and coarsening of recrystallized grains in Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni were slower than those in Sn-1.2 mass%Ag-0.5 mass%Cu, which suppressed crack initiation and increased fatigue life of Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni.

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The mechanical shear fatigue test has been performed to study the effect of silver content on the fatigue properties of Sn-xAg-0.5Cu (x ϭ 1, 2, 3, and 4) for flip-chip interconnections. The strength of the solder alloy increases with increasing silver content, preventing shear plastic deformation of the solder bump. The flip-chip joints made using higher silver content solder, such as 3%Ag and 4%Ag, exhibit longer fatigue life for all conditions. The fatigue ductility of the solder decreases with an increase in the silver content. The fatigue endurance of 1%Ag solder is superior to other solders over the plastic strain range of 3%, even though the strength of the solder is the lowest in the solders tested. Based on this study, the 3Ag solder may exhibit good fatigue performance for all conditions, and the 1Ag solder is optimum for severe strain conditions.

The thermal fatigue properties of Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu (in mass%) flip chip interconnect were improved by a small amount of nickel addition. The thermal fatigue resistance of Sn-xAg-0.5Cu flip chip interconnects was enhanced by addition of 0.05 mass%Ni, and Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni had longer thermal fatigue life than Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu. Cracks developed near solder/chip interface for all the bumps tested. This crack propagation is mainly governed by the nature of the solders themselves because a strain concentrated area was similar for all the tested alloys independent of the chemical contents. From the microstructural observation, fracture in Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni due to thermal strain was a mixed mode, both transgranular and intergranular. From SEM and TEM analyses, fine Ag 3 Sn and (Cu,Ni) 6 Sn 5 formed network around Sn grains in the initial microstructure of Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni solder. Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni solder joint suppressed coarsening of Sn grains even after thermal fatigue test. Namely, thermal fatigue properties of the Sn-1.2Ag-0.5Cu-0.05Ni solder joint is correlated to its microstructure, and the joint had longer fatigue life in spite of its lower silver content of 1.2 mass% due to both fine Sn matrix in the initial state and suppression of Sn grain coarsening even after thermal fatigue test.