Investigation of hygrothermally induced failures in multilayer ceramic capacitors during thermal reflow process

Apalowo, R.K.; Abas, Aizat; Bachok, Zuraihana; Sharif, Mohamad Fikri Mohd; Ani, F. Che; Ramli, Mohamad Riduwan; Mukhtar, Muhammad

doi:10.1016/j.microrel.2023.115028

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The constant advancements in the electronic industry have resulted in light and small-sized electronic devices with greater functionality. The improved designs require more intricate components that are highly integrated, producing greater heat during electrical connections (Apalowo et al , 2023). This subjects the electronic packages to a greater susceptibility to thermal fatigue failure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical investigation of thermal fatigue crack growth behavior in SAC305 BGA solder joints

Apalowo,

Abas,

Muhamed Mukhtar

et al. 2024

SSMT

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the reliability issues of microvoid cracks in solder joint packages exposed to thermal cycling fatigue. Design/methodology/approach The specimens are subjected to JEDEC preconditioning level 1 (85 °C/85%RH/168 h) with five times reflow at 270°C. This is followed by thermal cycling from 0°C to 100°C, per IPC-7351B standards. The specimens' cross-sections are inspected for crack growth and propagation under backscattered scanning electronic microscopy. The decoupled thermomechanical simulation technique is applied to investigate the thermal fatigue behavior. The impacts of crack length on the stress and fatigue behavior of the package are investigated. Findings Cracks are initiated from the ball grid array corner of the solder joint, propagating through the transverse section of the solder ball. The crack growth increases continuously up to 0.25-mm crack length, then slows down afterward. The J-integral and stress intensity factor (SIF) values at the crack tip decrease with increased crack length. Before 0.15-mm crack length, J-integral and SIF reduce slightly with crack length and are comparatively higher, resulting in a rapid increase in crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD). Beyond 0.25-mm crack length, the values significantly decline, that there is not much possibility of crack growth, resulting in a negligible change in CMOD value. This explains the crack growth arrest obtained after 0.25-mm crack length. Practical implications This work's contribution is expected to reduce the additional manufacturing cost and lead time incurred in investigating reliability issues in solder joints. Originality/value The work investigates crack propagation mechanisms of microvoid cracks in solder joints exposed to moisture and thermal fatigue, which is still limited in the literature. The parametric variation of the crack length on stress and fatigue characteristics of solder joints, which has never been conducted, is also studied.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical investigation of thermal fatigue crack growth behavior in SAC305 BGA solder joints

Apalowo,

Abas,

Muhamed Mukhtar

et al. 2024

SSMT

Self Cite

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“…Despite the notable contributions in the literature on fracture mechanics of electronic packages, a few research studies (Ahmar and Wiese, 2017; Ng et al , 2022; Bachok et al , 2023; Jin Kim et al , 2007; Tao et al , 2017; Apalowo et al , 2023) exist on the experimental study of thermally reflowed ceramic capacitors. Furthermore, a limited number of works (Ng et al , 2022; Bachok et al , 2023; Apalowo et al , 2023) considered the fracture growth phenomenon during thermal reflow of soft-termination MLCCs. Also, only one (Apalowo et al , 2023) of the limited studies subjected the soft-termination MLCC to multiple (accelerated) thermal reflow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, a limited number of works (Ng et al , 2022; Bachok et al , 2023; Apalowo et al , 2023) considered the fracture growth phenomenon during thermal reflow of soft-termination MLCCs. Also, only one (Apalowo et al , 2023) of the limited studies subjected the soft-termination MLCC to multiple (accelerated) thermal reflow. Considering the significant impact of subjecting the MLCC to an accelerated thermal reflow on its thermal reliability (IPC/JEDEC, 2023), the current work investigates fracture deformation and delamination cracks in soft-termination MLCC when subjected to an accelerated thermal reflow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Considering the significant impact of subjecting the MLCC to an accelerated thermal reflow on its thermal reliability (IPC/JEDEC, 2023), the current work investigates fracture deformation and delamination cracks in soft-termination MLCC when subjected to an accelerated thermal reflow. The current work also examines the growth mechanism of the interfacial crack; this was not considered in the previous works (Ng et al , 2022; Bachok et al , 2023; Apalowo et al , 2023) on the subject matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Deformation and crack growth in multilayered ceramic capacitor during thermal reflow process: numerical and experimental investigation

Apalowo,

Abas,

Bachok

et al. 2024

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the possible defects and their root causes in a soft-termination multilayered ceramic capacitor (MLCC) when subjected to a thermal reflow process. Design/methodology/approach Specimens of the capacitor assembly were subjected to JEDEC level 1 preconditioning (85 °C/85%RH/168 h) with 5× reflow at 270°C peak temperature. Then, they were inspected using a 2 µm scanning electron microscope to investigate the evidence of defects. The reliability test was also numerically simulated and analyzed using the extended finite element method implemented in ABAQUS. Findings Excellent agreements were observed between the SEM inspections and the simulation results. The findings showed evidence of discontinuities along the Cu and the Cu-epoxy layers and interfacial delamination crack at the Cu/Cu-epoxy interface. The possible root causes are thermal mismatch between the Cu and Cu-epoxy layers, moisture contamination and weak Cu/Cu-epoxy interface. The maximum crack length observed in the experimentally reflowed capacitor was measured as 75 µm, a 2.59% difference compared to the numerical prediction of 77.2 µm. Practical implications This work's contribution is expected to reduce the additional manufacturing cost and lead time in investigating reliability issues in MLCCs. Originality/value Despite the significant number of works on the reliability assessment of surface mount capacitors, work on crack growth in soft-termination MLCC is limited. Also, the combined experimental and numerical investigation of reflow-induced reliability issues in soft-termination MLCC is limited. These cited gaps are the novelties of this study.

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“…The recent advancements in the electronic industries, including integrating small-sized intricate electronic components for greater electronic functionality, have resulted in increased heat generation and inherent thermal fatigue, leading to reliability concerns (Apalowo et al , 2023). A pertinent source of reliability concern in integrated packaging is the solder joints between the package's components (Chicot et al , 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal fatigue life prediction and intermetallic compound behaviour of SAC305 BGA solder joints subject to accelerated thermal cycling test

Apalowo,

Abas,

Che Ani

et al. 2024

SSMT

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the thermal fracture mechanism of moisture-preconditioned SAC305 ball grid array (BGA) solder joints subjected to multiple reflow and thermal cycling. Design/methodology/approach The BGA package samples are subjected to JEDEC Level 1 accelerated moisture treatment (85 °C/85%RH/168 h) with five times reflow at 270 °C. This is followed by multiple thermal cycling from 0 °C to 100 °C for 40 min per cycle, per IPC-7351B standards. For fracture investigation, the cross-sections of the samples are examined and analysed using the dye-and-pry technique and backscattered scanning electron microscopy. The packages' microstructures are characterized using an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy approach. Also, the package assembly is investigated using the Darveaux numerical simulation method. Findings The study found that critical strain density is exhibited at the component pad/solder interface of the solder joint located at the most distant point from the axes of symmetry of the package assembly. The fracture mechanism is a crack fracture formed at the solder's exterior edges and grows across the joint's transverse section. It was established that Au content in the formed intermetallic compound greatly impacts fracture growth in the solder joint interface, with a composition above 5 Wt.% Au regarded as an unsafe level for reliability. The elongation of the crack is aided by the brittle nature of the Au-Sn interface through which the crack propagates. It is inferred that refining the solder matrix elemental compound can strengthen and improve the reliability of solder joints. Practical implications Inspection lead time and additional manufacturing expenses spent on investigating reliability issues in BGA solder joints can be reduced using the study's findings on understanding the solder joint fracture mechanism. Originality/value Limited studies exist on the thermal fracture mechanism of moisture-preconditioned BGA solder joints exposed to both multiple reflow and thermal cycling. This study applied both numerical and experimental techniques to examine the reliability issue.

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Investigation of hygrothermally induced failures in multilayer ceramic capacitors during thermal reflow process

Cited by 7 publications

References 20 publications

Numerical investigation of thermal fatigue crack growth behavior in SAC305 BGA solder joints

Numerical investigation of thermal fatigue crack growth behavior in SAC305 BGA solder joints

Deformation and crack growth in multilayered ceramic capacitor during thermal reflow process: numerical and experimental investigation

Thermal fatigue life prediction and intermetallic compound behaviour of SAC305 BGA solder joints subject to accelerated thermal cycling test

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