Investigation of moisture diffusion in electronic packages by molecular dynamics simulation

Abstract

Moisture-related failure is one of the main concerns in the integrated circuit (IC) package design. To minimize such failure in multi-layered electronic assemblies and packages, it is important to develop a better understanding of the reliability at a molecular level. In this paper, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to investigate the respective moisture diffusion into the epoxy molding compound (EMC) and at the EMC/Cu interface. Moisture diffusion coefficients into the bulk EMC material and at the EMC/Cu interface can be derived from the mean-squared displacements calculated from MD simulations. The MD results showed that the seepage along the EMC/Cu interface is more prevalent when compared to moisture diffusion into the bulk EMC and, thus, rendering it a dominant mechanism causing moisture induced interfacial delamination in plastic packages.

Basic thermo-mechanical property estimation of a 3D-crosslinked epoxy/SiO2 interface using molecular modelling

“…These diffusional jumps lead over some time to a random walk of the molecules through the epoxy matrix. For Fickian diffusion in the limit of large times, the diffusion coefficient D can be obtained directly from the mean square displacement [17,18]:…”

A corrosion study of Ag–Al intermetallic compounds in chlorine-containing epoxy molding compounds

“…IMC region in the presence of moisture and chlorine. At high humidity ambient, water vapor can penetrate into EMC and react with hydrolyzable chloride in EMC to produce Cl − ions [24,25]. Water and Cl − ions can diffuse and reach the Ag/Al interface and initiate the IMC corrosion.…”

Lifetime modelling for microsystems integration: from nano to systems

“…7). As there are no standards, one might as well be inventive: Some interesting approaches are on the way (Schlottig et al 2009;Shirangi et al 2009a, b;Ernst et al 2008). Especially for interface test specimens preparation is of extreme importance.…”