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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Solder bumps for chip interconnections are downsizing from current approximately 100 µm to the expected 1 µm in future. As a result, the Cu-Ni cross-interaction in Cu/Solder/Ni solder joints will be more complicated and then strongly influence the growth of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Thus, it is critical to understand the fundamental aspects of interfacial reaction in micro solder joints. This paper aims to reveal the effect mechanism of reflow temperature and solder size on the interfacial reaction in Cu/Solder/Ni solder joints.

The Cu-Ni cross-interaction in the Cu/Sn/Ni micro solder joints with 50 and 100 µm solder sizes at 250°C and 300°C were observed, respectively. The line-type interconnects were soaked in silicone oil, and the temperature of the line-type interconnects was 250 ± 3°C and 300 ± 3°C, which were monitored by a fine K-type thermocouple, and followed by an isothermal aging process at various times. After aging, the specimens were removed from the silicone oil and cooled in the air to room temperature.

The major interfacial reaction product on both interfaces was (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅, and the asymmetric growth of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅, evidenced by the thickness of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ IMCs at the Sn/Ni interface was always larger than that at the Sn/Cu interface, resulted from the directional migration of Cu atoms toward the Sn/Ni interface under Cu concentration gradient. The morphology of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ IMC at Sn/Cu interface was columnlike at 250°C, and which changed from columnlike to scallop with large aspect ratio at 300°C, while that at Sn/Ni interface gradually evolved from needlelike to the mixture of needlelike and layered at 250°C, and which evolved from needlelike to scallop with large aspect ratio at 300°C. The evolution of morphology of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ is attributed to the content of Ni. Furthermore, the results indicate that the Cu-Ni cross-interaction was stronger with small solder size and relatively low temperature in the Cu/Sn/Ni micro solder joints.

The asymmetric growth of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ in the Cu/Sn/Ni micro solder joints, evidenced by the thickness of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ IMCs at the Sn/Ni interface, was always larger than that at the Sn/Cu interface. The morphology evolution of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ IMC at both interfaces was attributed to the content of Ni. The Cu-Ni cross-interaction was stronger with small solder size and relatively low temperature in the Cu/Sn/Ni micro solder joints.

The purpose of the present work is to study the impacts of rapid cooling and Tb rare-earth additions on the structural, thermal and mechanical behavior of Bi–0.5Ag lead-free solder for high-temperature applications.

Effect of rapid solidification processing on structural, thermal and mechanical properties of Bi-Ag lead-free solder reinforced Tb rare-earth element.

The obtained results indicated that the microstructure consists of rhombohedral Bi-rich phase and Ag99.5Bi0.5 intermetallic compound (IMC). The addition of Tb could effectively reduce the onset and melting point. The elastic modulus of Tb-containing solders was enhanced to about 90% at 0.5 Tb. The higher elastic modulus may be attributed to solid solution strengthening effect, solubility extension, microstructure refinement and precipitation hardening of uniform distribution Ag99.5Bi0.5 IMC particles which can reasonably modify the microstructure, as well as inhibit the segregation and hinder the motion of dislocations.

It is recommended that the lead-free Bi-0.5Ag-0.5Tb solder be a candidate instead of common solder alloy (Sn-37Pb) for high temperature and high performance applications.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the deposition of SS–Al transitional wall using the wire arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) process with a Cu interlayer. This study also aims to analyse the metallographic properties of the SS–Cu and Al–Cu interfaces and their mechanical properties.

The study used transitional deposition of SS–Al material over each other by incorporating Cu as interlayer between the two. The scanning electron microscope analysis, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffractometer analysis, tensile testing and micro-hardness measurement were performed to investigate the interface characteristics and mechanical properties of the SS–Al transitional wall.

The study discovered that the WA-DED process with a Cu interlayer worked well for the deposition of SS–Al transitional walls. The formation of solid solutions of Fe–Cu and Fe–Si was observed at the SS–Cu interface rather than intermetallic compounds (IMCs), according to the metallographic analysis. On the other hand, three different IMCs were formed at the Al–Cu interface, namely, Al–Cu, Al₂Cu and Al₄Cu₉. The study also observed the formation of a lamellar structure of Al and Al₂Cu at the hypereutectic phase. The mechanical testing revealed that the Al–Cu interface failed without significant deformation, i.e. < 4.73%, indicating the brittleness of the interface.

The study identified the formation of HCP–Fe at the SS–Cu interface, which has not been previously reported in additive manufacturing literature. Furthermore, the study observed the formation of a lamellar structure of Al and Al2Cu phase at the hypereutectic phase, which has not been previously reported in SS–Al transitional wall deposition.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of adding a small amount of Ti to a Cu-based alloy, specifically the commercial Hyper Titanium Copper alloy (C1990 HP), which contains Cu-3.28 wt.% Ti, on its interfacial reaction with Sn-9.0 wt.% Zn (SnZn) solder, using the liquid/solid reaction couple technique.

The SnZn/C1990 HP couples were subjected to a reaction temperature of 240–270°C for a duration of 0.5–5 h. The resulting reaction couple was characterized using a scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, electron probe microanalyzer and X-ray diffractometer.

It was observed that the scallop-shaped CuZn5 and planar Cu5Zn8 phases were formed in almost all SnZn/C1990 HP couples. With increased reaction duration and temperature, the Cu-rich intermetallic compound (IMC)-Cu5Zn8 phase became a dominant IMC formed at the interface. The total thickness of the IMCs was increased with the increase in the reaction duration and temperature. The IMC growth obeyed the parabolic law, and the IMC growth mechanism was diffusion controlled. The activation energy of the SnZn/C1990 HP couple was 64.71 kJ/mol.

This article presents an analysis of the IMC thickness in each sample using ImageJ software, followed by kinetic analysis using Origin software at various reaction temperatures of SnZn/C1990 HP in liquid/solid couples. The study also includes detailed reports on the morphology, interface composition and X-ray diffraction analysis, as well as the activation energy. The findings can serve as a valuable reference for electronic packaging companies that utilize C1990 HP substrates.

Au stud bump bonding technology is an effective means to realize heterogeneous integration of commercial chips in the 2.5D electronic packaging. The purpose of this paper is to study the long-term reliability of the Au stud bump treated by four different high temperature storage times (200°C for 0, 100, 200 and 300 h).

The bonding strength and the fracture behavior are investigated by chip shear test. The experiment is further studied by microstructural characterization approaches such as scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer and so on.

It is recognized that there were mainly three typical fracture models during the chip shear test among all the Au stud bump samples treated by high temperature storage. For solder bump before aging, the fracture occurred at the interface between the Cu pad and the Au stud bump. As the aging time increased, the fracture mainly occurred inside the Au stud bump at 200°C for 100 and 200 h. When aging time increased to 300 h, it is found that the fracture transferred to the interface between the Au stud bump and the Al Pad.

In addition, the bonding strength also changed with the high temperature storage time increasing. The bonding strength does not change linearly with the high temperature storage time increasing but decreases first and then increases. The investigation shows that the formation of the intermetallic compounds because of the reaction between the Au and Al atoms plays a key role on the bonding strength and fracture behavior variation.

This study aims to explore the feasibility of adding Si₃N₄ nanoparticles to Sn58Bi and provides a theoretical basis for designing and applying new lead-free solder materials for the electronic packaging industry.

In this paper, Sn58Bi-xSi₃N₄ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 Wt.%) was prepared for bonding Cu substrate, and the changes in thermal properties, wettability, microstructure, interfacial intermetallic compound and mechanical properties of the composite solder were systematically studied.

The experiment results demonstrate that including Si₃N₄ nanoparticles does not significantly impact the melting point of Sn58Bi solder, and the undercooling degree of solder only fluctuates slightly. The molten solder spreading area reached a maximum of 96.17 mm², raised by 19.41% relative to those without Si₃N₄, and the wetting angle was the smallest at 0.6 Wt.% of Si₃N₄, with a minimum value of 8.35°. When the Si₃N₄ nanoparticles reach 0.6 Wt.%, the solder joint microstructure is significantly refined. Appropriately adding Si₃N₄ nanoparticles will slightly increase the solder alloy hardness. When the concentration of Si₃N₄ reaches 0.6 Wt.%, the joints shear strength reached 45.30 MPa, representing a 49.85% increase compared to those without additives. A thorough examination indicates that legitimately incorporating Si₃N₄ nanoparticles into Sn58Bi solder can enhance its synthetical performance, and 0.6 Wt.% is the best addition amount in our test setting.

In this paper, Si₃N₄ nanoparticles were incorporated into Sn58Bi solder, and the effects of different contents of Si₃N₄ nanoparticles on Sn58Bi solder were investigated from various aspects.

The high specific strength makes magnesium alloys have a wide range of applications in aerospace, military, automotive, marine and construction industries. However, its poor corrosion resistance and weldability have limited its development and application. Friction stir welding (FSW) can effectively avoid the defects of fusion welding. However, the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of FSW joints in magnesium alloys vary among different regions. The purpose of this paper is to review the corrosion of magnesium alloy FSW joints, and to summarize the protection technology of welded joints.

The corrosion of magnesium alloy FSW joints includes electrochemical corrosion and stress corrosion. This paper summarizes corrosion protection techniques for magnesium alloys FSW joints, focusing on composition, microstructure changes and surface treatment methods.

Currently, this research is mainly focused on enhancing the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy FSW joints by changing compositions, structural modifications and surface coating technologies. Refinement of the grains can be achieved by adjusting welding process parameters, which in turn minimizes the effects of the second phase on the alloy’s corrosion resistance.

This paper presents a comprehensive review on the corrosion and protection of magnesium alloys FSW joints, covering the latest research advancements and practical applications. It aims to equip researchers with a better insight into the field and inspire new studies on this topic.

This study aims to investigate NiTi alloys’ characterization and corrosion behaviour produced by two different powder metallurgy (PM) methods.

It was pre-formed under a protective atmosphere at 900 °C under a force of 45 MPa and sintered for 1 h under 10–6 Mbar in an atmosphere-controlled heat treatment furnace at 1,100 °C. The relationship between microstructural properties, SEM, XRD, density, microhardness and corrosion behaviour of pre-alloyed NiTi alloys produced by two different methods with the production method was investigated.

As a result of the studies, TiO, NiTi, NiTi2 and Ni3Ti intermetallics were determined in XRD examinations. The best surface roughness was observed in the mechanically milled (MM’ed) pre-alloyed NiTi alloy compared to the pre-alloyed NiTi alloy mixed with turbula. The corrosion tests performed in 3.5% NaCl solution determined that the MM’ed pre-alloyed NiTi alloy had better corrosion resistance than the pre-alloyed NiTi alloy mixed with turbula. Pitting corrosion was visualized in the SEM images taken from the corrosion surfaces.

Two different PM methods produced pre-alloyed NiTi powders, and the effects of these methods on the mechanical and corrosion resistance of NiTi alloys were systematically investigated for the first time.

Laser soldering has attracted attention as an alternative soldering process for microsoldering due to its localized and noncontact heating, a rapid rise and fall in temperature, fluxless and easy automation compared to reflow soldering.

In this study, the metallurgical and mechanical properties of the Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu/Ni-P joints after laser and reflow soldering and isothermal aging were compared and analyzed.

In the as-soldered Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu/Ni-P joints, a small granular and loose (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) structure was formed by laser soldering regardless of the laser energy, and a long and needlelike (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMC structure was generated by reflow soldering. During aging at 150°C, the growth rate of the IMC layer was faster by laser soldering than by reflow soldering. The shear strength of as-soldered joints for reflow soldering was similar to that of laser soldering with 7.5 mJ, which sharply decreased from 0 to 100 h for both cases and then was maintained at a similar level with increasing aging time.

Laser soldering with certain energy is effective for reducing the thickness of IMCs, and ensuring the mechanical property of the joints was similar to reflow soldering.