Masters Abstracts (1998)

ERICH, ROBERT
(August 1998), Product Manager - Flip Chip CSP, Amkor Technology, Chandler, AZ

Email: reric@amkor.com

Failure and Embrittlement of Solder Joints in Fine Pitch Area Array Components

This research focused on the development of a mechanical test method that could be utilized to determine the physical properties of the solder ball attachment onto BGA substrates. The aim was to develop a mechanical shear test that is capable of providing information about the robustness of the solder joints in a reasonably short period of time. In addition, the test was designed to be simple to perform and cost competitive compared to conventional BGA reliability testing techniques. A shear test method was developed and implemented to study the phenomena of solder joint embrittlement, which has been observed to take place in several BGA components which have been exposed to elevated temperature, thus allowing immediate feed back to the manufacturers for reduced developmental time and effort. Five BGA components were evaluated using shear testing; four of the five experienced brittle failure. Using an Arrhenius rate function, a failure prediction for the onset of brittle failure was made. Solder joints using a variety of attachment pad metallurgical finishes were created and tested to look for brittle failure. Statistical analysis of the output data is presented.