Development of low-silver content SAC0307 solder alloy with Al2O3 nanoparticles

The present study is focused on the development of low Ag content 99Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu (SAC0307) solder alloy with Al2O3 nanoparticles reinforcement. The effects of multiple reflow cycles and the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles in 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 percentages by weight on microstructure development and mechanical strength of the solcder joint were first investigated. The addition of ceramic nanoparticles in 0.01-0.5 wt% range resulted in 15-40% increase in the wetting area and about 10-55% increase in the microhardness of the solder. The shear strength of nanoparticles reinforced SAC0307 solder joint increased by 11-53% under multiple reflow conditions. Nano-composite solder joints containing 0.01 and 0.05 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticles showed superior shear strength and improved ductility for two reflow cycles. Hence, these nano-composites were selected and tested for their performance and joint reliability. The surface mount 2220 capacitor joint assemblies with the selected nano-composites reflowed on bare copper and Ni-P coated Cu substrates were investigated. The reliability of the solder joint was assessed by determining the joint shear strength under varying temperature environments. The nano-composite with 0.05 wt% nanoparticles addition resulted in maximum joint reliability compared to monolithic solder. The Ni-P coating on the Cu substrate significantly hindered the IMC growth at the joint interface under different thermal conditions. The joint strength improved by about 26% for samples reflowed on Ni-P surface finish compared to that on bare Cu metallization. The Weibull analysis of the joint shear strength under all thermal conditions suggest that the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles in very small amounts to SAC0307 solder and the presence of Ni-P surface finish on Cu substrate significantly enhances the performance and reliability of solder joints. In terms of both quality and reliability, the newly developed low-silver content SAC0307+0.05Al(2)O(3) nano-composite is an effective alternate lead-free solder that can be used in microelectronics industry in place of high-silver content Sn-Ag-Cu solders.