Development of Highly Reliable BGA and Flip-Chip Structures by Using Cu-Cored Solder Ball

Author(s):  
Hisashi Tanie ◽  
Nobuhiko Chiwata ◽  
Motoki Wakano ◽  
Masaru Fujiyoshi ◽  
Shinichi Fujiwara

A Cu-cored solder joint is a micro-joint structure in which a Cu sphere is encased in solder. It results in a more accurate height and has low thermal and electrical resistance. In a previous paper, we examined the thermal fatigue life of a Cu-cored solder ball grid array (BGA) joint through actual measurements and crack propagation analysis. As a result, we found that the thermal fatigue life of a Cu-cored solder BGA joint is about twice as long as that of a conventional joint. In this paper, we describe the impact strength of a Cu-cored solder BGA joint determined by conducting an impact bending test. This test is a technique to measure the impact strength of a micro-solder joint. This method was developed by Yaguchi et al., and they confirmed that it is an easier and more accurate method of measuring impact strength than the board level drop test. First, we simulated the impact bending test by finite element analysis (FEA) and calculated solder strains of both Cu-cored solder joints and conventional joints. The results indicated that the maximum solder strain of a Cu-cored solder joint during the impact bending test was slightly smaller than that of a conventional joint. The solder volume of the Cu-cored solder joint was also smaller than that of a conventional joint. On the other hand, joint stiffness of the Cu-cored solder joint was larger than in a conventional joint. The former increases the solder strain of the Cu-cored solder joint, and the latter decreases it. By balancing these phenomena, it is possible to obtain a maximum solder strain in the Cu-cored solder joint that is slightly smaller than in a conventional joint. Based on these phenomena, the impact strength of the Cu-cored solder joint is predicted to be the same as or higher than that of a conventional joint. Therefore, we measured the impact strengths of a Cu-cored solder joint and a conventional joint using the impact bending test. As a result, we confirmed that the impact strength of the Cu-cored solder joint was the same as or higher than that of a conventional joint. Accordingly, a Cu-cored solder BGA joint is a micro-joint structure that makes it possible to improve thermal fatigue life without decreasing impact strength. Moreover, we investigated whether the use of Cu-cored solder in a flip-chip (FC) joint improved its reliability. As a result, we found that the stress of an insulating layer on a Si die surface was reduced by using a Cu-cored solder FC joint. This is because bending deformation of the Cu land occurs, and the difference in thermal deformation between the Si chip and the Cu land becomes small. Accordingly, the Cu-cored solder FC joint is a suitable structure for improving reliability of a low-strength insulating layer.

Author(s):  
Tomohiro Takahashi ◽  
Qiang Yu ◽  
Masahiro Kobayashi

For power module, the reliability evaluation of thermal fatigue life by power cycling has been prioritized as an important concern. Since in power cycling produces there exists non-uniform temperature distribution in the power module, coupled thermal-structure analysis is required to evaluate thermal fatigue mechanism. The thermal expansion difference between a Si chip and a substrate causes thermal fatigue. In this study, thermal fatigue life of solder joints on power module was evaluated. The finite element method (FEM) was used to evaluate temperature distribution induced by joule heating. Higher temperature appears below the Al wire because the electric current flows through the bonding Al wire. Coupled thermal-structure analysis is also required to evaluate the inelastic strain distribution. The damage of each part of solder joint can be calculated from equivalent inelastic strain range and crack propagation was simulated by deleting damaged elements step by step. The initial cracks were caused below the bonding Al wire and propagated concentrically under power cycling. There is the difference from environmental thermal cycling where the crack initiated at the edge of solder layer. In addition, in order to accurately evaluate the thermal fatigue life, the factors affecting the thermal fatigue life of solder joint where verified using coupled electrical-thermal-structural analysis. Then, the relation between the thermal fatigue life of solder joint and each factor is clarified. The precision evaluation for the thermal fatigue life of power module is improved.


Author(s):  
Tomáš Binar ◽  
Jiří Švarc ◽  
Petr Dostál ◽  
Michal Šustr ◽  
Jan Tippner

This article deals with the spread of corrosion in material at different exposure times, and its effect on the measured brittle fracture and notch impact strength under different temperature conditions. To assess the degradational effect of corrosion on the material characteristics represented by the measured impact strength, we conducted a fractographic analysis of fracture surfaces, the aim of which was to evaluate the spread of corrosion in the material. In the first part of the experiment, two corrosion tests are simulated with a duration time of 432 and 648 hours, to compare the degradation effect of corrosion on the notch impact strength, depending on the duration of the corrosion tests. The following part shows the results of the impact bending test, where the experiment was conducted in an area of reduced and increased temperatures. The final part summarizes the results of the fractographic analysis of sample fracture surfaces from the impact bending tests. Based on the measured the length of the corrosion cracks, we analyzed the sample at the notch and from the material surface after the impact bending test.


Author(s):  
T. E. Wong ◽  
C. Chu

A simplified method was developed to determine the fatigue life of a ceramic column grid array (CCGA) solder joint when exposed to thermal environments. The CCGA package with 90Pb/10Sn solder columns is soldered onto the printed circuit board with a tin-lead solder paste. Failure of the solder joint occurs at the CCGA solder column. A closed-form solution with the equilibrium of displacements of electronic package assembly was first derived to calculate the solder joint strains during the temperature cycling. In the calculation, an iteration technique was used to obtain a convergent solution in the solder strains, and the elastic material properties were used for all the electronic package assembly components except for the solder materials, which used elastic-plastic properties. A fatigue life prediction model, evolved from an empirically derived formula based upon a modified Coffin-Manson fatigue theory, was then established. CCGA test results, obtained from various sources, combined with the derived solder strains were used to calibrate the proposed life prediction model. In the model calibration process, the 625- and 1657-pin CCGA test results, which were cycled between 20°C/90°C, 0°C/100°C, −55°C/110°C, or −55°C/125°C, were reasonably well correlated to the calculated values of solder strains. In addition, this calibrated model is remarkably simple compared to the model used in an evaluation by a finite element analysis. Therefore, this model could be used and is recommended to serve as an effective tool to make a preliminarily estimate at the CCGA solder joint thermal fatigue life. It is also recommended to 1) select more study cases with various solder joint configurations, package sizes, environmental profiles, etc. to further calibrate this life prediction model, 2) use this model to conduct parametric studies to identify critical factors impacting solder joint fatigue life and then seeking an optimum design, and 3) develop a similar life prediction model for lead-free solder materials.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (DPC) ◽  
pp. 001697-001725
Author(s):  
Sung-Hoon Choa ◽  
Jin Young Choi ◽  
Cha Gyu Song ◽  
Haeng Soo Lee

Through silicon via (TSV) technology is becoming a hot topic for three dimensional integration in IC packaging industry. However, TSV technology raises several reliability concerns particularly caused by thermally induced stress. In this study, the thermo-mechanical reliability of copper TSV technology for the multi chip packaging was investigated using finite element method. For the multi chip package design, the 8-layer stacked chip packaging with TSV structure has been constructed as our test vehicle. The numerical analysis of stress/strain distribution and thermal fatigue life prediction were performed in order to study the impact of several design parameters such as via diameter, via pitch, die thickness, bonding pad geometry. The effects of various underfill materials which have different Young¡¯s modulus and coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) were also investigated. The DOE (design of experiment) analysis was performed to find the optimal design conditions for 8-layer multi chip package. The most influential factors for the stress reduction are TSV diameter and the coefficient of thermal expansion of underfill material. The larger via diameter and lower CTE showed the smaller stress distribution. On the other hand, thermal fatigue life increases with via diameter, and becomes maximum at via diameter of 20 um, then decrease with increasing via diameter. The presence of underfill material significantly increased the thermal fatigue life of TSV structure. The bonding pad design is also important for TSV durability. The smaller bonding pad showed less stress and higher thermal fatigue life. The characteristics of warpage for 8-layer multi chip package were also investigated.


2006 ◽  
Vol 306-308 ◽  
pp. 1043-1048
Author(s):  
Yi-Ming Jen ◽  
Hsi Hsin Chien ◽  
Tsung-Shu Lin ◽  
Shih Hsiang Huang

This research studied the thermal fatigue life for eutectic solder balls of thermally enhanced flip-chip plastic ball grid array (FC-PBGA) packages with different lid materials under thermal cycling tests. Three FC-PBGA packages with different lid materials, i.e., Al, AlSiC, and Cu, were utilized to examine the lid material effect on solder ball reliability. The cyclic stress/strain behavior for the packages was estimated by using the nonlinear finite element method. The eutectic solder was assumed to be elastic-plastic-creep. The stable stress/strain results obtained from FEM analysis were utilized to predict the thermal fatigue life of solder balls by using the Coffin-Manson prediction model. Simulation results showed that the fatigue life of the FC-PBGA package with a Cu lid was much shorter than FC-PBGA packages with other lid materials. The relatively shorter fatigue life for the FC-PBGA package with a Cu lid was due to the complex constrained behavior caused by the thermal mismatch between the lid, substrate and the printed circuit board. The difference was insignificant in the fatigue lives between the package with an Al lid and the conventional package.


Author(s):  
T. E. Wong ◽  
C. Y. Lau ◽  
L. A. Kachatorian ◽  
H. S. Fenger ◽  
I. C. Chen

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of electronic packaging design/manufacturing process parameters on the thermal fatigue life of ball grid array (BGA) solder joints. The four selected parameters are BGA under-fill materials, conformal coating, solder pad sizes on printed wiring board, and BGA rework, with each having either two or three levels of variation. A test vehicle (TV), on which various sizes of BGA daisy-chained packages are soldered, is first designed and fabricated, and then subjected to temperature cycling (−55°C to +125°C) with continuous monitoring of solder joint integrity. The total of 15 experimental cases is used in the present study. Based on monitored results, a destructive physical analysis is conducted to further isolate the failure locations and determine the failure mechanisms of the solder joints. Test results indicate that the influence of these design parameters on fatigue life is dependent on the particular package, in some instances improving the fatigue life tenfold.


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