Cu6Sn5 is the most common and important intermetallic compound (IMC) formed between Sn-based solders and Cu substrates during soldering. The Cu6Sn5 IMC exhibits significantly different thermomechanical properties from the solder alloys and the substrate. The progress of high-density three-dimensional (3D) electrical packaging technologies has led to increased operating temperatures, and interfacial Cu6Sn5 accounts for a larger volume fraction of the fine-pitch solder joints in these packages. Knowledge of creep and the mechanical behavior of Cu6Sn5 at elevated temperatures is therefore essential to understanding the deformation of a lead-free solder joint in service. In this work, the effects of temperature and Ni solubility on creep and mechanical properties of Cu6Sn5 were investigated using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and nanoindentation. The reduced modulus and hardness of Cu6Sn5 were found to decrease as temperature increased from 25°C to 150°C. The addition of Ni increased the reduced modulus and hardness of Cu6Sn5 and had different effects on the creep of Cu6Sn5 at room and elevated temperatures.
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Mu, D., Huang, H., McDonald, S.D. et al. Creep and Mechanical Properties of Cu6Sn5 and (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 at Elevated Temperatures. J. Electron. Mater. 42, 304–311 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2227-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2227-y