Electronic packaging industries are in an ongoing transition to lead free soldering due to the adverse effect on environment and human health [1]. Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) have been recognized as promising alternatives due to its low eutectic temperature, higher wettability and strength, superior resistance to creep and thermal fatigue. Surface roughness has a significant influence on mechanical parameters determined nanoindentation tests. Although research has been conducted to analyze the mechanical properties of bulk SAC material, there have been limited prior studies on SAC thin films and their mechanical properties since fabricating a smooth SAC thin film is a fundamental challenge. SAC thin films with four different Sn–Ag–Cu ternary eutectic composition: 96.5Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu, 95.5Sn-3.8Ag–0.7Cu, 95.5Sn-3.9Ag–0.6Cu & Sn-4.0Ag–0.5Cu will be deposited using RF magnetron sputtering with different deposition rates and annealed at various temperature to fabricate a smooth continuous film. Figures 1 and 2 depict SAC05 deposited using RF magnetron sputtering at Figure 1: SEM image of SAC-05 surface at 10,000X. 20W, 2.4 mTorr pressure, and argon flow flow rate of 20.5 sccm. Surface morphology will be examined using Field emission Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Crystallinity of the deposited film will be examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mechanical properties will be studied using nanoindentation [2]. Properties of the thin film will be compared with the bulk material with similar eutectic composition.

References

1. M. Abtew G. Selvaduray. (2000). Lead-free Solders in Microelectronics. Materials Science & Engineering. a Review Journal., 27(5-6), 95.
2. Long, X., Wang, S., Feng, Y., Yao, Y., & Keer, L. M. (2017). Annealing Effect on Residual Stress of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu Solder Measured by Nanoindentation and Constitutive Experiments. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 696, 90-95.