Finite element modeling of nano porous sintered silver material using computed tomography images

Limitations in the packaging industry require improvements in lead-based microelectronics, because regulations restricting hazardous substances have ended the use of conventional lead-based solders. Sintered silver paste presents an alternative method for bonding chips to a substrate because it has low sensitivity to the oxidation, high melting point, and improved thermal and electrical conductivity. Due to the sintering process, however, the silver exhibits a significant pore fraction that substantially reduces the density of the material compared to bulk silver. The traits of the sintered silver pastes are affected by the pore distribution; hence, it can be considered as a significant factor in modelling the behaviour of the whole electronic system under operating conditions. This study defines the influence of the morphology and pore distribution on the response of the silver material. The quality of tomographic images was improved through coding a program in MATLAB (R). Finite element software ABAQUS (R) was employed to evaluate the elastic properties of the material. To validate the model, the results have gone through several studies to determine changes of the material properties.