Performance and reliability of Al2O3 nanoparticles doped multicomponent Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu-Ni-Ge solder alloy

The effect of Al2O3 nanoparticles addition on melting, microhardness, microstructural, and mechanical properties of multicomponent Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu-0.06Ni-0.01Ge (SACNiGe) solder alloy was investigated. The shear strength of the capacitor assemblies under varying high-temperature environments for different nanocomposites was assessed and the reliability of the joint was determined using Weibull analysis. The SACNiGe solder doped with 0.01 and 0.05 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticles to prepare nanocomposites and tested on the solder joints for their performance and reliability under different thermal conditions. Plain copper and Ni-P layer coated substrates were used to investigate the effect of different surface finish on the joint reliability. The addition of ceramic nanoparticles in small amounts did not affect the melting parameters of the solder. In comparison with the bare solder alloy, nanocomposites yielded about 20% increase in tin-climb height and 14% higher microhardness. The dispersion of ceramic nanoparticles in the matrix and presence of Ni and Ge elements in the solder resulted in substantial microstructure refinement and about 24% supression in intermetallic compounds (IMCs) growth at the joint interface. In comparison with the bare Cu substrate, the Ni-P coating on the substrate provided a strong diffusion barrier, promoted thin and complex (Cu, Ni)(6)Sn-5 IMC layer formation at the interface, and significantly retarded the IMC growth kinetics under elevated temperature conditions. Under varying thermal conditions, nanoparticles doped solder compositions showed about 20% increase in the joint shear strength value. The reliability of joints improved appreciably with the addition of 0.05 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticles in the solder. Samples with SACNiGe+0.05Al(2)O(3) nanocomposite reflowed on NieP coating showed about 32% higher reliability than that on the uncoated-copper substrate. The SACNiGe solder joint performance and reliability could be significantly improved by minor weight percent addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles in the presence of Ni-P coating on the substrate.