Effect of Cultivation Conditions on Tin Whisker Growth on Ti2SnC

Tin whisker growth behavior has resisted interpretation for approximately 70 years due to many intricate influencing factors and its unpredictability. In this work, tin whisker growth behavior on Ti2SnC under different cultivation conditions was investigated to understand the underlying mechanisms. It was found that higher tin whisker growth propensity is reached at higher cultivation temperature or in an oxidizing cultivation atmosphere, and whisker nucleation can be accelerated at elevated temperature. Furthermore, the whiskers formed in argon gradually evolve into a faceted morphology, which is driven by the reduction of surface energy. The findings herein provide valuable clues of tin whisker growth.

Automated summary

The research found that tin whisker growth propensity increases at higher temperatures or in an oxidizing atmosphere, and whisker nucleation can be accelerated at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, whiskers formed in argon gradually evolve into a faceted morphology driven by the reduction of surface energy. These findings provide valuable insights into tin whisker growth.