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4 P soldering model for solder joints quality assessment

Conference Paper · June 2009

DOI: 10.1109/ISSE.2009.5206936 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 4 P SOLDERING MODEL FOR
SOLDER JOINTS QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Paul Svasta1), Ioan Plotog1), Traian Cucu1), Alexandru Vasile1), Alexandru Marin2)
1)
„Politehnica“ University of Bucharest, Center for Tehnological Electronics
and Interconnection Techniques, Bucharest, Romania
2)
Alexandru Marin, ALMA ENGINEERING Ltd., Bucharest, Romania
ioan.plotog@cetti.ro

Abstract: The reliability of microelectronics components and assemblies it should be considered as

expression of solder joints functionality. The functions are in close connection with the microstructure
of the solder joints, which are the result of the soldering Process temperature gradient action over the
trinomial solder alloy/Paste, electronic components terminals/Pin and PCBs Pads finishes.
Consequently the solder joints quality can be correctly evaluated taking into consideration not only
the severally intrinsic parameters of the trinomial elements, Pad-Paste-Pin, but also interrelate the
complex reaction at the interface between them and interdependence with the soldering Process
parameters. Therefore the solder joints can be considered result of a complex function of 4P elements
defined before. In the paper, a 4P Soldering Model will be proposed in order to characterize the
solder joints quality, emphasizing dynamics of Pad-Paste-Pin-Process elements synergistically
interactions. The different pad finishes (NiAu, ImmAg, ImmSn, HASL, OSP) realized on PCBs having
different core material, (FR4, Glass, Al, Cu, Al2O3), the components terminals/pins/balls having
different finishes, the different solder paste type and the reflow soldering process (infrared-
convection/vapour phase/LASER) with their typically parameters are the 4P Soldering Model
variables. Practical experiments were designed in order to study 4P Soldering Model elements, Pad-
Paste-Pin-Process, interactions.

bottom side PCBs surface mounted components (with

1. INTRODUCTION
The introduction of lead-free solder materials in
electronic technology as a consequence of EU RoHS
Directive 2002/95/EC has generated the drawback of
the quality and reliability of solder joints and the rise
of the assembling cost. For the electronic industry,
one of the most important aspects generated by
manufacturing in lead–free technology is to assure the
quality and reliability at the level of classical lead
technology as a result of many years of work and
mass production. The quality and the reliability of
microelectronics components and assemblies it should
be considered as expression of solder joints
functionality. As very well known, the functions of
solder joints in electronic packaging are mechanical,
thermal and electrical. The surface mounting
assembling technology, typically for level two of
electronic packaging hierarchy at board level
interconnections, used the reflow soldering process
for top side PCBs surface mounted components and
the double reflow or the wave soldering process for
glued components for wave bottom side soldering).
The functions are in close connection with the
microstructure of the solder joints, which are the result
of the soldering Process temperature gradient action
over the trinomial solder alloy/Paste, electronic
components terminals/Pin and PCBs Pads.
Consequently the solder joints quality can be correctly
evaluated taking into consideration not only the
severally intrinsic parameters of the trinomial
elements, Pad-Paste-Pin, but also interrelate the
complex reaction at the interface between them and
interdependence with the soldering Process
parameters. Therefore the solder joints can be
considered result of a complex function of 4P
Soldering Model whose dynamic elements, Pad-
Paste-Pin-Process having synergistically interactions
and correlations.
2. 4P SOLDERING MODEL characterized by different thermal profiles with
MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE variation in practical range presented in Fig. 1,
comparative Lead / Lead-Free technologies for
The modern electronic modules are results of InfraRed/Convection (IRC) soldering process, in
manufacturing process consisting in electronic figure 2 for Vapour Phase Soldering (VPS) or in
components interconnected on PCBs support by figure 3 for LASER Soldering Technology (LST).
solder joints using soldering technologies, according
with a dedicated project, result of Design for
Manufacturing (DfM) process. DfM process can be
defined as a space of the possible design solutions Di
being conditioned by marketing, business line,
manufacturing, test, distribution and after sale
requirements (fig. 4).
Corresponding to Di solutions in the project will be
defined the electronic components, and PCBs design
where will be defined the pads according with
electronic components footprints. Taking into
Fig. 1. The comparative Lead / Lead-Free thermal
considerations the electronic components terminals as
profile
pins can be defined a space of the possible Pin
solutions P1 being conditioned by the Pin material °
250
(copper), finish (Sn, Ni, NiPdAu, SAC) or geometry 230
(thickness, forms: pin, win gull, balls, according with 200

IPC7351). For pads will be two major components: 150

- metallic surface as support of solder joint,
100
characterized by geometry and finishes (Electroless
Nickel Immersion Gold (NiAu); Chemical Tin 50

(ChTin); Hot Air Surface Leveling (HASL - SnCuNi);

30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 360Sec.
Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) Immersion Fig. 2. The Lead-Free VPS thermal profile
Silver (ImmAg); Copper without finishes);
- substrate, with important contribution over 330 °C
thermal mass and thermal transfer, consisting of 300
different type of PCBs having different core materials
and geometry. 250
As consequence, the space of the possible Pad
solutions P2 can be defined, being conditioned by the 200
pad finishes, geometry and substrate.
In the manufacturing area, according with design
150
solution and requirements imposed by Pin and Pad 0.46 0.92 1.38 1.84 2.3 Sec
solutions, solder paste will be selected from a
Fig. 3. LASER Soldering Technology thermal profile
typically Paste solutions space P3 determined by
solder alloy as basic material, flux and geometry The Pads having different finishes (NiAu, ImmAg,
aspects consequences of stencil design. ImmSn, HASL, OSP) and geometry, realized on PCBs
In cases of assembling in reflow soldering having different core material, (FR4, glass, Al, Cu,
processes, typically for Surface Mount Technology Al2O3), the components terminals/Pins/balls having
(SMT), analyzes regarding thermal profiles are based different finishes, material and geometry, the different
on recommendations of IPC/JEDEC:J-STD-020C solder Paste type, having different solder material,
standard. For different soldering processes can be flux and geometry, the reflow soldering Process
defined a space temperature / time, for assembling (Infrared-Convection/Vapour Phase/LASER) with
Process solutions P4 (fig. 4), corresponding to Di their typically thermal profiles are the 4P Soldering
(DfM solution) and defining a particular process Model variables. The Pin-Pad-Paste-Process will be
thermal profile. The different soldering process, are
considerate as Key Process Input Variables (KPIV)
for the 4P Soldering Model (Fig. 4).
Fig. 4. 4P Soldering Model morfological structure
The projections of Di (DfM proposed solution) to
Pin-Pad-Paste-Process possible solutions spaces will
generate proposed solutions for each of KPIV.
Defining The Pad-Paste-Pin-Process Correlations
Space, as a space of synergistically interactions and
correlations between KPIV proposed solutions
projections, the result will be final solutions for Pin-
Pad-Paste-Process as 4P Soldering Model KPIV,
having as univoque application in The Solder Joints
Reliability Results Space, the reliability function:
R=Ri(P1i,P2i,P3i,P4i) [1]
Where,
P1 = P1i(gi fi mi ) [2]
P2 = P2i(gi fi si ) [3]
P3 = P3i(gi fxi mi ) [4]
P4 = P4i(T,t ) [5]
P1 = Pin functions, P2 = Pad function,
P3 = Paste function, P4 = Process function
gi = geometry, fi = finish, mi = material,
si = substrate, fxi = flux, T = temperature, t = time.
3. EXPERIMENTS
The practical experiments are developed in order
to characterize the solder joints quality and reliability,
taking into considerations properties, interactions and
correlations of Pad-Paste-Pin-Process defined as
KPIV of the 4P Soldering Model. KPIV influences
will be verified for theirs right selection confirmation.
3.1. The Pad influences
The experiments emphasize the Pad influences
over solder joints quality having as constants the Pin-
Paste-Process elements of 4P Soldering Model and
consist in assembling of PCBs with different core
material using the same type of components, solder
pastes in the same process.
3.2. The Paste influences
The experiments emphasize the Paste influences
over solder joints quality having as constants the Pin-
Pad-Process elements of 4P Soldering Model. The
works were focus on analyzes the quality of solder
joints realized on special designed test PCBs using
different solder paste types and qualities in the same
conditions of reflow soldering processes (same
thermal profile).
3.3. The Process influences
The experiments emphasize the Process influences
over solder joints quality having as constants the Pin-
Pad-Paste elements of 4P Soldering Model.
Considering the quality and reliability of solder joints
as function of the microstructure composition, in order
to characterize the solder joints microstructures and
parameters dependency only of the process thermal
profile there were used the same input elements for
the trinomial solder Paste, electronic components
terminals–Pin and metallic substrate on PCBs-Pad:
- five types of identical pairs of PCB (one for VPS,
one for IR/C), according to the type of the pad
finishes: Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG -
NiAu), Immersion Tin (ImmSn), Hot Air Surface
Leveling (HASL - SnCuNi), Organic Solderability
Preservative (OSP) and Immersion Silver (ImmAg);
- the same surface mounted components (SMT)
placed on the same positions on the boards;
- the same solder paste SAC305 type;
- the same stencil with 150µm thickness.
As consequence, five types of identical PCBs were
used from pad finishes, component and solder paste
deposit volume points of view, for a minimum of
three different thermal profile for each of the
soldering process (VPS & IR/C), in order to
emphasize the influences of reflow soldering process
thermal profile over solder joints reliability, quality
and functionality depending on its microstructures.

4. RESULTS

4.1. The Pad influences

Two types of PCBs, one with aluminum core and
second with glass core, were assembled using IRC and
VPS reflow soldering process. Fig. 7. FR4, Al-5mm, Glass in VPS oven (IBL-SLC504)

Fig. 5. Delamination of the dielectric layer Fig. 8. Comparative thermal profiles for VPS

Fig. 6. IRC soldering process: glass core no melting

Delaminations in VPS were observed due to high
thermal transfer efficiency in the process (fig. 5).
Solder Paste no melting on pad heaving substrate with
glass core, when was used IRC soldering process, due
to high thermal mass of this type of substrate (fig. 6).
The simultaneous soldering of different types of
PCBs (FR4, Al-5mm, Glass) in VPS oven (fig. 7),
emphasize the PCBs substrate influences over
soldering process thermal profile (fig. 8).
Fig.9. SEM analyzes 25 X: a. P4N, c. P4V, e. P6V;
1000X: b. P4N, d. P4V, f. P6V.
 4.2. The Paste influences IR technique. This low speed favors the diffusion
process, thus growing the chances that intermetallic
Solder paste SAC305 (Sn96.5 Ag3.0 Cu0.5) type 4
components, containing the add-on elements from the
and 6, according to ANSI/J-STD-005 [1], was used
pad (Sn, Ni, Au, Ag), may appear. When using the IR
for experiments, taking into consideration their
technique, the paste suffers a more severe thermal
storage life. The probes of solder pastes type 4 expired
shock, the elements with higher thermal conductivity
in January 2009 (named P4N) and January 2008
having a bigger temperature gain. This explains the
(P4V), respectively, type 6 expired in June 2008
fact that the pastes which contain Ni, Au, Ag are
(P6N) and the same paste over six months (P6V). In
superior in quality.
the experiment, solder joints were realize on special
The SEM analyzes confirm the microstructural
tests PCBs using the pastes types P4N, P4V and P4V.
differences between the solder joints realized with the
The result of solder joints microstructures analyzes
same Pin-Pad-Paste elements as constant, using two
(fig.9), confirms the solder paste influence over solder
soldering processes, IRC respectively VPS (fig. 11).
joints quality. Intermetallic zone smaller and uniform
for P4N, increase for P4V and become bigger with
uniformities for P6V. The intermetallic grains from
the solder joints volume increase in dimensions. It can
be notice voids, cracks and oxides presences at the
solder joins surface (fig. 9. a-e).

4.3. The Process influences a b

From all PCBs resulted after soldering processes, Fig.11. SEM analyzes: a. NiAu/VPS; b. HASL/IRC
probes were extracted by microsections. The probes
were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy In order to emphasize the process influence over
(SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) using solder joints functionality, determinate by their
a Philips XL30ESEM microscope and microstructural differences, special test PCBs were
metallographically using a Reichert Univar designed, having resistors (zero ohms) daisy chain
microscope. circuits on them.

Fig.10. VPS/IR comparative optical microscopy studies:
a.ChTin; b. NiAu.
Studying the interface between paste alloy and
component by metallography (fig. 10), it can be
noticed that when using the VPS technique, a
diffusion zone appears, due to the fact that the heating
speed in the experiments is lower in comparison to the
Fig. 12. Solder joints termovision analyzes
Four identical PCBs were assembled, two using
IR/C oven and two using VPS equipment. The PCB
labeled „IR/C Cooling” was assembled on IR/C oven
with 60°C final temperature at the end of the cooling
zone. The PCB labeled „IR/C” was assembled with
100°C final temperature at the end of the cooling
 zone. In this case the cooling rate decreased. The
cooling rate in VPS process was smaller than IR/C.
The results emphasize the influence of soldering
process over the thermal function of solder joints (fig.
12). In case of the PCB labeled „IR/C Cooling”, the
termovision analyze show the increasing thermal lost.
The temperature of solder joints was measured using
an infrared camera (SC640 - FLIR SYSTEM).
4. CONCLUSIONS
In the experiments presented in the paper, the
solder joints electrical and thermal parameters depend
by all P “actors” of the 4P Soldering Model was
investigated.
The Pads having different finishes (NiAu, ImmAg,
ImmSn, HASL, OSP) and geometry, realized on PCBs
having different core material, (FR4, glass, Al, Cu,
Al2O3), the components terminals/Pins/balls having
different finishes, material and geometry, the different
solder Paste type, having different solder material,
flux and geometry, the reflow soldering Process
(Infrared-Convection/Vapour Phase/LASER) with
their typically thermal profiles are the 4P Soldering
Model variables. The Pin-Pad-Paste-Process will be
considerate as Key Process Input Variables (KPIV)
for the 4P Soldering Model. The KPIV influences
over solder joints functionality were verified by the
experiments and confirm theirs right selection.
The PCB structure has significant influence over
the solder joints reliability tacking into considerations
the synergistically interactions with process thermal
profile. As consequence, for each type of PCB it is
necessary to adjust the thermal profile.
VPS soldering process contribute to the component
thermal stress reduction (30°C maximum difference
comparing to IRC), offer lower peak temperature and
lowest temperature on PCBs in the soldering process.
The termovision analyzes emphasizes the
differences between thermal resistances of solder
joints as result of soldering process thermal profile
due of their microstructures. Electrical and thermal
parameters are improved reducing cooling rate. The
thermal profile difference between soldering processes
has as result important modification of microstructure,
with consequences over solder joints functionality.
The probes were extracted and prepared by
microsections and resulting samples included
inclusion in bakelite mass at maximum
150°C/250barr, and the solder joint were affected by
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thermal/mechanical stress. The metallographic and
SEM analyzes demonstrates the general comportment
of VPS solder joints were better comparing to IR/C
process, due reducing soldering thermal stress.
The experiments presented in the paper are subject
of COST MP0602 HISOLD project, WG2: The solder
joints properties, and describe the first part of
analysis. This experiment will be followed by
complex mechanical and climatic tests, electrical
measurement and microstructural studies.
In the future, the results of presented experiments
will be used to improve methods and future
experiments in order to study the correlations between
functionality and microstructure of solder joints as
function of 4P Soldering Model KPIV. The purpose
will be to set up a data base that will offer information
for improvement of the thermal profile of reflow
process depending on the solder microstructure, in
volume and at the interface with the metallic layer.
This specialized data base will offer the mean to
assure functionality of solder joints at a higher quality
and reliability level and the reduction of the validation
time for other new lead-free solder alloys.
REFERENCES
[1] Joint Standard: IPC & Electronic Industries Alliance,
Requirements for Soldering Pastes, J-STD-005, 1995,
pp.3.
[2] G. Diepstraten; H. Trip; Ineke van Tiggelen-Aarden,
Di Wu, The Silver Debate: Sn/Cu-based Solder
Explained, SMT November, 2008
[3] I. Plotog, S. Jianu, Multi-criterial Approach for
Implementing of Lead-free Technology, EMPC 2006,
Slovenia, pp. 301-306.
[4] I. Plotog, P. Svasta, The Lead-Free Solder Paste
Characteristics, DFM Concept and New Aspects
Regarding Reflow Process, The 5-th "New Research
Trends In Material Science", ARM-5, Proceedings,
Volume I, pp.79-84
[5] Ioan Plotog, Paul M. Svasta, Investigations on
Assembling of Electronic Packages onto Glass
Substrates using Lead-free Technology, 31st
International Spring Seminar on Electronics
Technology, ISSE 2008, Budapest, Hungary, May,
2008, Conference proceedings, pp. 415-419.
[6] Ioan Plotog, Paul M. Svasta, “VPS Solution for Lead-
Free Soldering in EMS Industries”, The 2nd Electronics
System-Integration Technology Conference, ESTC-
2008, London, September, 2008.