US 12,109,653 B2
Solder alloy, solder ball, solder paste, and solder joint
Takahiro Matsufuji, Tokyo (JP); Shunsaku Yoshikawa, Tokyo (JP); and Hiroki Sudo, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/224,833.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-117606 (JP), filed on Jul. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0024990 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. B23K 35/26 (2006.01); B23K 35/02 (2006.01); C22C 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 35/262 (2013.01) [B23K 35/0244 (2013.01); B23K 35/025 (2013.01); C22C 13/02 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
 
1. A solder alloy having an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %,
Bi: 30 to 60%,
Ag: 0.7 to 2.0%,
Cu: more than 0% and 1.00% or less,
Ni: 0.01 to 1.00%,
Sb: 0.2 to 1.5%, with the balance being Sn,
wherein the solder alloy exhibits the following properties:
a melting rate in which 99.9% has melted before reaching 200° C., wherein the melting rate is judged based on an area ratio of a DSC curve and is a value obtained by dividing reaction calories necessary for complete melting by reaction calories completed before reaching 200° C., and multiplying the result of dividing by 100;
an average surface hardness of 7.0 Hv or more, wherein the average surface hardness is determined by measuring surface hardness of 5 bumps that are subjected to a load of 1.96N for 60 seconds at 110° C.;
an average number of heat cycles until rupture of at least 3,000, wherein the heat cycles include a low temperature of −40° C., a high temperature of +100° C., and a holding time of 10 minutes, wherein determining the average number of cycles until rupture includes subjecting test substrates to the heat cycles, monitoring resistance values using a daisy chain circuit, and judging that rupture has occurred when a resistance value increase of over 200% is reached from the start of the test, wherein the test substrates are prepared by placing solder balls with a diameter of 0.24 mm on electrodes of a substrate on which a soldering flux comprising a solvent, an activator, a thixotropic agent, and an organic acid was applied, mounting BGA components, and performing reflow soldering under conditions of a maximum temperature of 190° C. and a holding time of 90 seconds; and
an electromigration resistance in which at least 300 hours elapses until the electrical resistance increases by 150% compared with an initial electrical resistance value, wherein the electrical resistance is determined by connecting a test substrate to a variable switching power supply and applying a current in a silicon oil bath held at 110° C. and continuously measuring the electrical resistance, wherein the test substrate is prepared by fabricating a package using solder balls with a diameter of 0.24 mm made of the solder alloy by performing reflow soldering on a package substrate with a size of 12 mm×12 mm including Cu electrodes with a diameter of 0.24 mm by using a water-soluble flux, printing solder paste on a glass epoxy substrate with a size of 29 mm×19 mm and a thickness of 0.8 mm, and mounting the fabricated package to the glass epoxy substrate using reflow soldering under conditions of a maximum temperature of 190° C. and a holding time of 90 seconds to fabricate the test substrate.