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Effects of the Ni(P) plating thickness on microstructure evolution of interfacial IMCs in Sn–58Bi/Ni(P)/Cu solder joints

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Abstract

Effects of the Ni(P) plating thickness on interfacial reaction in the Sn–58Bi/Ni(P)/Cu joint system were revealed. It was found that the interfacial reaction was significantly influenced by the thickness of Ni(P) plating, and 0.1 μm Ni(P) plating completely transformed into Ni2SnP layer after soldering. This Ni2SnP layer not only provided a large number of diffusion channels but also reduced the solder joint reliability, demonstrating that 0.1 μm Ni(P) plating was not efficient in inhibiting the diffusion process between solder and substrate. However, the Ni(P) plating with thickness more than 0.5 μm could effectively inhibit atomic diffusion, and the Sn–Ni interaction would dominate the interfacial reaction instead of Cu–Sn phases. Although the Ni(P) plating with thickness of 0.5 μm partly transformed into Ni2SnP layer, the growth rate of compound layer was suppressed. In addition, the Ni3Sn4 would transform into (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 since Ni2SnP layer provided channels for Cu diffusing toward the solder/Ni3Sn4 interface. The Ni(P) plating with thickness of 1.5 μm remained integrated even after aging for 240 h, nonetheless, the excessive thickness of this barrier was unnecessary. Thus, it could be concluded that the appropriate thickness of Ni(P) plating should be controlled at 0.5–1.5 μm.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51765040), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (20192ACB21021), Outstanding Young talents funding of Jiangxi Province (20192BCB23002), the Innovative Funding for Graduate Students in Nanchang University (No. CX2019065) and the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologyies for Comprehensive Utilization of Platinum Metals (No. SKL-SPM-202022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China

    Jinxuan Cheng, Xiaowu Hu & Zhe Zhang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, 730050, People’s Republic of China

    Qinglin Li

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  1. Jinxuan Cheng
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Cheng, J., Hu, X., Zhang, Z. et al. Effects of the Ni(P) plating thickness on microstructure evolution of interfacial IMCs in Sn–58Bi/Ni(P)/Cu solder joints. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 11470–11481 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03695-y

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