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Spontaneous Tin Whisker Growth: Mechanism and Prevention

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Part of the book series: Springer Series in Materials Science ((SSMATERIALS,volume 117))

Abstract

Whisker growth on beta-tin (β-Sn) is a surface relief phenomenon of creep [1–16]. It is driven by a compressive stress gradient and occurs at room temperature. Spontaneous Sn whiskers are known to grow on matte Sn finish on Cu. Today, due to the wide application of Pb-free solders on Cu conductors used in the packaging of consumer electronic products, Sn whisker growth has become a serious reliability issue because the Sn-based Pb-free solders are very rich in Sn. The matrix of most Sn-based Pb-free solders is almost pure Sn. The well-known phenomena of tin such as tin-cry, tin-pest, and tin-whisker are receiving attention again.

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Tu, KN. (2007). Spontaneous Tin Whisker Growth: Mechanism and Prevention. In: Solder Joint Technology. Springer Series in Materials Science, vol 117. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-38892-2_6

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