Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of Black Pad and Intermetallic Layers on the Risk for Fractures in Solder Joints to Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The ELFNET Book on Failure Mechanisms, Testing Methods, and Quality Issues of Lead-Free Solder Interconnects

Abstract

Solder joints to solder lands plated with electroless nickel and immersion gold are prone to fractures in the interface between the solder and the nickel surface. A common cause for these fractures has been a plating defect in the solder land coating called “black pad”. However, solder joints to solder lands plated with electroless nickel are inclined to fractures even if the black pad defect is not present. The causes of the black pad defect and the mechanisms for the increased inclination for fractures in solder joints to electroless nickel are discussed. Test methods for detecting black pad defects and assessing the risk for fractures in the solder joints are also described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 149.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Puttlitz KJ (1990) Preparation, structure, and fracture modes of Pb–Sn and Pb–In Terminated flip chips attached to gold-capped microsockets. In: Proceedings of 40th electronic components and technology conference, pp 360–366

    Google Scholar 

  2. Eslambolchi A, Johnson P, Kaufmann M, Mei Z (1998) Electroless Ni/immersion Au evaluation—final program report. Electronic Assembly Development Center, Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cordes F, Huemoeller R (1999) Electroless nickel–gold: is there a future? Electroless Ni/Au plating capability study of BGA packages. In: proceeding of IPC Printed Circuits Expo, Paper S13-1

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kwok RWM, Chan KCM, Bayes MW (2004) Development of an electroless nickel immersion gold process for PCB final finishes. Circuit World 30(3):37–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Johal K (2001) Are you in control of your electroless nickel/immersion gold process. In: Proceedings of SMTA International

    Google Scholar 

  6. McFaddin WE (2003) Non-destructive analysis method for detection of the “black pad defect” on PCB surfaces. In: Proceedings of SMTA International, pp 395–403

    Google Scholar 

  7. Biunno N (1999) A root cause failure mechanism for solder joint integrity of electroless nickel/immersion gold surface finishes. In: Proceedings of IPC Printed Circuits Expo, Paper S18-5

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bulwitch RA, Trosky M, Pichione LM, Hug D (2002) The “black pad” failure mechanism—from beginning to end. Global SMT Packag 2(6):9–13

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jay R, Kwong A (2001) Dealing with the “black pad defect”—a failure analyst’s perspective. In: Proceedings of SMTA International

    Google Scholar 

  10. Champaign RF, Roepsch JA, Downey MR (2003) Afraid of the dark? Circuits Assemb 14(1):22–25

    Google Scholar 

  11. Roepsch JA, Champaign RF, Waller BM (2003) Black pad defect: influence of geometry and other factors. In: Proceedings of SMTA International

    Google Scholar 

  12. Crouse K, Cullen D (2002) A key failure mode resulting in interfacial fracture of soldered ENIG surfaces. PC FAB Mag (Feb):22–32

    Google Scholar 

  13. Milad G, Martin J (2000) Electroless nickel/immersion gold, solderability and solder joint reliability as functions of process control. CircuiTree 13(10):56–62

    Google Scholar 

  14. Johal K, Lamprecht S, Schreier H-J, Roberts H (2004) Impacts of bulk phosphorous content of electroless nickel layers to solder joint integrity and their use as gold- and aluminum-wire bond surfaces. In: Proceedings of SMTA Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium

    Google Scholar 

  15. Goosey M (2002) Factors influencing the formation of “black pad” in electroless nickel-immersion gold solderable finishes—a processing perspective. Circuit World 28(3):36–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lee B (2003) Implementing a simple corrosion test method to detect “black pad” phenomenon in electroless nickel/immersion gold plating. CircuiTree 16(11):40–46

    Google Scholar 

  17. Houghton B (2000) Solving the ENIG black pad problem: an ITRI report on round 2. Future Circuits Int 6:121–128

    Google Scholar 

  18. Houghton B (2000) ITRI project on electroless nickel/immersion gold joint cracking. Circuit World 26(2):10–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tomia Y, Wu Q, Maeda A, Baba S, Ueda N (2000) Advanced surface plating on the organic FC-BGA package. In: Proceedings of 50th electronic components and technology conference, pp 861–867

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bansal A, Yoon S, Mahadev V (2005) Flexural strength of BGA solder joints with ENIG substrate finish using 4-point bend test. In: Proceedings of SMTA Pan Pacific Microelectronic Symposium

    Google Scholar 

  21. Design and assembly of process implementation for BGAs (2005) IPC Standard IPC-7095A. http://www.ipc.org

  22. Sohn Y-C, Yu Y, Kang SK, Shih D-Y, Lee T-Y (2005) Effect of intermetallics spalling on the mechanical behavior of electroless Ni(P)/Pb-free solder interconnection. In: Proceedings of 55th electronic components and technology conference, pp 83–88

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mattila TT, Kivilahti JK (2005) Failure mechanisms of lead-free chip scale package interconnections under fast mechanical loading. J Electron Mater 34(7):969–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Paik K-W, Jeon Y-D, Cho M-G (2004) Interfacial reactions and bump reliability of various Pb-free solder bumps on electroless Ni-P UBMs. In: Proceedings of 54th electronic components and technology conference, pp 675–682

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zheng Y, Hillman C, and McCluskey P (2002) Intermetallic growth on PWBs soldered with Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu. In: Proceedings of 52nd electronic components and technology conference, pp 1226–1231

    Google Scholar 

  26. Liu CM, Ho CE, Chen WT, Kao CR (2001) Reflow soldering and isothermal solid-state aging of Sn-Ag eutectic solder on Au/Ni surface finish. J Electron Mater 30(9):1152–1156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Coyle RJ, Hodges Popps DE, Mawer A, Cullen DP, Wenger GM, Solan PP (2003) The effect of modifications to the nickel/gold surface finish on assembly quality and attachment reliability of a plastic ball grid array (Peer Review Version). IEEE Trans Compon Packag Technol 26(4):724–732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Chouta P, Santos D, Srihari H, Sammakia B, Andros F, DiPietro M (2001) A shear strength study of lead-free solder spheres for BGA applications on different pad finishes. In: Proceedings of SMTA Pan Pacific Symposium

    Google Scholar 

  29. Sykes B (2005) Lead-free BGA reliability: high-speed bond testing and brittle fracture detection. Global SMT Packag 5(9):20–23

    Google Scholar 

  30. Newman K (2005) BGA brittle fracture—alternative solder joint integrity test methods. In: Proceedings of 55th electronic components and technology conference, pp 1194–1201

    Google Scholar 

  31. Chiu T-C, Zeng K, Stierman R, Edwards D, Ano K (2004) Effect of thermal aging on board level drop reliability for Pb-free BGA packages. In: Proceedings of 54th electronic components and technology conference, pp 1256–1270

    Google Scholar 

  32. Gregorich T, Holmes P, Lee JCB, Lee CC (2004) SnNi and SnNiCu intermetallic compounds found when using SnAgCu solders. In: Proceedings of IPC/Soldertec global 2nd international conference lead free electron

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wong EH, Rajoo R, Mai YW, Seah SKW, Tsai KT, Yap LM (2005) Drop impact: fundamentals and impact characterisation of solder joints. In: Proceedings of 55th Electronic Components and Technology Conference, pp 1202–1209

    Google Scholar 

  34. Hasegawa K, Takahashi A, Noudou T, Nakaso A (2004) Electroless Ni-P/Pd/Au plating for semiconductor package substrates. Plat Surf Finish 91(11):20–25

    Google Scholar 

  35. Date M, Shoji T, Fujiyoshi M, Sato K, Tu KN (2004) Impact reliability of solder joints. In: Proceedings of 54th Electronic Components and Technology Conference, pp 668–674

    Google Scholar 

  36. JESD22-B111 (2003) Board level drop test method of components for handheld electronic products. JEDEC http://www.jedec.org

  37. JESD22-B110A (2004) Subassembly mechanical shock. JEDEC http://www.jedec.org

  38. IPC/JEDEC-9702 (2004) Monotonic bend characterization of board-level interconnects. IPC http://www.ipc.org

  39. IPC/JEDEC-9704 (2005) Printed wiring board strain gage test guidelines. IPC http://www.ipc.org

  40. Ahmad M, Duggan R, Hu T, Ong B, Ralph C, Sethuraman S, Shangguan D (2005) Strain gage testing: standardization. Surf Mt Technol 19(7):36–42

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swerea IVF AB, Box 104, 431 22, Mölndal, Sweden

    P.-E. Tegehall

Authors
  1. P.-E. Tegehall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P.-E. Tegehall .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Testing and Research EMPA, Centre for Reliability, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials, Dübendorf, Switzerland

    Günter Grossmann

  2. ENSEIRB, Talence Cedex, France

    Christian Zardini

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tegehall, PE. (2011). Impact of Black Pad and Intermetallic Layers on the Risk for Fractures in Solder Joints to Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold. In: Grossmann, G., Zardini, C. (eds) The ELFNET Book on Failure Mechanisms, Testing Methods, and Quality Issues of Lead-Free Solder Interconnects. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-236-0_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-236-0_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-235-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-236-0

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation