Multi-scale numerical-experimental analysis of failure in solder alloys

The past years have triggered considerable scientific efforts towards the predictive analysis of the reliability of solder connections in micro-electronics. Undoubtedly, the replacement of the classical Sn-Pb solder alloy by a lead-free alternative constitutes the main motivation for this. This paper concentrates on the theoretical, computational and experimental multi-scale analysis of the microstructure evolution and degradation of the conventional solder material Sn-Pb and its most promising lead-free alternative, a Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) alloy. Special attention is given to the thermal anisotropy of bulk SAC and the interfacial fatigue failure of SAC interconnects.