Influence of microstructure size on the plastic deformation kinetics, fatigue crack growth rate, and low-cycle fatigue of solder joints

The influence of microstructure size on the plastic deformation kinetics, fatigue crack growth rate and low-cycle fatigue of eutectic Sn-Pb solder joints is reviewed. The principal microstructure feature considered is the average eutectic phase size d=(dPb+dSn)/2. The effect of an increase in reflow cooling rate (which gave a decrease in d) on the flow stress and on fatigue life was irregular at 300K, depending on the stress or strain level and cooling rate. In contrast, a consistent increase in fatigue life with decrease in d occurred for thermomechanical cycling between −30° and 130°C. Constitutive equations for plastic deformation and fatigue crack growth rate are presented which include the microstructure size. It appears that the rate-controlling deformation mechanism is the intersection of forest dislocations in the Sn phase. The mechanism for both static and dynamic phase coarsening appears to be grain boundary diffusion with a t1/4 time law. Some success has been achieved in predicting the cyclic stress-strain hysteresis loops and fatigue life, including the influence of the as-reflowed microstructure size and its coarsening. Additional definitive studies are however needed before we can accurately predict the fatigue life of solder joints over the wide temperature range and conditions experienced by electronic packages.