Final Activity Report Summary - PB-FREE_EFFECT OF IM (Reliability study of fine-pitch area-array Pb-free solder joints for advanced electronic packaging - effect of intermetallic compounds)
This research project investigated digital tools to predict the reliability of environmentally friendly electronics that addressed the new European legislation, such as the reduction of hazardous substances (RoHS) and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) Directives. There were concerns by electronics companies worldwide that the adoption of green materials in electronics would severely reduce products' reliability. The development of computer modelling tools, as proposed by this Marie-Curie project, would help companies to identify possible problems at the very early design stage of product development. The principal achievements that were realised during the project included:
1. development of computer-based models of lead-free solder joints that connected a semiconductor package to a printed circuit board;
2. ability to predict how cracks grew through the solder joint interface capturing material microstructural effects such as intermetallics;
3. dissemination of this work at key international conferences in both Europe and the Far East and publications in archival journals.
1. development of computer-based models of lead-free solder joints that connected a semiconductor package to a printed circuit board;
2. ability to predict how cracks grew through the solder joint interface capturing material microstructural effects such as intermetallics;
3. dissemination of this work at key international conferences in both Europe and the Far East and publications in archival journals.