Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Ecological solutions for replacing toxic lead-based solders in the electronics industry are
sought worldwide for applications in biomedical, space, and warfare technologies.
Unfortunately, a host of problems exist with lead-free solders, the most notable being metallic
whisker growth. Metallic whiskers, which fonTI under nonnal service conditions, typically cause
short circuit failures due to the growth of whiskers across electrical leads -failures that lead to
unpredictability, unreliability, economic losses, and potential loss of life. With advances in the
miniaturization of electronics, the whisker growth phenomenon promises to be a significant
problem to solve in order to succeed in the manufacture of nanoelectronics.
Understanding whisker growth is a critical problem for global and Kentucky industries
that need to achieve prime reliance in the next generation oflead-free solders. To date, there are
many hypotheses, but no widely accepted mechanisms, for whisker fonnation and growth. The
lack of understanding concerning whiskers is partly due to the fact that whisker growth has not
yet been extensively studied under service conditions.
The underlying theme of this project is the discovery of materials science based
knowledge that will aid in whisker abatement strategies in future lead-free based solders, and in
the controlled growth of whiskers for use as electrical leads in nanoelectronics. This project has
three specific aims: 1) gain fundamental microstructure-based understanding of the nucleation
and growth mechanisms of metallic whiskers in lead-free solders under approximated service
conditions (e.g. mechanical stress and electric current); 2) quantify and model the kinetics of
whisker growth; 3) help to build a future workforce vital to the US technology industry by
training graduate students in microelectromechanics of materials with experimental and
numerical simulation skills essential for the characterization and design of electronic materials.
The results will help researchers at the University of Kentucky seek federal funding to
establish a strong research team specializing in the area of advanced manufacture of electronic
materials.
Keywords: Microelectronics; Electrical Interconnections; Whisker nucleation and growth;
Whisker abatement; Device lifetime extension
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 1/1/07 → 3/31/10 |
Funding
- KY Science and Technology Co Inc: $98,767.00
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