Gain Knowledge on Solder Joint Reliability and the Role of Intermetallics to the Reliability of electronics at SMTA International Conference Virtual On-Demand Programs on November 15 and 16, 2021.

Solder joint reliability plays a critical role in the reliability of the entire spectrum of end-use electronic products from consumer to industrial, from computing to IoT, from medical to military applications. In lead-free electronics, intermetallic compounds become increasingly important to the performance and reliability of solder interconnections in the chip level, package level and board level. Understanding the essential fundamentals and key factors behind intermetallics and solder joint reliability is a necessity to designing and manufacturing reliable products.

On Monday and Tuesday, November 15 and 16, Dr Jennie S. Hwang leverages her decades of comprehensive real-world experiences and deep knowledge to address solder joint reliability (PDC 3) and the role of intermetallic compounds (PDC 8) by integrating scientific fundamentals with practical requirements. Join your industry colleagues to hear the true authority in solder joint reliability. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own selected systems for deliberation.

Further information: Ryan@smta.org or karlie@smta.org

PDC 3: “Solder Joint Reliability – Principle and Practice”

Monday, November 15, 2021

Course Objectives

Emphasizing on practical, working knowledge, yet balanced and substantiated with science, the course provides a holistic view of the important aspects of solder joint reliability including the critical “players” (e.g., manufacturing process, PCB/component coating surface finish, solder alloys); and highlights the fundamentals in fatigue and creep damage mechanisms via ductile, brittle, ductile-brittle fracture. Likely solder joint failure modes of interfacial, near-interfacial, bulk, inter-phase, intra-phase, voids-induced and surface cracks will be illustrated. To withstand harsh environments, the strengthening metallurgy to further increase fatigue resistance, and the power of metallurgy and its ability to anticipate the relative performance will be illustrated by contrasting the comparative performance vs. metallurgical phases and microstructure. The question on whether existing life-prediction models can assure reliability will be highlighted. A relative reliability ranking among commercially available solder systems including newer lead-free alloys (“Low Temperature Solder”), as well as the scientific, engineering and manufacturing reasons behind the ranking will be outlined. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own selected systems for deliberation.

Topics Covered

Premise – what is reliability? What are critical players?

Solder joint fundamentals - thermo-mechanical degradation – strength, fatigue and creep interaction;
Solder joint failures modes - interfacial, near-interfacial, bulk, inter-phase, intra-phase, voids-induced, surface-crack, and others;
Solder joint failure mechanisms – ductile, brittle, ductile-brittle transition fracture;
Solder joint strengthening metallurgy;
Solder joint voids vs. reliability - effects, criteria;
Solder joint surface-crack –causes, effects;
Distinctions and commonalties between Pb-free and SnPb solder joints;
Thermal cycling conditions - effects on test results and test results interpretation;
Testing solder joint reliability – discriminating tests and discerning parameters;
Life-prediction model vs. reliability;
Solder joint performance in harsh environments;
“Low Temperature Solder” and SnCu+ x, y, z and SnAgCu + x, y, z systems with dopants;
Best practices and competitive manufacturing;
Summary.

PDC 8: “Reliability of Electronics – Role of Intermetallic Compounds”

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Course Objectives

Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) play an increasingly critical role to the performance and reliability of solder interconnections in the chip level, package level and board level of lead-free electronics. This course covers the relevant and important aspects of intermetallic compounds ranging from scientific fundamentals to practical application scenarios. IMCs before solder joint formation, during solder joint formation, and after solder joint formation in storage and during service will be examined. Intermetallics at-interface and in-bulk, as well as the role of PCB surface finish/component coating in relation to intermetallics, in turn, to reliability will be discussed. The difference between SnPb and Pb-free solder joint in terms of intermetallic compounds, which affects production-floor phenomena and the actual field failure, will be outlined. The course will also address the relevant aspects of low-temperature solders and other newer lead-free alloys that were recently introduced to the market. Attendees are welcome to bring their own selected systems for deliberation.

Main topics:

Intermetallic compounds – definition, fundamentals, characteristics;
Phase diagrams of Pb-free vs. SnPb;
Intermetallic compounds in the intrinsic material- Pb-free vs. SnPb;
Formation and growth during production process and product service life;
Intermetallic compounds - at-interface vs. in-bulk;
Failure phenomena as the result of IMCs;
Effects from substrate compositions (hybrid module thick film pads, PCB surface finish, component surface coating);
Gold embrittlement;
Different types of intermetallic compounds – effects on solder joint reliability (Ni/Au, Ni/Pd/Au, Ni/Pd, Cu);
SAC alloys incorporated with various doping elements – characteristics, performance;
“Low-Temperature” solders – critical areas to product reliability;
Effects on failure mode;
Effects on reliability.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Hwang, a pioneer and long-standing leader in lead-free electronics, brings her 35+ years SMT manufacturing experience coupled with her sustained 25+ years lead-free R&D and hands-on production implementation to the courses. She has been a major contributor to the implementation of Surface Mount manufacturing since its inception through hands-on production and as an advisor to OEMs, EMS and U.S. Dept. of Defense. She has provided solutions to many challenging problems, ranging from production yield to field failure diagnosis to most challenging reliability issues.  Her work covers both commercial and military applications.

Her long list of clients ranges from many Fortune 100 companies to private boutique manufacturers. Her recent assignment has led her client to achieve a higher than 99.9% production first-pass yield from below 50%. She has also solved the reportedly toughest reliability issues in high reliability products, as well as eliminated production defects for low-cost consumer products through process optimization and materials improvements.

Dr. Hwang’s SMT manufacturing experiences and problem-solving track record culminate in the publication of the very first book on the subject of ‘SMT Solder Paste – Technology and Application”, and the books entitled:  "Modern Solder Technology for Competitive Electronics Manufacturing" and "IC Ball Grid Array & Fine Pitch Peripheral Interconnections.” Her sustained leadership in lead-free R&D and hands-on production implementation are reflected in her authoring the groundbreaking books on the subject of lead-free technology and manufacturing, respectively, entitled: “Environment-Friendly Electronics—Lead Free Technology” and “Implementation of Lead-free electronics manufacturing”.

She holds patents and is the sole author of several internationally-used textbooks and 600+ publications to her credit.  Her books, columns, and publications have been widely cited worldwide over decades. Dr. Hwang has been a frequent keynote/featured speaker at worldwide events (United States Patent and Trademark Office, Federal Women’s Program, university commencement speech, numerous industry events). Over the years, she has lectured to hundreds of thousands of professionals and researchers in professional development courses. As a columnist for the SMT magazine for the last 30+ years, she addresses the current issues, providing solutions and worldviews.      

Additionally, she has served on the Board of NYSE Fortune 500 companies and on various civic, government and university boards and committees, including U.S. Commerce Dept. - Export Council; U.S. Defense Dept. - Globalization Committee, Forecasting Future Disruptive Technologies Committee, NIST Assessment Panel and the Assessment Panel on U.S. Army Research Laboratory. She has served on the Board of Army Science and Technology, the National Materials and Manufacturing Board. She currently chairs the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board, the Assessment Board of Army Engineering Centers, and National Laboratory Assessment Board. She is a reviewer of various government programs and is prolific writer and speaker on the topics of trade, business, education and social agenda.

Among her many awards and honors are the U.S. Congressional citations of recognition and achievement; Honorary Doctoral degree; induction into Women in Technology International Hall of Fame; named “R&D Star-to-Watch” (Industry Week); YWCA Women of Achievement Award; election to the National Academy of Engineering. She was featured as one of the ten luminaries in the inaugural volume: “Road to Scientific Success - Inspiring Life Stories of Prominent Researchers”, published by World Scientific Publications.

Her formal education includes four academic degrees (Ph.D. M.S., M.S., B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Physical Chemistry, Liquid Crystals Science, Chemistry, respectively), Harvard Business School Executive Program and Columbia University Business School Corporate Governance program. She has held various senior executive positions with Lockheed Martin Corp., Hanson PLC (SCM Corp,) Sherwin Williams Co, and CEO of International Electronic Materials Corp. She is currently a principal of H-Technologies Group, providing business, technology and manufacturing solutions. She is also an invited distinguished adj. Professor of Engineering School of Case Western Reserve University, and serves on the University’s Board of Trustees.

She has established endowment funds at her alma maters, dedicating to interdisciplinary education and to acquiring global exposures. The Dr. Jennie S. Hwang YWCA award, now for 20 years running, is established in her honor, recognizing outstanding women students pursuing a STEM discipline. The Dr. Jennie S. Hwang Endeavors Fund was established at the National Academy of Engineering, which supports high school and college students to enhance exposure to diverse and/or international perspectives in engineering education, networking, and the profession.

Her books and publications are well received worldwide, which have been the widely adopted textbooks throughout the global industry over three decades.

(ISBN-0-07-143048-2) “Lead-free Implementation: A Guide to Manufacturing” McGraw-Hill, New York, 2005;
(ISBN: 9780901150400) “Environment-Friendly Electronics—Lead Free Technology”, Electrochemical Publications, LTD, Great Britain, 2001;
(ISBN-0-07-031749-3) "Modern Solder Technology for Competitive Electronics Manufacturing", McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996;
(ISBN-0-90-115029-0)"IC Ball Grid Array & Fine Pitch Peripheral Interconnections”, Electrochemical Publications, LTD, Great Britain, 1995;
In Japanese, "Solder Paste: Technology and Applications for Surface Mount, Hybrid Circuits, and IC Component Manufacturing", Industrial Research, Japan 1990;
(ISBN-0442-2075-49) "Solder Paste: Technology and Applications for Surface Mount, Hybrid Circuits, and IC Component Manufacturing", Van Norstrand Reinhold, New York, 1988, currently by Springer Science & Business Media, LLC. http://www.springer.com/us/book/9789401160520