Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
The Theory Behind Tin Whisker Phenomena, Part 2
July 14, 2015 | Dr. Jennie S. Hwang, H-Technologies GroupEstimated reading time: 1 minute
As teed up in Part 1 of this series, a plausible theory of tin whisker growth can be postulated through deliberating the combination and confluence of several key metallurgical processes.
These key processes include:
- Grain boundary movement and grain growth
- Energy dynamic of free surface
- Solubility and grain growth in response to external temperature
- Role of recrystallization
- Lattice vs. grain boundary diffusion
- Crystal structure and defects
- Reaction and dynamic of intermetallic compounds
In response to external factors, these processes, operating sequentially and in parallel, drive intrinsic structural changes leading to the conditions that nurture whisker growth.
Grain boundary movement and growth
Grain growth cannot occur without the movement of grain boundaries, but its movement is not easy to predict. Thus, grain boundary (g.b.) is a critical, yet elusive character to the behavior of materials. Adding to the elusiveness of g.b., the provenance of the material history needs to be established before embarking on a detailed mechanical and microstructural characterization.
It often takes advanced equipment and analyses to identify g.b. and its movement. To uncover texture and grain boundary crystallography and to identify phases, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive Xray spectroscopy (EDS) are the useful analytical tools. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron probe are the tools to reveal dislocation structures and grain boundary sergeant structures. Additionally, a scanning electron microscope-focused ion beam (SEM-FIB) system enables the analyses of atomic layers in nanoscale. Complementarily, these analyses pave the groundwork for the engineering of grain and interphase boundaries.
If you missed Part 1, click here.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2015 issue of SMT Magazine.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Tin Whisker Self-Mitigation in Surface Mount Components Attached with Leaded Solder Alloys
10/06/2015 | By Thomas Hester and David Pinsky, Raytheon CompanyThis article provides the findings of a lengthy project of soldering electronic components with pure tin finishes with lead-containing solder for the attachment. The object of the project was to determine the conditions under which sufficient alloying of the pure tin finish by lead in the solder is achieved for the purpose of whisker suppression.
Minimizing the Risk of Tin Whisker Formation in Lead-Free Assemblies
02/24/2015 | Mitch Holtzer, AlphaAlthough tin whiskers are very small crystalline fibers, they have reportedly caused multiple NASA satellites to become inoperable, automotive accelerator pedals to become unusable and a nuclear reactor to malfunction. The risk, however, can be minimized by specifying material sets that are less likely to produce tin whiskers.