Thermodynamic understanding of Sn whisker growth on the Cu surface in Cu(top)-Sn(bottom) bilayer system upon room temperature aging

Journal Article · Sun Jun 07 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922243· OSTI ID:22412894

Huang, Lin; Jian, Wei; Lin, Bing; Wang, Jiangyong ^[1]; Wen, Yuren ^[2]; Gu, Lin ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, Shantou University, 243 Daxue Road, Shantou, 515063 Guangdong (China)
2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031 Jiangxi (China)
3. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190 Beijing (China)

Sn whiskers are observed by scanning electron microscope on the Cu surface in Cu(top)-Sn(bottom) bilayer system upon room temperature aging. Only Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} phase appears in the X-ray diffraction patterns and no Sn element is detected in the Cu sublayer by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Based on the interfacial thermodynamics, the intermetallic Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} compound phase may form directly at the Sn grain boundary. Driven by the stress gradient during the formation of Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} compound at Sn grain boundaries, Sn atoms segregate onto the Cu surface and accumulate to form Sn whisker.

• OSTI ID: 22412894
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 21; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COPPER
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STRESSES
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THERMODYNAMICS
TIN
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
WHISKERS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION