An extensive finite element modeling and experimental testing program has been carried out to determine the most optimum design parameters for solder joints in surface mount applications. Although the analysis and testing (power cycling and thermal cycling) has been carried out for a variety of package styles, particular attention will be paid to the result for leadless ceramic chip carriers. This package is particularly useful in certain high performance military and commercial applications. Analysis and experimentation indicate that increased fatigue life under power cycling can be attained by fabricating solder joints with large fillets and low standoff heights. The large fillet geometry significantly reduces harmful stress concentrations while increasing the net cross-sectional area within the joint. Both factors tend to improve the fracture toughness of the joint. The temperature and frequency dependencies of solder joint fatigue life under power cycling testing is discussed. The observed frequency dependence can be minimized by eliminating harmful tensile strain components thus reducing harmful stress relaxation and tensile induced oxygen embrittlement of grain boundaries. Temperature cycling studies indicate joints with slightly higher standoffs and low fillet angles are more resistant to cyclic fatigue than pillar type joints which tend to focus shear strains at the interfaces. Solder joints can be tapered to improve overall reliability but, in most cases, tapering will provide only a small increase in fracture toughness of the joint through the elimination of stress concentrations. Additional fatigue life increases can be obtained only through an enlargement of the joint cross-sectional area. Aspects of the above results will be presented in detail along with design guidelines for creating high reliability solder joints for various application scenarios.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
June 1990
Research Papers
Solder Joint Reliability — Design Implications From Finite Element Modeling and Experimental Testing
H. K. Charles, Jr.,
H. K. Charles, Jr.
The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
Search for other works by this author on:
G. V. Clatterbaugh
G. V. Clatterbaugh
The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
Search for other works by this author on:
H. K. Charles, Jr.
The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
G. V. Clatterbaugh
The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
J. Electron. Packag. Jun 1990, 112(2): 135-146 (12 pages)
Published Online: June 1, 1990
Article history
Received:
April 6, 1990
Online:
April 28, 2008
Citation
Charles, H. K., Jr., and Clatterbaugh, G. V. (June 1, 1990). "Solder Joint Reliability — Design Implications From Finite Element Modeling and Experimental Testing." ASME. J. Electron. Packag. June 1990; 112(2): 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2904354
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Enhancing Image Segmentation Model in Computing Void Percentage with Mask RCNN
J. Electron. Packag
Optimization of Micropillars Electroplating Bonding Processes and Additives
J. Electron. Packag (June 2025)
Microbead Encapsulation for Protection of Electronic Components
J. Electron. Packag (June 2025)
Related Articles
A Nonlinear Multi-Domain Stress Analysis Method for Surface-Mount Solder Joints
J. Electron. Packag (June,1996)
Effect of Chip and Pad Geometry on Solder Joint Formation in SMT
J. Electron. Packag (December,1993)
Nonlinear Analysis of Full-Matrix and Perimeter Plastic Ball Grid Array Solder Joints
J. Electron. Packag (September,1997)
Influence of Surface Mount Lead End Geometry on Fatigue Life
J. Electron. Packag (June,1994)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Analysis of Components in VIII-2
Guidebook for the Design of ASME Section VIII Pressure Vessels, Third Edition
Characterization of a Perchlorate Contaminated Site
Intelligent Engineering Systems through Artificial Neural Networks Volume 18
Experience in Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness Testing Per ASTM Method E 399
Developments in Fracture Mechanics Test Methods Standardization