| Eutectic Sn-Ag solder joints with copper substrate with different joint geometries were subjected to isothermal aging, creep at room and elevated temperature, and thermomechanical fatigue (TMF). Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) studies reveal how the crystallographic orientations are correlated with microstructural features in the solder joints. Certain misorientations appear to be energetically favored during solidification, which have twin and Sigma boundary type relationships. Changes in the crystallographic orientations, grain size and misorientation angles between grains, occurring due to subsequent heating and/or deformation were documented and analyzed. This study shows that the lead-free solder joints are multi-crystals, so that deformation is very heterogeneous and sensitive to crystal orientation, strain and the temperature history. High temperature processes caused polygonization of dislocations into low angle grain boundaries that slid. Special boundaries also show sliding, which adds to the deformation. Mechanisms that cause grain boundary sliding and pop-up are presented and discussed. |
