Solder interface locking using unidirectional growth of an intermetallic compound

• US 7,701,069 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Leong, Kum Foo, Chung, Chee Key, Tai, Siew Fong
• Primary Examiner(s): Louie; Wai-Sing
• Application Number:
  US10/610,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,486 Days
• Field of Search: 257/701, 257/706, 257/704, 257/752, 257/758, 257/778, 257/751, 257/787, 257/737, 257/738, 257/E23.01, 257/E21.476, 257/797, 257/678, 257/637, 257/774, 257/779, 257/782
• US Class Current: 257/779
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49816 Spherical bumps on the substrate for external connection, e.g. ball grid arrays [BGA]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0373 Conductors having a fine structure, e.g. providing a plurality of contact points with a structured tool providing micro- or nanometer scale roughness on a metal surface H05K2203/0307
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2081 Compound repelling a metal, e.g. solder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3452 Solder masks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3457 Solder materials or compositions; Methods of application thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A ball grid array device includes a substrate, further including a first major surface and a second major surface. An array of pads is positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface. At least some of the pads include a barrier layer having pores or openings therein. When solder is placed on the pad, the barrier layer forms an intermetallic compound at a rate different from the rate of the intermetallic compound formed between the pad and the solder. The result is a solder ball on a pad that has a first intermetallic compound and a second intermetallic compound.

Claims

1. A ball grid array device comprising:

a substrate, further including;

a first major surface; and

a second major surface; and

an array of pads positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface, at least some of the pads including a barrier layer thereon, the barrier layer made of a material that forms an intermetallic material with a solder, the barrier layer having a plurality of openings therein over the surface of at least one of the array of pads.

2. The ball grid array device of claim 1 wherein the barrier layer is made of a material different from the material of the at least some of the pads.

3. The bail grid array device of claim 1 further comprising a solder ball formed on the pads having barrier layers, wherein the barrier layer material forms a first intermetallic compound with the solder at a first rate, and the pad material forms a second intermetallic compound with the solder at a second rate.

4. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein the first rate is slower than the second rate.

5. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein the barrier layer is nickel and the pad material is copper.

6. The ball grid array device of claim 1 wherein the barrier layer has a plurality of substantially evenly spaced openings therein.

7. The ball grid array device of claim 6 wherein the openings in the barrier layer expose a portion of the pad in the range of 40% to 60%.

8. The ball grid array device of claim 6 wherein the diameter of the openings in the barrier layer are in the range of 6 μ

m to 10 μ

m.

9. The ball grid array device of claim 8 wherein the distance between the openings in the barrier layer is in the range of 100 μ

m to 125 μ

m.

10. The ball grid array device of claim 6 wherein the barrier layer has a thickness in the range of 2 μ

m to 3 μ

m.

11. The ball grid array device of claim 6 wherein the openings in the barrier layer are dimensioned so that the material of the pad beneath the barrier layer forms an intermetallic compound substantially orthogonal to the pad through the openings and beyond the barrier layer.

12. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein one of the first intermetallic compound or the second intermetallic compound forms a finger extending into the solderball further from the barrier than the other of the first intermetallic compound or the second intermetallic compound.

15. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein one of the first or second intermetallic compounds forms at least one structure that extends beyond the pad and into the other of the first or second intermetallic compounds.

16. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein one of the first or second intermetallic compounds forms a plurality of structures that extends beyond the pad and into the other of the first or second intermetallic compounds.

17. The ball grid array device of claim 16 wherein the plurality of structures that extend beyond the pad are substantially orthogonal to the pad.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 wherein the plurality of structures that extend beyond the pad are finger-like.

19. The ball grid array device of claim 1 wherein the barrier layer is substantially porous.

20. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein the first intermetallic compound and the second intermetallic compound forms an uneven joint between the pad and the solderball.

21. The ball grid array device of claim 3 wherein the first intermetallic compound and the second intermetallic compound join the pad and the solderball.

22. The ball grid array device of claim 1 wherein the barrier is deposited on at least one of the pads.

13. The ball grid array device comprising:

a substrate, further including;

a first major surface; and

a second major surface;

an array of pads positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface, at least some of the pads including a barrier layer,

a solderball formed on the pads having a barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a plurality of openings therein, the barrier layer material forming a first intermetallic compound with the solder at a first rate, and the pad material forming a second intermetallic compound with the solder at a second rate, and

wherein one of the first intermetallic compound and the second intermetallic compound forms a finger extending from the plurality of openings in the barrier layer and into the solderball further from the barrier than the other of the first intermetallic compound and the second intermetallic compound.

14. The ball grid array device of claim 13 wherein the material forming the barrier layer forms a first intermetallic compound with the solder at a first rate slower than the second rate.

23. A ball grid array device comprising:

a substrate, further including;

a first major surface; and

a second major surface; and

an array of pads positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface, at least some of the pads including;

a first material capable of forming a first intermetallic material with a solder; and

a second material capable of forming a second intermetallic material with the solder, the first and second material at the exposed surface of the pad.

24. The bail grid array device of claim 23 wherein the first material and the second material are metals.

25. The ball grid array device of claim 23 further comprising a solder ball of solder formed on the pads having a first material and second material, wherein the first material forms a first intermetallic compound with the solder at a first rate, and the pad material forms a second intermetallic compound with the solder at a second rate.