Abstract
Electroless Ni/Au or electroless Ni/Pd/Au plating is widely used as surface finishing for electronics assembly. Conventional electroless Ni plating films contain small amounts of lead derived from additives in their plating baths. However, it is expected that lead-free electroless nickel plating will be required if stricter environmental regulations are in force. In this study, the reliability of solder joints with lead-free electroless Ni/Au and Ni/Pd/Au plating was investigated. It was found that certain factors, such as Ni corrosion pitting and the behavior of the IMC (thickness, ratio of components and shape), affect the reliability of the lead-free solder joint in complex ways. Moreover, it was confirmed that these factors vary with the amount of additives (bismuth and sulfur) incorporated into these lead-free plating films.
