Effect of adding Sb on microstructure and adhesive strength of Sn-Ag solder joints

This study investigates the influence of adding Sb on the microstructure and adhesive strength of the Sn3.5Ag solder. Both solidus and liquidus temperatures increase as Sb additions increase. Adding 1.5wt.%Sb leads to the narrowest range (6.6°C) between the solidus and liquidus temperature of the solder. Adding Sb decomposes the as-soldered ringlike microstructure of Sn3.5Ag and causes solid-solution hardening. The as-soldered hardness increases with increasing Sb addition. For long-term storage, adding Sb reduces the size of the rodlike Ag3Sn compounds. The hardness also increases with increasing Sb addition. Adding Sb depresses the growth rate of interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layers, but the difference between 1% and 2% Sb is not distinct. For mechanical concern, adding Sb improves both adhesive strength and thermal resistance of Sn3.5Ag, where 1.5% Sb has the best result. However, adding Sb causes a variation in adhesive strength during thermal storage. The more Sb is added, the higher the variation reveals, and the shorter the storage time requires. This strength variation helps the solder joints to resist thermal storage.