Multiscale microstructural characterization of Sn-rich alloys by three dimensional (3D) X-ray synchrotron tomography and focused ion beam (FIB) tomography

Sn-rich (Pb-free) alloys serve as electrical and mechanical interconnects in electronic packaging. It is critical to quantify the microstructures of Sn-rich alloys to obtain a fundamental understanding of their properties. In this work, the intermetallic precipitates in Sn–3.5Ag and Sn–0.7Cu, and globular lamellae in Sn–37Pb solder joints were visualized and quantified using 3D X-ray synchrotron tomography and focused ion beam (FIB) tomography. 3D reconstructions were analyzed to extract statistics on particle size and spatial distribution. In the Sn–Pb alloy the interconnectivity of Sn-rich and Pb-rich constituents was quantified. It will be shown that multiscale characterization using 3D X-ray and FIB tomography enabled the characterization of the complex morphology, distribution, and statistics of precipitates and contiguous phases over a range of length scales.