Modeling solder joint fatigue in combined environmental reliability tests with concurrent vibration and thermal cycling

In this paper we discuss the lifetime prediction for Pb-free soldered flip chip components under combined temperature cycling (TC) and vibration loading in terms of the failure mechanisms related to solder joint fatigue. We show the results of several experiments including failure analysis and comparison of lifetime models. For this purpose finite element analyses (FEA) of the thermal cycling and vibration load are carried out and the relevant damage parameters are extracted from these simulations. The results are used in the lifetime models to correlate experimental and predictive results. Shortcomings of the existing life prediction approaches are discussed and ways to improve lifetime prediction are suggested.