Wetting behavior of lead-free solders on copper substrates

The effect of substrate surface roughness on the wetting behavior of Sn-0.7Cu and Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu solder alloys on copper (Cu) substrates was investigated. The contact angles of both solder alloys decreased with increase in substrate surface roughness. The exponential power law (EPL), φ = exp (-Kτ ⁿ), was used to model the relaxation behaviour of solders. Solder spreading kinetics was successfully represented by the (EPL). EPL parameters (K and n) alloy decreased with an increase in surface roughness. Spreading of solder alloys on both substrates exhibited capillary, gravity and viscous regimes. High spreading rates in the capillary regime, moderate in gravity regime and almost constant rates in viscous regimes were observed.