Whisker formation from SnAgCu alloys and tin platings - review on the latest results

The appearance of tin whiskers represent a highly important reliability issue at lead free soldering technology, because after the final testing and check in the electronics assembly line, it takes months or years for them to grow and to finally cause a failure. To avoid this hidden mechanism, investigations have to be made to determine the whiskering tendency of different materials at different conditions and loads. The paper gives an overview of the latest knowledge about whisker formation, the yet tested factors which might influence their growth. Finally, some open questions are determined for future experiments.