Observation of amorphous chromium in modified C4 flip chip solder joints after thermal stress testing

Flip chip reliability was evaluated using thermal stress tests at 150 deg. C. Electrical failures of flip chip devices were found to occur at the solder/under-bump-metallization interface by forming a porous amorphous chromium layer. The formation of the porous amorphous layer responsible for electrical failures resulted from the outdiffusion of copper atoms from a copper-chromium co-deposit, used as one of the under-bump-metallization layers. A strong interaction of Cu with the Sn component of the solder is the driving force of the Cu outdiffusion