Modified Engelmaier’s model taking account of different stress levels

Abstract In this paper, the solder fatigue model created by Werner Engelmaier is modified so that it takes better into account the different stress levels the solder material experiences. This is accomplished by replacing the fatigue ductility constant by a correction term that is temperature- excursion- range-dependent. In order to obtain the correction term, the effect of the temperature cycling profile on lifetime is studied. The correction term obtained is package type specific. More compliant plastic packages with a small coefficient of expansion mismatch with the organic printed wiring board are handled separately, and stiff ceramic packages assembled on an organic board – resulting in a large CTE mismatch – are considered as another entity. Correction terms for both lead-free and tin–lead solder materials are given. This is necessary as the creep characteristics of the solders are different. Comparing solder material specific correction terms makes it possible to determine which solder material performs best in a certain environment and a given assembly type. In the case of ceramic packages, the transition where a eutectic tin–lead solder becomes superior to a SnAgCu solder is expected to take place when temperature excursions are smaller than ca. 70 °C. This indicates that although in a highly accelerated stress test, lead-free solders may be inferior compared to tin–lead solders, in the real field environment, the situation may be reversed.