Solder alloy
An alloy suitable for use in a wave solder process, reflow soldering process, hot air levelling process or a ball grid array, the alloy comprising from 0.08-3 wt. % bismuth, from 0.15-1.5 wt. % copper, from 0.1-1.5 wt. % silver, from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus, from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium, from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium, from 0-0.3 wt. % one or more rare earth elements, from 0-0.3 wt. % indium, from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium, from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium, from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon, from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminum, from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc, and at least one of the following elements from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel, from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese, from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt, from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron, and from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium, and the balance tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
1. A lead-free alloy for use in an application selected from the applications consisting of a wave solder process, a reflow soldering process, a hot air levelling process, a ball grid array, and a chip scale package, the alloy comprising:
from 0.5-1.5 wt % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel;
wherein the alloy contains Bi and the Bi content does not exceed 1 wt %;
and optionally one or more of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
2. The lead-free alloy of claim 1 comprising:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth.
3. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.08 to 0.5 wt. % Bi.
4. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.08 to 0.3 wt. % Bi.
5. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.6 to 0.8 wt. % Cu.
6. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.5 to 0.9 wt. % Cu.
7. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.1 to 1 wt. % Ag.
8. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.1 to 0.5 wt. % Ag.
9. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.2 wt. % Ni.
10. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.1 wt. % Ni.
11. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.2 wt. % of the element selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, and combinations thereof.
12. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.1 wt. % of the element selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, and combinations thereof.
13. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.03 to 0.3 wt. % Ni.
14. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.03 to 0.1 wt. % Ni.
15. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.03 to 0.06 wt % Ni.
16. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.05 to 0.3 wt % Ni.
17. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.07 to 0.3 wt % Ni.
18. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.07 wt. % Co.
19. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.05 wt % Co.
20. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.08 wt. % Cr.
21. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.06 wt. % Cr.
22. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.3 wt. % Cr.
23. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.05 to 0.3 wt. % Cr.
24. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.02 to 0.1 wt % Fe.
25. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.01 to 0.15 wt. % Mn.
26. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.05 to 0.3 wt. % In.
27. The alloy of claim 2 comprising the following:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-1.5 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel;
from 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % Si.
28. The alloy of claim 2 comprising the following:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-1.5 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel;
from 0.008 to 0.3 wt. % Al.
29. The alloy of claim 2 comprising from 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % Zn.
30. The alloy of claim 2 comprising approximately 0.3 wt. % Ag, approximately 0.7 wt. % Cu, approximately 0.1 wt. % Bi, up to 0.1 wt. % Ni, and approximately 0.006 wt. % P.
31. The alloy of claim 2 comprising approximately 0.3 wt. % Ag, approximately 0.7 wt. % Cu, approximately 0.1 wt. % Bi, up to 0.1 wt. % Ni, and from 0.005 to 0.015 wt % Ge.
32. The alloy of claim 2 in a form selected from the group consisting of a bar, a stick, a solid wire, a flux cored wire, a foil, a strip, a powder, a paste of a blend of powder and flux, solder spheres for use in ball grid array joints, solder spheres for use in chip scale packages, and pre-formed solder pieces.
33. A soldered joint comprising the alloy of claim 2 .
34. The alloy of claim 2 consisting essentially of:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-1.5 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel;
and optionally one or more of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron,
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
35. The alloy of claim 2 consisting essentially of:
from 0.08-0.5 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-1 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.2 wt % nickel;
and optionally one or more of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron,
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
36. The alloy of claim 2 consisting essentially of:
from 0.08-0.3 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-0.9 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-0.5 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.1 wt % nickel;
and optionally one or more of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron,
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
37. The alloy of claim 2 consisting of:
from 0.08-0.3 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.5-0.9 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-0.5 wt. % silver;
from 0.02-0.1 wt % nickel;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
38. The alloy of claim 1 wherein the Bi content does not exceed 0.5 wt %.
39. The alloy of claim 1 wherein the Bi content does not exceed 0.4 wt %.
40. The alloy of claim 1 wherein the Bi content does not exceed 0.3 wt %.
41. A soldered joint comprising the alloy of claim 1 .
42. A lead-free alloy for use in an application selected from the applications consisting of a wave solder process, a reflow soldering process, a hot air levelling process, a ball grid array, and a chip scale package, the alloy comprising:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.15-1.5 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.005 to 0.3 wt % magnesium;
one or both of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel and/or
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron;
and optionally one or more of
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.
43. A lead-free alloy for use in an application selected from the applications consisting of a wave solder process, a reflow soldering process, a hot air levelling process, a ball grid array, and a chip scale package, the alloy comprising:
from 0.08-1 wt. % bismuth,
from 0.15-1.5 wt. % copper,
from 0.1-1.1 wt. % silver;
from 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % calcium;
one or both of
from 0.02-0.3 wt % nickel and/or
from 0.02-0.3 wt % iron;
and optionally one or more of
from 0-0.1 wt. % phosphorus,
from 0-0.1 wt. % germanium,
from 0-0.1 wt. % gallium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % of one or more rare earth elements,
from 0-0.3 wt. % indium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % magnesium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % calcium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % silicon,
from 0-0.3 wt. % aluminium,
from 0-0.3 wt. % zinc,
from 0.008-0.2 wt % manganese,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % cobalt,
from 0.01-0.3 wt % chromium, and
from 0.008-0.1 wt % zirconium;
and balance of tin, together with unavoidable impurities.