Tuning the growth of intermetallic compounds at Sn-0.7Cu solder/Cu substrate interface by adding small amounts of indium

The void defect in intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer at the joints caused by inhomogeneous atomic diffusion is one of the most important factors limiting the further development of Sn-based solders. In this work, the thermodynamic stability of IMCs (high-temperature η-Cu6Sn5 and o-Cu3Sn phases) was improved by adding small amounts of indium (In), and the IMCs layers with moderate thickness, low defect concentrations and stable interface bonding were successfully obtained. The formation order of compounds and the interfacial orientation relationships in IMCs layers, the atomic diffusion mechanism, and the growth tuning mechanism of In on η-Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn, after In adding, were discussed comprehensively by combining calculations and experiments. It is the first time that the classic heterogeneous nucleation theory and CALPHAD data were used to obtain the critical nucleus radius of η-Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn, and to explain in detail the main factors affecting the formation order and location of IMCs at joints during the welding process. A novel and systematic growth model about IMCs layers in the case of doping with alloying elements was proposed. The growth tuning mechanism of In doping on η-Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn was further clarified based on the proposed model using first-principles calculations. The growth model used in this study can provide insights into the development and design of multielement Sn-based solders.