Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of

Nanocrystalline Copper for Chip-toPackage Interconnects

Cody Jackson*
Dr. Ashok Saxena** (advisor), Rahul Rajgarhia** (graduate student)
*Arkansas Tech University, **University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Mechanical Engineering REU project presentation, July 23 2007

Outline
Background and Problem Statement
Proposed Solution
Experimental Procedure
Research Results
Discussion
Conclusions

Interconnects in Flip-Chip
Chip-to-package
interconnect
height

Silicon
Under fill
Substrate

pitch

Due to the mismatch in the CTE of substrate and chip, interconnects

experience cyclic stress (fatigue) due to fluctuations in current.

In mobile electronics (laptops etc.) there is a greater demand for reliable

interconnects due to possible damage when devices are dropped.

From the above discussion, the electrical and mechanical properties of

interconnects determine their feasibility for an application.

Source: Garner et al., Intel Technology Journal, v9, n4 (2005).

Current Technology

Lead solder is being gradually phased out due to environmental and

legal requirements.

Aluminum cannot meet the electrical requirements for fine pitch

interconnects.

Lead free solder also cannot meet the challenges of mechanical

reliability and electrical conductivity for pitch sizes ~ 20m (Aggarwal et
al., 2002)

There is a need to address the future challenges of reduced size of

electronic packaging, specifically:
1.

Mechanical reliability due the reduced size and increased stress

2.

Electrical conductivity (current density, efficiency)

3.

Environmental concerns and

4.

Reduced cost

Source: A. O. Aggarwal, P. Markondeya Raj, R. J. Pratap, A. Saxena, and R. R. Tummala, "Design and fabrication of high
aspect ratio fine pitch interconnects for wafer level packaging," 2002 IEEE Conference at Singapore, pp. 229-34 (2003)

Proposed solution

Nanocrystalline copper with grain size < 100nm

Higher mechanical strength than lead free solder and high cycle fatigue
resistance.

400

Stress (MPa)

Stress (MPa)

500

nanocrystalline copper

300

microcrystalline copper

200
100
0
0

0.005

0.01

0.015

Nanocrystalline Cu

Ultrafine grained Cu
Ultrafine grained Cu
Coarse grained Cu

0.02

Strain (mm/mm)

Tensile test

Nf (cycles to failure)

High-cycle fatigue resistance

Very good electrical conductivity

Source: S. Bansal, "Characterization of Nanostructured Metals and Metal Nanowires for Chip-To-Package Interconnections,"
in Materials Science and Engineering. Ph.D. dissertation, Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology, (2006).
Zama, S., D. F. Baldwin, et al. "Flip chip interconnect systems using copper wire stud bump and lead free solder." Electronics
Packaging Manufacturing, IEEE Transactions on 24(4): 261-268 (2001).

The Problem

For nanocrystalline Cu to be a potential material

for interconnects, it is critical to evaluate its
performance under cyclic stress.
Fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of
nanocrystalline Cu is not yet known.
Also, compare the results to FCG rate of
microcrystalline Cu

Research

Fatigue testing was conducted

on Cu101 (99.99%) and
nanocrystalline (NC) copper in a
2.2 kiP servo-hydraulic machine
made by Test Resources.

Cu101 was annealed at 500oC

for 50 min to normalize it.

Nanocrystalline Cu was
produced using Equal Channel
Extrusion Process

Tests were conducted as per E647-05 Standard Test Method for

Measurement of Fatigue Crack Growth Rates, ASTM International (2005). v 03.01.

Test specimen

The specimen type is Compact Tension (CT).

Specimens were designed as to ASTM E647.
a

1.2
5W

W = 0.8, B = 0.4, a/W = 0.25

Research cont.

Load, kN

Resolution = 0.001mm
Range = + 2 mm

Time, ms

The waveform used was sinusoidal.

All samples were pre-cracked to produce a

sharper initial crack.

Crack mouth opening (v) is measured using

an extensometer.

Compliance is calculated from the unloading

portion of the v/P plot using about 35 data
points.

Crack size (a) is calculated using the

measured compliance as per ASTM E647.

An average of 75 such crack size

measurements is taken for each data point
recorded.

Crack increments (a) of 0.25 mm are

recorded.

Research cont.
da dN vs K plot is known as
Paris Law.
When plotted on a log scale, there
is a linear segment known as the
Paris regime which allows the stress
intensity factor (K) to be related to
the sub-critical crack growth
independent of the specimen
geometry.
Using this plot, you can estimate
the life remaining in components due
to fatigue cracking.
Source: http://www.kuleuven.be/bwk/materials/Teaching/master/wg12/l1300.htm

Research cont.

Samples were pre-cracked at constant load.

Fatigue crack growth tests were conducted using

decreasing K method.

K K o exp( .a )
K = Kmax Kmin (applied stress intensity parameter)
Ko= intial K (constant for a test)
a = ao a (crack increment)
= -0.08 mm-1 (normalized K gradient)

Data Analysis

da
dN

The a vs. N plot was used to

calculate da/dN.
da/dN was then plotted
against the calculated K values.

Results

Results

Comparison

Crack Size Correction

To account for crack

tunneling, the crack was
visually measured.

The visual measurement

was compared with the
compliance measurement.

Conclusion

Due to increased demand for smaller, more portable electronic devices, current
interconnect technology is not sufficient.

To meet mechanical and electrical property requirements new materials are

needed for interconnects.

Nanocrystalline copper has a higher strength than microcrystalline copper and

appears to be a material which can meet the new demands.

Threshold values are very important because a common form of current

technology (e.g. laptops and cell phones) will normally undergo a number of fatigue
cycles that are in the threshold regime.

For example, a laptop may be turned on/off twice a day, five days a week, for five
years. This is a total of ~2600 cycles, on interconnects 25 x 10-3 mm. This gives
an approximate da/dN value of 9.6 x 10-6mm. Manufacturers can take estimates
similar to this and compare to current interconnect sizes to determine the
estimated life of certain components in their products.

Based on scenarios as before mentioned, it is important to know that through

fatigue crack growth testing, nanocrystalline copper has shown increased
resistance to fatigue crack growth, but with a slightly lower threshold value.

Acknowledgments

Dr. Saxena (advisor)

Rahul Rajgarhia (graduate student)

Jeff Evans

Sau Wee Koh

Jeff Knox

Dr. Zou

Henry Wang