Environmentally friendly electronics for high reliability

In 2006 when the European Unionpsilas RoHS Regulation went into effect, a number of global firms who produce high-reliability products such as servers and telecommunication equipment had decided to take the exemption allowed for Pb containing solders in these applications. As a result they had not completed the tests necessary to prove the reliability of Tin Silver Copper (SAC) alloys in these applications. In 2007 it became apparent to many of these firms that they could no longer procure components with traditional SnPb surface finishes, and thus they faced an unknown reliability risk. In 2006 iNEMI had begun a study to evaluate the reliability of ldquoPb-Free BGAs in SnPb Assemblies.rdquo This paper will report on the results of this initial study and will then report on several studies currently under way to evaluate the reliability of new green-materials in high-reliability applications.