The effect of substrate on the microstructure and creep of eutectic In-Sn

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to determine and understand the effect of substrate on the behavior of eutectic In-Sn. Samples for mechanical testing were produced with either bare Cu or Ni on Cu substrates. Both the microstructure and the mechanical behavior are strongly dependent on substrate. When eutectic In-Sn is joined to bare Cu, Cu diffusion into the joint causes the alloy to become off-eutectic, giving a nonuniform and irregular microstructure. The addition of a layer of Ni acts as a diffusion barrier, preventing Cu diffusion sufficiently such that a uniform, normal colony-based eutectic forms. Deformation is more uniform in the In-Sn on Ni, while it is concentrated along the length of the joint in the In-Sn on Cu. This distinction is reflected in the different shapes of shear stress-strain curves between In-Sn on Cu and In-Sn on Ni. The stress exponents and activation energies for creep also vary with substrate. Creep deformation is governed by the In-rich β phase for In-Sn on Cu and by the Sn-rich γ phase for In-Sn on Ni. If In-Sn on Ni samples are aged, the microstructure coarsens and the mechanical behavior changes to resemble that of the as-cast In-Sn on Cu.