Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Ag addition in Sn on growth of SnTe compound during reaction between molten solder and tellurium

  • Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

SnTe is the most common compound formed at the bismuth telluride/metal soldered junction of thermoelectric modules. It affects the mechanical and electrical properties of the soldered junction. In the study we investigate the growth of SnTe compound during reaction between molten Sn–3.5Ag solder and tellurium at 250 °C. We found that the growth of SnTe is suppressed by Ag–Te bilayer compounds that block further reaction between liquid Sn and Te. With increasing reaction time, the SnTe morphology becomes rough as a result of coarsening of SnTe grains. The growth of SnTe grains follows the conservative ripening kinetics with the mean particle size proportional to one-third power of reaction time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C.N. Liao, C.H. Lee, W.J. Chen Effect of interfacial compound formation on electrical properties of solder-jointed bismuth telluride/copper junctions. Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 10, 23 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. M.L. Huang, T. Loeher, A. Ostmann, H. Reichi Role of Cu in dissolution kinetics of Cu metallization in molten Sn-based solders. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 181908 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. S.C. Hsu, S.J. Wang, C.Y. Liu Effect of Cu content on interfacial reactions between Sn(Cu) alloys and Ni/Ti thin-film metallization. J. Electron. Mater. 32, 1214 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. T.D. Alieva, B. BarkhalovSh., D. AbdinovSh. Structures and electrical-properties of interfaces between Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (Bi2Te2.7Se0.3) crystals and some alloys. Inorg. Mater. 31, 178 (1995)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. S.W. Chen, C.N. Chiu Unusual cruciform pattern interfacial reactions in Sn/Te couples. Scr. Mater. 56, 97 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. C.N. Liao, G.H. Lee Suppression of vigorous liquid Sn/Te reactions by Sn–Cu solder alloys. J. Mater. Res. 23, 3303 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. I. Karakaya, W.T. Thompson The Ag–Te (silver–tellurium) system. J. Phase Equilib. 12, 56 (1991)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. I. Barin, G. Platzki Thermochemical Data of Pure Substances (Wiley-VCH, New York 1995) 1556

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. H.K. Kim, H.K. Liou, K.N. Tu Three-dimensional morphology of a very rough interface formed in the soldering reaction between eutectic SnPb and Cu. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 2337 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H.K. Kim, K.N. Tu Kinetic analysis of the soldering reaction between eutectic SnPb alloy and Cu accompanied by ripening. Phys. Rev. B 53, 16027 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. K.N. Tu, J.W. Mayer, L.C. Feldman Electronic Thin Film Science for Electrical Engineers and Materials Scientists (Macmillan, New York 1992) 100

    Google Scholar 

  12. R.W. Balluffi, S.M. Allen, W.C. Carter Kinetics of Materials (Wiley, Hoboken, NJ 2005) Chap. 15

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan

    Chien-Neng Liao & Yen-Chun Huang

Authors
  1. Chien-Neng Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yen-Chun Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chien-Neng Liao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liao, CN., Huang, YC. Effect of Ag addition in Sn on growth of SnTe compound during reaction between molten solder and tellurium. Journal of Materials Research 25, 391–395 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0040

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0040

Search

Navigation