# US 10,500,680 B2 · Solder alloy, solder ball, and solder joint

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- Number: US 10,500,680 B2
- Document ID: US10500680B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/780,543
- Filed: 2017-09-12
- Published: 2018-12-20
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-13
- Assignees: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ken Tachibana; Hikaru Nomura; Yuki Iijima; Takashi Saito; Takahiro Yokoyama; Shunsaku Yoshikawa; Naoko Izumita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500680B2

## CPC

- B23K 35/262: {Sn as the principal constituent}
- B23K 35/0244: {Powders, particles or spheres; Preforms made therefrom}
- C22C 13/00: Alloys based on tin
- C22C 13/02: with antimony or bismuth as the next major constituent
- H05K 3/346: Solder materials or compositions specially adapted therefor
- H05K 3/3465: Application of solder
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

A solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, in mass %: Bi: 0.1% or more and less than 2.0%, Cu: 0.1 to 1.0%, Ni: 0.01 to 0.20%, Ge: 0.006 to 0.09%, and Co: 0.003% or more and less than 0.05%, and optionally Fe: 0.005 to 0.015% and P: 0.1% or less, with the balance being Sn.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solder alloy consisting of, in mass %:
Bi: 0.1% or more and less than 2.0%;
Cu: 0.1 to 1.0%;
Ni: 0.01 to 0.20%;
Ge: 0.006 to 0.09%;
Co: 0.003% or more and less than 0.05%;
P: 0.1% or less; and
optionally Fe: 0.005 to 0.15%, with the balance being Sn, wherein
the alloy composition satisfies the following relation (1) and relation (2):
72×10−6≤Ge/Sn≤920×10−6 (1)
0.027≤(Bi×Ge)/(Cu×Ni)≤2.4 (2)
where in the relation (1) and the relation (2), Bi, Ge, Cu, Ni and Sn each represents a content (mass %) in the solder alloy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein P is 0 mass %.

### Claim 3

A solder alloy consisting of, in mass %:
Bi: 0.1% or more and less than 2.0%;
Cu: 0.1 to 1.0%;
Ni: 0.01 to 0.20%;
Ge: 0.006 to 0.09%; and
optionally P: 0.1% or less, with the balance being Sn, wherein
the alloy composition satisfies the following relation (1) and relation (2):
72×10−6≤Ge/Sn≤920×10−6 (1)
0.027≤(Bi×Ge)/(Cu×Ni)≤2.4 (2)
where in the relation (1) and the relation (2), Bi, Ge, Cu, Ni and Sn each represents a content (mass %) in the solder alloy.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein Fe is 0% and P is 0.1% or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, which is for use in an electronic device including a joint through which a current is caused to flow at a current density of 5 kA/cm2 to 100 kA/cm2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A solder ball consisting of the solder alloy according to claim 1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A solder joint comprising the solder alloy according to claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein Fe is 0.005 to 0.015% in mass.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The solder alloy according to claim 3, wherein P is 0.1% or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The solder alloy according to claim 3, which is for use in an electronic device including a joint through which a current is caused to flow at a current density of 5 kA/cm2 to 100 kA/cm2.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

A solder ball consisting of the solder alloy according to claim 3.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

A solder joint comprising the solder alloy according to claim 3.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein Bi is 0.1% or more and less than 1.9% in mass.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein Co is 0.003% or more and less than 0.047% in mass.

### Claim 15 (depends on 3)

The solder alloy according to claim 3, wherein Bi is 0.1% or more and less than 1.9% in mass.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The solder alloy according to claim 1, wherein
Bi is 0.1% or more and less than 1.9% in mass, and
Co is 0.003% or more and less than 0.047% in mass.