Method for forming solder bump interconnections to a solder-plated circuit trace

A method for forming a microelectronic component package comprising an integrated circuit component attached to a printed circuit board by a plurality of solder bump interconnections, said method comprising

• fabricating a printed circuit board comprising a solder-wettable metal trace affixed to a dielectric substrate, said trace comprising a plurality of terminals, each said terminal comprising a terminal pad adapted for bonding a said solder bump interconnection and a runner section connected to the pad for conducting electrical signals to and from the interconnection for processing by the component, said trace further comprising a solder plate overlying the terminals so as to extend continuously from each said pad onto the adjacent runner section and composed of a first tin-lead solder alloy having a melting temperature,
• attaching a plurality of solder bumps to a generally planar surface of the component, said component bumps being composed of a second tin-lead solder alloy compositionally distinct from said first alloy and having a melting temperature greater than the first alloy melting temperature, said solder bumps including a first series disposed in an arrangement superposable onto the board terminal pads and a second series disposed in an arrangement to avoid said terminal pads,
• superposing said component onto said board to form an assembly such that said first series bumps rest against the solder plate at the board terminal pads and said second series bumps overlie the substrate remote from said pads,
• heating the assembly to a temperature greater than the first solder alloy melting temperature and less than the second solder alloy melting temperature for a time sufficient to melt the solder plate to form a liquid solder phase in contact with the first series bumps, whereby said first series bumps partially dissolve into the liquid phase to lower said component toward said board, whereupon the second series bumps engage the substrate to support the component spaced apart from the substrate, and
• cooling to resolidify the solder phase to form a plurality of solder bump interconnections bonding the component to the board.

A method for forming a plurality of solder bump interconnections attaching an integrated circuit component to a printed circuit board, said printed circuit board comprising a metallic copper trace affixed to a dielectric substrate, said trace comprising a plurality of terminals, each said terminal comprising a terminal pad adapted for bonding a said solder bump interconnection and a runner section connected to the pad for conducting electrical signals to and from the interconnection for processing by the component,

• said component comprising a generally planar surface including a plurality of solder-wettable bond pads, said bond pads including a first series disposed in a pattern superposable onto the board terminal pads and a second series including at least four pads disposed in an pattern to overlie said substrate remote from the terminals of the component when said first series is superposed onto the terminal pads,
• said method comprising
• applying a copper plate to a generally planar surface of the substrate,
• applying a polymeric mask onto a region of the copper plate, said mask having openings for exposing said copper plate in a configuraton corresponding to the trace,
• electroplating a solder plate onto the exposed copper plate, said solder plate being formed of an alloy composed of between about 35 and 45 weight percent lead and the balance substantially tin,
• removing said mask to expose the copper at the region surrounding the solder plate,
• treating the copper plate with a copper etching solution to remove the copper from the region and expose the substrate, whereby the solder plate protects the underlying copper to define the trace,
• attaching a plurality of solder bumps to said component bond pads, said bumps being composed of an alloy composed of at least about 90 weight percent lead and having a melting temperature greater than the solder plate alloy melting temperature,
• superposing said component onto said board to form an assembly such that solder bumps affixed to said first series pads rest against the solder plate at the board terminal pads and said bumps affixed to the second series bond pads overlie the substrate remote from said terminal pads,
• heating the assembly to a temperature effective to melt the solder plate but less than the solder bump melting temperature for a time sufficient to melt the solder plate alloy to form a liquid phase that wets the first series solder bumps, said solder bump alloy partially dissolving into the liquid phase to lower the component toward the board, whereby said component is supported on the board by said second series bumps, and
• cooling to resolidify the solder alloy to form a plurality of solder bump interconnections bonding the component to the board.