Nanocopper Based Solder-Free Electronic Assembly

CuantumFuse nano copper material has been used to assemble functional LED test boards and a small camera board with a 48 pad CMOS sensor quad-flat no-lead chip and a 10 in flexible electronics demo. Drop-in replacement of solder, by use of stencil printing and standard surface mount technology equipment, has been demonstrated. Applications in space and commercial systems are currently under consideration. The stable copper-nanoparticle paste has been examined and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy; this has shown that the joints are nanocrystalline but with substantial porosity. Assessment of reliability is expected to be complicated by this and by the effects of thermal and strain-enhanced coarsening of pores. Strength, creep, and fatigue properties were measured and results are discussed with reference to our understanding of solder reliability to assess the potential of this nano-copper based solder alternative.