Abstract
Growth kinetics of Cu 6 Sn 5 and Cu 3 Sn compounds in Cu/Sn thin film couples was studied by in situ resistivity measurements and X-ray diffraction analysis. The Cu 6 Sn 5 and Cu 3 Sn intermetallic compounds were found to form in sequence when the Cu/Sn bimetallic samples were isochronally annealed from room temperature to 220 °C. A kinetic model was presented to explain sequential appearance of the Cu 6 Sn 5 phase and the Cu 3 Sn phase during the isochronal annealing process. The activation energies of Cu 6 Sn 5 and Cu 3 Sn compound growth in Cu/Sn thin film couples were determined from the in situ resistivity measurements to be 0.87 eV and 1.05 eV, respectively. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.