Coated solder spheres and method for producing the same

Abstract

Solder spheres which can avoid blackening during transportation have a substantially uniform coating of a lubricant on the surfaces thereof. They are produced by dipping freshly prepared solder spheres in a lubricant solution with a concentration of from 10 ppm to 1000 ppm followed by collection of the spheres and drying. The lubricant is preferably selected from an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant, a higher fatty alcohol or acid lubricant, a fatty acid amide lubricant, a metal soap lubricant, a fatty acid ester lubricant, a fluoroplastic lubricant, a silicone lubricant, and a combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
      
       1. Solder spheres having a substantially uniform coating of a lubricant on the surfaces thereof. 
      
     
     
      
       2. The solder spheres according to  claim 1  wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant, a higher fatty alcohol or acid lubricant, a fatty acid amide lubricant, a metal soap lubricant, a fatty acid ester lubricant, a fluoroplastic lubricant, a silicone lubricant, and a combination thereof. 
      
     
     
      
       3. A method for producing solder spheres coated with a lubricant, which comprises dipping solder spheres in a solution of a lubricant dissolved in an organic solvent with a concentration of from 10 ppm to 1000 ppm, removing the solder spheres from the solution, and volatilizing the solvent remaining on the solder spheres to form a substantially uniform lubricant coating on the surfaces of the solder spheres. 
      
     
     
       4. The A method according to  claim 3  for producing solder spheres coated with a lubricant, which comprises:
 dipping solder spheres in a solution of a lubricant dissolved in an organic solvent with a concentration of from 10 ppm to 1000 ppm, 
 removing the solder spheres from the solution, and 
 volatilizing the solvent remaining on the solder spheres to form a substantially uniform coating consisting of a lubricant on the surfaces of the solder spheres, wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant, a higher fatty alcohol or acid lubricant, a fatty acid amide lubricant, a metal soap lubricant, a fatty acid ester lubricant, a fluoroplastic lubricant, a silicone lubricant, and a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 3  wherein the solder spheres are freshly prepared solder spheres. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 3  wherein the solder spheres are removed from the lubricant solution by centrifugation. 
     
     
      
       7. A substrate for mounting an electronic component, said substrate having solder bumps formed from the solder spheres according to  claim 1  on the surface thereof. 
      
     
     
      
       8. A process for forming solder bumps on a substrate for mounting an electronic component, which comprises placing the solder spheres according to  claim 1  on the surface of the substrate and heating the substrate to cause the solder spheres placed thereon to melt and form solder bumps bonded to the substrate. 
      
     
     
      
       9. The process according to  claim 8  wherein the substrate used for placement of the solder spheres has a surface coating of a soldering flux in those areas on which the solder spheres are to be placed. 
      
     
     
       10. A solder sphere composition comprising lubricant coated solder spheres consisting of solder spheres each having the same diameter and a substantially uniform coating consisting of a lubricant on each of the surfaces of the solder spheres, wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant, a higher fatty alcohol lubricant, a higher fatty acid lubricant, a fatty acid amide lubricant, a metal soap lubricant, a fatty acid ester lubricant, a fluoroplastic lubricant, a silicone lubricant, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       11. The solder sphere composition according to claim 10 wherein the lubricant is stearamide. 
     
     
       12. The solder sphere composition according to claim 10 wherein the diameter is 0.76 mm. 
     
     
       13. The solder sphere composition according to claim 10 wherein the diameter is 0.15 mm. 
     
     
       14. The solder sphere composition according to claim 10 wherein the diameter is 0.1 mm. 
     
     
       15. The solder sphere composition according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of solder spheres are each sized and configured for use on a lead that is on a substrate of an electronic component. 
     
     
       16. A solder sphere composition consisting of a plurality of lubricant coated solder spheres consisting of solder spheres and a substantially uniform coating consisting of a lubricant on the surface of each of the solder spheres, wherein each of the solder spheres has the same diameter and the diameter is sized for placement onto a substrate for use in a ball grid array package, wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant, a higher fatty alcohol lubricant, a higher fatty acid lubricant, a fatty acid amide lubricant, a metal soap lubricant, a fatty acid ester lubricant, a fluoroplastic lubricant, a silicone lubricant, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. The solder sphere composition according to claim 16 wherein the diameter is 0.76 mm. 
     
     
       18. The solder sphere composition according to claim 16 wherein the diameter is 0.15 mm. 
     
     
       19. The solder sphere composition according to claim 16 wherein the diameter is 0.1 mm. 
     
     
       20. The solder sphere composition according to claim 16 wherein the lubricant is stearamide. 
     
     
       21. The solder sphere composition according to claim 16 wherein said substantially uniform lubricant coating is produced by dipping the plurality of the solder spheres in a solution of the lubricant dissolved in an organic solvent with a concentration of from 10 ppm to 1000 ppm, removing the plurality of solder spheres from the solution, and volatilizing the solvent remaining on the plurality of solder spheres to form the substantially uniform lubricant coating on each of the surfaces of the plurality of solder spheres, wherein the lubricant coating is dry. 
     
     
       22. A process for forming solder bumps on a BGA substrate for mounting an electronic component, which comprises placing the solder sphere composition according to claim 11 on a surface of the substrate by using a solder sphere mounter comprising a suction head having suction ports by which the plurality of solder spheres are held and released onto the BGA substrate and heating the substrate to cause the plurality of solder spheres placed thereon to melt and form solder bumps bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
       23. The process according to claim 22 wherein the substrate used for placement of the plurality of solder spheres has a surface coating of a soldering flux in those areas on which the plurality of solder spheres are placed.