Modeling Study on the Solder Joint Reliability of a Leadframe Package under Powered Thermal Cycling

This paper aims to present a thermo-mechanical modeling approach to predict the solder joint reliability of a leadframe-based package under powered thermal cycling (PTC) test from -40oC to 105oC. The study involves modeling the PTC condition as a standard thermal cycling with a modified temperature boundary to account for the temperature increase due to the applied power to the device package mounted on board. The temperature ramp and dwell times were maintained. Based on the finite element analysis (FEA) results and comparison with actual data, modeling a PTC as a modified thermal cycling process provides a good prediction of the solder joint life. The analysis is simpler and would be beneficial for getting quick assessments of new leadframe package designs.