Solder Interconnect Design Group

The Solder Interconnect Design Group consists of members from academia and industry who are interested in modeling solder joint formation and failure in electronic manufacturing. The groups main focus has been predicting and characterizing solder joint shape formation in flip-chip, gull-wing and other styles of joint. Surface Evolver has been the main modeling tool promoted by the group for this purpose. Surface Evolver finds the minimal surface shape for a molten solder joint of arbitrary geometry.The group is also concerned with continuum modeling during and after reflow. Improved modeling of solder joint systems will allow for more efficient development and implementation of industrial electronic packaging processes. (Contact: Jim Warren)

Useful Links and References

• Surface Evolver Program (At Geometry Center)
• Steve Heinrich's nearly comprehensive review of relevant literature on the calculation of equilibrium solder drop shapes.
• Solder bridging according to Rob Kusner (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
• Interconnection Research Group at Loughborough University
• Electronics Modeling Group at Greenwich University

Workshops and Reports

• Minnesota Geometry Center inaugural workshop on Interconnect Design
• Second Workshop, Solder Interconnect Design Team
• 1996 Solder Interconnect Design Team Workshop, NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, April 24-26, 1996
• 1996 Solder Interconnect Design Team Workshop, NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, August 19-30, 1996
• Fifth Semi-Annual Workshop, Solder Interconnect Design Team
• Sixth Semi-Annual Workshop, Solder Interconnect Design Team, February 19-20, 1998 at NIST.
• Seventh Workshop, Solder Interconnect Design Team, August, 1998
• Eighth Workshop, Solder Interconnect Design Team, August 23-25, 1999