A microindentation technique for determining strength of solder interface with silver metallization on co-fired multilayer ceramic substrate

The use of microindentation to determine the strength of a solder interface was explored in low-temperature co-fired multilayer ceramic packages. Microindentations were made on cross-sections of multilayered structures at small stand-off distances from the interface under different indentations. At low indentation loads and large stand-off distances, well-known indentation crack systems developed in the ceramic. Higher indentation loads and smaller stand-off distances resulted in interfacial cracking. It is demonstrated that the indentation condition at the onset of the interfacial cracking may be used as a measure of the interfacial strength.