An overview of materials and technologies for "green" electronics products

There is an increasing demand in replacing SnPb solders with Pb-free solders in the electronic industry due to health and environmental concern. The European Union passed a law to ban the use of lead in electronics on February 13, 2003. The ban goes into effect on July 2006. The aim of the paper is to overview the necessary changes in materials and technologies for "green" electronics products. The materials and assembly technology changes on first-level package as well as on second-level package will be presented. Detailed analyse of some Pb-free solders as well as Pb-free component and PCBs finishes properties will be done. Some experimental data comparing Pb-free and SnPb solder joint properties are summarized. Finally the paper gives perspectives of transitions to a totally Pb-free manufacturing.