Failure Modes IKnduced by Tin Whiskers

Failure Modes IKnduced by Tin Whiskers

Material Name: Whiskers
Record No.: 170
Primary Chemical Element in Material: Sn
Sample Type: Bulk
Uses: Etching
Etchant Name: None
Etching Method: Dry etching
Etchant (Electrolyte) Composition: No data
Procedure (Condition): No data
Note: No data
Reference: Jocelyn P. Siplon, et al., Tin Whiskers On Discrete Components: The Problem, ISTFA 2002, Proceedings of the 28th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis, 3-7 November 2002, Phoenix Civic Center, Phoenix, Arizona, pp. 421-434.

Figure 1: A few examples of pure tin-plated components that have exhibited tin whisker growth, courtesy of NASA-Goddard.

Table 1: Equipment failure modes induced by tin whiskers.

Table 2: Reported field problems induced by tin whiskers.

Table 3: Factors reported to contribute to the development of compressive stress in plated tin layers.

Table 4: Common tin whisker attributes.

Figure 2: Whisker Shapes (courtesy of NASA Goddard and The Aerospace Corporation).

Figure 3: Tin whiskers/nodules on commercial-grade ceramic capacitor after 554 thermal cycles.

Figure 4: Cross-section of commercial-grade ceramic capacitor with pure-tin termination finish.

Figure 5: Whiskers on MIL-grade pure-tin plated ceramic capacitor after 100 thermal cycles.