On the Electrochemical Migration Mechanism of Gold in Electronics—Less Reliable Than Expected?

Electrochemical migration (ECM) forming dendritic short circuits is a major reliability limiting factor in microcircuits. Gold, which noble metal, has been regarded as metallization that can withstand corrosion and also ECM, therefore its application high-reliability surface finishing systems became widespread although it relatively high fluctuating price. Gold electrochemical have found only the case of halogen (e.g., chloride containing) contaminants initiate anodic dissolution gold via complex ion formation. The experimental results study demonstrate form shorts even without presence contaminants, direct must be supposed. This could serious influencing when applying taken into consideration. theoretical background classical (contaminant-free) model discussed paper.