Stress-coupled contact resistance of individual metal coated polymer spheres for conductive adhesive

摘要

Electrical conductive adhesives (ECAs) are promising alternatives to metallic solders and compete with lead-free solders as a non-toxic alternative to traditional solder [1]. The electronics industry has already decades of experience with ECAs for electronic packaging in a wide range of commercial products. ECAs are often used in applications that require properties such as low assembly temperature, minimal mechanical stress and fine pitch [2]. ECAs are composite materials composed of a continuous organic matrix that provides most of the structural integrity and adhesion, containing dispersed conductive fillers that bestow electrical and thermal conductivity. Micron-sized polymer spheres with nanoscale metal coatings (MPS) are applied as the conductive fillers in ECAs due to their low cost and superior mechanical characteristics [2].