Development of an assembly process and reliability investigations for flip chip LEDs using AuSn soldering

A packaging process for flip-chip LEDs (light emitting diodes) is described. The LEDs are picked and placed on a silicon substrate wafer. After reflow the substrates are individualized. AuSn solder is used for the interconnection. The solder compounds, Au and Sn, are electroplated separately: Sn on the silicon substrate and Au on the chip. The interconnections formed by tin-rich and by gold-rich intermetallic phases are compared. The metallurgy and the reliability of the LEDs are investigated. The superiority of the gold-rich interconnection is demonstrated.