Enhanced solder surface and process for chemically and mechanically enhancing solder surface properties

摘要

A process for altering surface properties of a mass of metal alloy solder comprising a first metal and a second metal. The process comprises exposing the mass to energized ions to preferentially sputter atoms of the first metal to form a surface layer ratio of first metal to second metal atoms that is less than the bulk ratio. The solder may be located on the surface of a substrate, wherein the process may further comprise masking the substrate to shield all but a selected area from the ion beam. The sputtering gas may comprises a reactive gas such as oxygen and the substrate may be an organic substrate. The process may further comprise simultaneously exposing the organic substrate to energized ions of the reactive gas to roughen the organic substrate surface.