Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
Using Laser Scanning Microscopy to Determine Electromigration in Molybdenum Disilicide
Published on: May 23, 2025
Electrochemical Migration Behavior of Copper-Clad Laminate and Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold Printed Circuit
Pan Yi1, Kui Xiao2, Kangkang Ding3
1Corrosion and Protection Center, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China. B20160547@xs.ustb.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The electrochemical migration (ECM) behavior of copper-clad laminate (PCB-Cu) and electroless nickel/immersion gold printed circuit boards (PCB-ENIG) under thin electrolyte layers of different thicknesses containing 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ was studied. Results showed that, under the bias voltage of 12 V, the reverse migration of ions occurred. For PCB-Cu, both copper dendrites and sulfate precipitates were found on the surface of FR-4 (board material) between two plates. Moreover, the Cu dendrite was produced between the two plates and migrated toward cathode. Compared to PCB-Cu, PCB-ENIG exhibited a higher tendency of ECM failure and suffered from seriously short circuit failure under high relative humidity (RH) environment. SKP results demonstrated that surface potentials of the anode plates were greater than those of the cathode plates, and those potentials of the two plates exhibited a descending trend as the RH increased. At the end of the paper, an electrochemical migration corrosion failure model of PCB was proposed.
