Tin Whiskers Mitigation by Co-electroplating Antimony

Electroplating Sn coatings are used extensively in the electronics industry because of their excellent solderability, ductility, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance. However, tin whiskers have been observed to grow spontaneously from the electroplating tin coatings for over 70 years. This filament-type structure can lead to short circuits and device failures by bridging adjacent electronics. Over the last several decades, adding a small amount of lead (Pb) has been the most widely adopted method for mitigating Sn whiskers growth. However, this 70-year-old issue of whisker growth has reemerged due to the ban on the use of Pb from Sn-based plating and solders enforced by the European legislation on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).