The preparation and use of particulate metallic solder alloy having particles of a single chemical composition is described. The particles of the particulate metallic solder alloy have a bimodal size distribution in which particles in a smaller size range have a largest dimension that is smaller than a smallest dimension of particles in a larger size range of the bimodal distribution. In some examples the particles in the smaller size mode have dimensions in the range of 1 to 100 nm. In some examples, the particles in the larger size mode have dimensions in the range of 2 to 75 microns in dimension. In some examples, a halogen-free flux is used. In some examples, a solvent is used to make a paste.

A solder ball with a concave-convex structure is provided. The solder ball with a concave-convex structure includes tin-bismuth alloy including a plurality of concave portions and convex portions on its surface. The height difference between the concave portions and the convex portions is between about 10 nanometers and about 200 nanometers. The proportion of tin in the tin-bismuth alloy is between about 28% and about 52%. A method for preparing the solder ball with a concave-convex structure is also provided.

A method includes disposing a hydride of a transition metal on a first metallic material, where at least one of the first metallic material or a second metallic material includes a surface oxide layer. The method includes performing a diffusion bonding operation to bond the first metallic material to the second metallic material. During the diffusion bonding operation, the hydride of the transition metal chemically reacts with the surface oxide layer.

By using a solder alloy consisting essentially of 0.2-1.2 mass % of Ag, 0.6-0.9 mass % of Cu, 1.2-3.0 mass % of Bi, 0.02-1.0 mass % of Sb, 0.01-2.0 mass % of In, and a remainder of Sn, it is possible to obtain portable devices having excellent resistance to drop impact and excellent heat cycle properties without developing thermal fatigue even when used in a high-temperature environment such as inside a vehicle heated by the sun or in a low-temperature environment such as outdoors in snowy weather.

A flux for soldering includes a base resin, a solvent, and an activating agent. The base resin contains a rosin. An amount of the rosin to be incorporated is from 0% by weight to 30% by weight with respect to a total amount of the base resin. The activating agent includes a compound having a plurality of carboxyl groups on a cyclohexyl structure represented by a general formula (1). ##STR00001##
X is (a) one or more carboxyl groups, or (b) one or more carboxyl groups and at least one selected from a hydrogen atom, chloro group, bromo group, alkyl group, and cyclohexyl group. A position of the X is not limited. A number of the X is one or more. The X may have either one of the (a) and (b) alone, or a plurality of the (a) and (b) in combination.

A solder alloy essentially consists of tin, silver, copper, bismuth, antimony, and cobalt. Relative to a total amount of the solder alloy, the silver content is 2 mass % or more and 4 mass % or less, the copper content is 0.3 mass % or more and 1 mass % or less, the bismuth content is more than 4.8 mass % and 10 mass % or less, the antimony content is 3 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less, the cobalt content is 0.001 mass % or more and 0.3 mass % or less, and the tin content is the remaining portion.

The invention has an object to provide a flux for rapid heating method used in the rapid heating method such as a laser reflow, the flux being able to suppress any scattering of the solder alloy, and a solder paste for the rapid heating method. The flux contains rosin, a glycol-ether-based solvent, an organic acid, and a thixotropic agent, wherein the solvent is a glycol-based solvent having a low boiling point that is not more than 200 degrees C., content of the solvent having the low boiling point is not less than 20 weight % to not more than 40 weight %. The solder paste is obtained by mixing this flux with solder alloy powder. When the solvent having a high boiling point that is more than 200 degrees C. is further contained, the solvent having the low boiling point of not less than 60 weight % in relation to the whole of the solvent is contained.

Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to liquid metal pastes that can be used as thermal interface materials. In one implementation, a liquid metal paste configured to be applied as a thermal interface material between electronic components, includes: 92.5 wt % of 99.9 wt % of a liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy; and 0.1 wt % to 7.5 wt % of a powder of metal particles, the metal particles including Ag, Au, Cu, W, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu or Ni. The liquid metal paste can also include an organic compound coating a surface of the metal particles, the organic compound configured to prevent the metal particles from forming an intermetallic compound with the liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy.

A solder paste including metal powders, constituted by an alloy powder including bismuth and silver, and a tin powder, the alloy powder including bismuth and silver including silver at a ratio of greater than or equal to 0.1 wt % and less than or equal to 11.0 wt % is provided.

A processor receives solder paste information, where the solder paste information describes a solder paste used in assembly of a printed circuit board. A processor determines a minimum magnetic force required for removing the solder paste from the printed circuit board based on the solder paste information. A processor receives electromagnet information, where the electromagnet information describes an electromagnet used in cleaning of a misprint of the solder paste on the printed circuit board. A processor determines a minimum amount of power to provide the electromagnet to induce the minimum magnetic force in the electromagnet, where the determination of the amount of power is based on the electromagnet information and the minimum magnetic force. A processor adjusts an amount of power applied to the electromagnet to at least the determined minimum amount of power to clean the misprint of the solder paste from the printed circuit board.