Accessing slip activity in high purity tin with electron backscatter diffraction and measurement of slip strength

Beta-tin has been used widely as an interconnect in modern electronics. To improve the understanding of the reliability of these components, we directly measure the critical resolved shear stress of individual slip systems in beta-tin using micropillar compression tests at room temperature with crystal orientations near-[100] and [001] in the loading direction within a large grain high purity tin (99.99%) sample. This activates the (110)[1-11]/2, (110)[1-1-1]/2, (010)[001] and (110)[001] slip systems. Analysis of the slip traces and load-displacement curves enables measurement of the critical resolved shear stress for epsilon=10^(-4) of tau_(CRSS)^({110}<1-11>/2)=10.4+/-0.4 and tau_(CRSS)^({010}<001>)=3.9+/-0.3 MPa.