Photon Attenuation Characteristics of Au–Sn Solder Alloys
Abstract
Lead-based solders have long been used in electronics; however, their use has declined following restrictions introduced by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. Au–Sn solders are attractive lead-free alternatives owing to their high service temperature, creep resistance, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, making them suitable for electronic packaging applications. Since electronic systems in radiation-exposed environments may be subjected to ionizing radiation, understanding the photon interaction characteristics of Au–Sn solders is important. The gamma-ray attenuation characteristics of four Au–Sn solder alloys with Au/Sn weight ratios of 80:20, 78:22, 75:25, and 73:27 were investigated over 1 keV–100 GeV using the XCOM database and Phy-X/PSD software. The evaluated parameters included the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), mean free path (λ), effective atomic number (Zeff), transmission factor (TF), exposure buildup factor (EBF), and energy absorption buildup factor (EABF). Au–20Sn exhibited the highest μ/ρ, reaching 7.646 cm²/g at 81 keV. An increase occurred near the Au K-absorption edge (~80.7 keV). At 81 keV, increasing the Au–20Sn thickness from 10 to 150 µm reduced the TF from 89.48% to 18.87%. Differences among the alloys were greatest at low energies and decreased with increasing energy.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Engineering Practice
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Seda Erdönmez
*
0000-0002-7167-7276
Türkiye
Publication Date
September 7, 2026
Submission Date
August 11, 2026
Acceptance Date
August 22, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 13 Number: 3
