Microstructure, electric flame-off (EFO) characteristics and tensile properties of silver–lanthanum alloy wire

•The study of Ag–La alloy system is very importance for the structural design of bonding wire.•Microstructure and tensile characteristics of Ag–La wire have been presented after EFO.•Fused I–V curve is presented and is the world’s minority report about the Ag–La alloy wire.

Silver has potential for application in the electronic packaging industry because of its great electrical and thermal properties and lower price compared to that of gold. Silver oxidizes easily, so doping lanthanum to form Ag–La alloy improves its anti-oxidation capacity. In this study, the microstructure, tensile properties, electronic flame-off (EFO) characteristics, and fusing current of Ag–La alloy wire (φ = 20 μm) are studied. Samples annealed at three temperatures (325 °C, 375 °C, and 425 °C) are analyzed. According to the experimental results, after annealing at 425 °C, Ag–La alloy wire recrystallized, giving it a tensile strength similar to that of pure silver wire and a uniform structure. Doping lanthanum reduced the diameter of free air balls (FABs) in the EFO process. The fusing current of Ag–La wire was about 0.45 A, and the grains of Ag–La wire grew to the size of the wire diameter when a 0.4 A current (90% fusing current) was applied for a long time. Ag–La alloy wire can be used in the electronic packaging industry.