Whisker formation on tin-surfaces is a well known phenomenon since the early 50-ies. Although it was not well understood because when whiskers occurred the parameters as well as the test instruments were not well documented or still insufficient, this problem seemed to be solved by the use of lead additions to tin-surfaces.
With new legislative actions in the European Community to avoid lead in electronic parts effective in 7/2006 (directive 2002/95/EC) the whisker problem came back. Suppliers of electronic materials (e.g. wires, lead frames) as well as the manufacturers of electronic parts had to face this challenge.
Download: WPP001
