COST Action MP0602 - Handbook of High-Temperature Lead-Free Soldering Systems: Materials Properties, Vol.2, Chapter 3: GP9 - - AuGe based alloys as potential high temperature lead free solders

This chapter covers both fundamental investigations and application studies of the Au-Ge based alloys as potential high temperature Pb-free solders. Section 2 is the fundamental part, mainly focusing on the thermodynamic modelling of the Au-Ge based Pb-free solders system, where possible additions, such as Sb, Sn, Si and substrate materials, such as Cu, Ni, Si are included. Afterwards the applications of using Au-Ge alloys as high temperature Pb-free solder will be demonstrated. The wettability and soldering behaviour of the Au-Ge eutectic alloy (Au-28 at.% Ge) on Cu and Ni substrates will be shown in Section 3 and Section 4, respectively. In section 5, an application example - a heated conversion surface assembly for a mass spectrometer - will be presented.