The project will compare technologies for BGA/CSP interconnects from an ecological point of view. Polymer BGA/CSP balls metallised with copper and possibly tin solder are being developed by Conpart AS, as presumably advantageous drop-in replacements for conventional solid Sn/Pb based BGA/CSP balls. Moreover, the Pb-free alternatives could be solid Cu or solid Sn/Ag balls with underfill. These new balls will also be compared with the Conpart polymer balls. We will perform a life cycle assessment (LCA) simulation having the aims to compare polymer balls to several alternative “old” ball technologies.

The LCA will describe the life cycle environmental burdens of the new polymer balls and the old balls. In a tentative next phase in 2009 other indicators, such as Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method based upon Endpoint Modelling (LIME) will be used to make trade-offs between the toxicity of metal emissions and the cost of noble metal resources consumption.