Abstract: The disclosed solder alloy is useful for plating and for use with electronic components, which are capable of suppressing the formation of external stress-type whiskers. This solder alloy for plating contains Sn and Ni, with the Ni content being 0.06-5.0 mass % inclusive and the remainder including Sn, and is used in electrical contacts that are electrically connected through mechanical joining.

Abstract: A microcontact according to the invention is less than 10 mm in length and composed of a conductive basis material, a base surface treatment layer formed thereon, and an upper surface treatment layer, and includes a contact portion, a terminal portion, and an intermediate portion formed over its entire circumference with exposed oxide surfaces of the base surface treatment layer. The exposed oxide surfaces are formed by irradiating the front and rear surfaces of the contact with laser beams at respective predetermined inclined angles to remove the upper surface treatment layer and simultaneously to oxidize the narrow base surface treatment layer exposed by the removal of the upper surface treatment layer. In this manner, the exposed oxide surfaces can be formed with a high accuracy in a simple manner for stopping solder rise at a predetermined position when the terminal portion of the microcontact is jointed to a substrate by soldering.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a process for providing a connector, which prevents component atoms constituting a material and a substrate layer from diffusing into a tin-containing material layer and suppressing an occurrence of external force-type whiskers upon the application of external force to a surface of the tin-containing material layer, and a connector produced by the same process. In a production process of a connector comprising a step of providing a substrate layer on a surface of the material to surface treat the material and a step of providing a tin-containing material layer on an upside of the substrate layer to surface treat the substrate layer, the object can be achieved by further comprising a step of providing a barrier intermediate layer before the provision of the tin-containing material layer.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a process for providing a connector, which prevents component atoms constituting a material and a substrate layer from diffusing into a tin-containing material layer and suppressing an occurrence of external force-type whiskers upon the application of external force to a surface of the tin-containing material layer, and a connector produced by the same process. In a production process of a connector comprising a step of providing a substrate layer on a surface of the material to surface treat the material and a step of providing a tin-containing material layer on an upside of the substrate layer to surface treat the substrate layer, the object can be achieved by further comprising a step of providing a barrier intermediate layer before the provision of the tin-containing material layer.

Abstract: A microcontact according to the invention is less than 10 mm in length and composed of a conductive basis material, a base surface treatment layer formed thereon, and an upper surface treatment layer, and includes a contact portion, a terminal portion, and an intermediate portion formed over its entire circumference with exposed oxide surfaces of the base surface treatment layer. The exposed oxide surfaces are formed by irradiating the front and rear surfaces of the contact with laser beams at respective predetermined inclined angles to remove the upper surface treatment layer and simultaneously to oxidize the narrow base surface treatment layer exposed by the removal of the upper surface treatment layer. In this manner, the exposed oxide surfaces can be formed with a high accuracy in a simple manner for stopping solder rise at a predetermined position when the terminal portion of the microcontact is jointed to a substrate by soldering.

Abstract: An electric connector comprises a metal terminal or a metal shell joined to a core conductor or a metal layer portion of a substrate, wherein a Ni layer as an under layer is formed on at least a portion of the metal shell or the metal shell to be joined, and a Sn-Cu alloy layer having a copper content of 0.5-5.0 mass % is further formed on the Ni layer.

Abstract: An electronic part, particularly a microstructure contact having an overall length of the order of 5 mm for an electrical connector or the like is provided with a nickel oxide layer portion having a nickel oxide layer of the order of 50 to 5000 .ANG. in thickness formed by anode oxidizing process using a solution mainly consisting of an alkaline solution. The nickel oxide layer portion is located between a terminal portion of the electronic part to be soldered as in a surface mounting process and a contact portion continuous to and extending from the terminal portion. The nickel oxide layer has a width of the order of 0.2 to 1 mm in the longitudinal direction of the contact and has a performance preventing the flowing of molten solder, thereby effectively preventing the flowing and wicking due to wetting of solder of the solder-plated portion toward the other portions as in the surface mounting process.