Electrochemical migration (ECM) behaviors of tin under unsteady state electric field were investigated via thin electrolyte layer (TEL) method using optical and electrochemical techniques. Unipolar square waves with various time periods and duty cycles were first used as the unsteady state electric field for ECM investigation, where a 3-V-bias and a 0-V-bias were applied across the two electrodes during the ON time and OFF time, respectively. The results show that there is a reverse polarization applied across the two electrodes during the OFF time to ensure the 0-V-bias. The presence of reverse polarization will result in ions migration reverse to their original migration direction and the tin ions that migrated back may even be reduced back to metal tin. Therefore, the reverse polarization is adverse to the ECM process of tin. At the same time period, the rate of dendrites growth increases with the increase of duty cycle. While, for the same duty cycle, the prolongation of time period is favorable for the precipitates formation and/or dendrites growth. The influence mechanisms of time period and duty cycle on ECM behaviors have also been proposed, respectively.Electrochemical migration (ECM), which poses a great threat to the reliability of electronic devices, has attracted considerable attentions. 1-3 This process occurs when two oppositely biased and closely spaced electrodes are connected by a continuous aqueous electrolyte layer. During ECM, metal will dissolve at the anode and then the dissolved metal cations migrate toward the negatively charged cathode, where they can be reduced to metallic dendrites and grow toward anode. Ultimately, such a dendrite can lead to a short circuit as soon as it reaches the anode, thus cause catastrophic failure of electronic devices.ECM has been widely investigated regarding the test methods and its influencing factors. Up to now, there are three common test methods for ECM investigations. The first one is the droplet test (sometimes called water drop test), which can be performed rapidly and is suitable for quantitative investigations. 1-6 The second one is the simulated environment experiment (such as thermal humidity bias test (THB) and highly accelerated stress test (HAST)). 7-10 This method is the most practical way because it can well simulate the environmental conditions that the electronic devices are in service. The last one is the thin electrolyte layer (TEL) test proposed by our group, which is more suitable for quantitative real time in situ study with a good reproducibility. 11,12 ECM behaviors are mainly influenced by materials, solution chemistry and electric field. The ECM behaviors of Sn and its alloys have attracted considerable attentions due to their significant roles as conducting or welding materials in electronic devices. 1-18 Each material has its own migration characteristic and mechanism. As another key factor in ECM behaviors of materials, solution chemistry, such as the concentration of the aggressive ions, 11,12,17 the species categories includi...