Lead-free solder balls having a good surface appearance with no
appreciable surface defects such as seams and shrinkage cavities
comprises an alloy having a composition consisting essentially of about
4.0% to about 6.0% by weight of Ag, about 1.0% to about 2.0% by weight of
Cu, and a balance of Sn, and they have a diameter of from 0.05 mm to 1.0
mm. The solder balls can be produced by forming a molten alloy having the
above-described composition into solidified balls having a diameter of
from 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm using the surface tension of the molten alloy.