Quality and Reliability Testing Laboratory

• For all jobs, please fill the Work Request Form (MS Word,PDF), print it and bring it to the bond lab.
• The handling of irradiated, radioactive or potentially hazardous components has to follow special procedures, so please fill the Work Request Form Appendix A “Radioactive Material”(MS Word,PDF).

Reliability testing and Quality Assurance

ALT

ESS

Burn-in

So, what is the difference?

ALT

ESS

Burn-in

Some Mechanical Failure Mechanisms	Some Failure Mechanisms in Electronics
Fatigue	Corrosion
Wear	Electromigration
Expansion-Contraction Fatigue	Thermal Fatigue
Corrosion

Example

(Source: Sony Semiconductor Network Comp.)

Failed part	Failure Mode	Failure Mechanism
Chip	OPEN	Aluminium wiring disconnection (corrosion, migration) Bonding pad corrosion Bond peeling (formation of Au-Al and other intermetallic compounds)
Chip	SHORTS or LEAKS	Oxide film breakdown or pinhole Electrostatic breakdown Chip cracking PN junction
Chip	IC FUNCTION FAILURE	Hot electron or hot carrier injection to the oxide film Surface inversion Crystal defect Contamination within the process degradation Moisture absorption
Package	OPEN	Bonding wire disconnection or peeling Lead dirtiness, stress due to oxidation or absorbed moisture + heat stress
Package	Package cracking, shorts or leaks	Delamination between the chip or lead frame and mold resin Wire touching (contact between the wires, chip and lead frame) Electrochemical migration between leads
Package	Soldering defect	Surface contamination or oxidation Creep Flux residues

Relationships

Stress Stimulus	Reason for Utilization
High Temperature	Diffusion processes on silicon Oxidation of fractures Poor timing margins
Low Temperature	Component and design margin problems not initiated at elevated temperatures
Temperature Cycling	– Interconnection – solder joints, wire and ball bonds Poor timing margins
Power Cycling	Enhanced rate of temperature ramp-up and ramp-down during temperature cycling
Vibration and Mechanical Shock	Cabling and connector problems Poorly secured large mass components Structure cracking
Elevated Humidity	Isolation breakdown Corrosion