Testing, Qualification, Reliability

Modern electronic systems are increasingly exposed to constantly changing environments in terms of humidity and variations of temperature cycling and thermal shocks. At the same time, the ongoing trend of miniaturization results in smaller designs, components and by that more tightly packaged systems. Extra space that could buffer external stresses like humidity becomes smaller; diffusion paths by that become shorter. This leads to higher / quicker / faster electrochemical degradation, an effect long ignored by the industry. Generally, this type of degradation leads to failure of the electric circuit. It is essential to test these materials used for encapsulation in terms of their reliability and possible characteristic changes during life-time. Additionally, the need to consider the forces exerted and possible residues left behind during production should be considered from the start.

We can assist you with:

• Identification of the driving forces and parameters affecting failure mechanisms relating to corrosion or migration effects
• Optimization of designs for harsh environments
• Assistance during the selection and qualification of suitable materials
• Simulations for a cost-efficient evaluation of design changes and their potential improvement over existing layouts