MSE109-0: Failure Analysis and Materials Testing

ACTIVITY

Name: FAGEL, Joseph Constantino Jr., T. Program/Year: MSE – 4

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Guide Questions:

1. Enumerate and briefly discuss the important process in IC manufacturing.

In manufacturing an IC chip, first is that from a wafer, a new layer of silicon

is applied on the slice. After application of the new layer of silicon, it was then
oxidized in an oven in order to have an even thinner insulating layer on top. A light
sensitive lacquer is then coated on the wafer. Expose the lacquer on a photographic
negative so that the lacquer dissolves in a certain location in the wafer. Atoms are
then shot onto the wafer on those layers with dissolved lacquer with a great
accuracy through the oxidized layer as well on the silicon. The lacquer is then no
longer required and is therefore removed from the slice. We then make sure that the
atoms penetrate a little deeper into the silicon. A new silicon layer is then applied
on the oxidized layer and once again a layer of lacquer is applied, exposed, and
developed. The silicon which is uncovered is then etched away. The process is
repeated until the integrated circuit is made.

2. What are the two parameters that determines how a certain integrated circuit
system operates at extreme conditions?
➢ Temperature and Humidity
3. Identify at least two reliability methods and discuss it briefly.
a. Reliability and Durability – The main reason for reliability test is to find out what
the performance is over a long period of time. Reliability test results can be
classified using the bathtub curve. The curve shows the decreasing failure rate
during the early infant mortality days of the product, leading to the normal life of a
product population and finally onset of the end of life wear out.
 b. Temperature and Humidity – temperature and humidity testing determine how a
system behaves in extreme conditions where the product is operated in high or low
temperatures as well as cycling the temperature between high and low. Another one
is the effects of climatic changes on electronic components such as failures due to
parameter shifts, mechanical failures due to rapid water or frost formation, optical
failures, water tightness failures, material degradation and etc.
4. Compare and contrast HASS and HALT.

High Accelerated Life Test or HALT is applied to the initial product testing
stages prior to production and its primary objective is to highlight failure modes
and weaknesses in the design so that the design can be modified and improved to
eliminate any weaknesses found. Highly Accelerated Stress Screening or HASS is
implemented at the production stage where production samples are subjected to
stress beyond the product specification limits but not up to the extreme levels used
in HALT. The objective of HASS is to ensure products from production meet the
life expectancy without showing any signs of failure modes. HASS is ideally suited
for electronic and electrochemical assemblies. HALT requires only a few units and
short testing period to identify fundamental limits of the technology being used.