Reliability and Failure Analysis of Electronic Devices

Course Content (List of the topics/sub-topics to be covered in the lectures/practicals/assignments): 1. Background and Introduction: Definitions of reliability, failure modes, mechanisms, cost of warranty returns, motivation for improving product reliability in the era of Planned Obsolescence. 2. Introduction to mathematical methods for reliability: Failure rates, Normal distribution function, Six Sigma, Exponential, Weibull and Lognormal distributions for reliability modeling. Manufacturing yields. 3. Accelerated testing: Types of accelerated tests, Designing accelerated tests for typical stressors experienced in field, Acceleration factors, Arrhenius, Eyring and modified Coffin-Manson models. 4. Introduction to semiconductor device packaging: Materials and processes used for semiconductor device packaging, stresses induced because of packaging. 5. Physics of failure based models for : Mass transport-induced failures (electromiration and stress voiding), Electronic charge-induced failures (Dielectric breakdown, Hot carrier effects, Electrical over-stress and Electrostatic discharge), Environmental damage (moisture ingress, corrosion, radiation damage), Degradation of interconnects (solder creep and fatigue). 6. Failure Analysis techniques: Non-destructive techniques I-V trace, Infrared, X-ray and Electroluminescence imagining, Destructive techniques- chemical / thermal / mechanical decapsulation of electronic devices for die-level failure analysis, materials analysis techniques FTIR, EDX. 7. Special topics: Design for reliability, degradation in photovoltaic (PV) modules, systems reliability,