The I.C. Plastic Package a Simple Method for Predicting Package Performance

Frequent changes in materials and construction of the integrated circuit plastic packages have forced the consumer to continuous evaluation of their packages. Resistance to moisture is shown on recent plastic and ceramic dual-in-line integrated circuit packages from seven leading manufacturers. Results indicate that package material, barriers over the chip, passivation and backfill, added protection to the chip surface. Under equivalent high moisture environmental conditions, the plastic package does not perform as well as the ceramic. Analysis of test data shows that plastic packages with no added moisture protection may be satisfactory in normal environmental applications. Package resistance to moisture at normal environmental conditions may be determined using overstressed tests and a modified Arrhenius plot.