On the threat to dielectric-based electronic devices and components from repetitive nonsinusoidal electrical overstresses — A review

Microelectronic devices and components are essentially dielectric-based monolithic structures with some additional metallization parts. These integrated circuits are highly susceptible to woundings arising from zappings due to electrical transients. presently, electrostatic discharge(ESD)-based repetitive over-stressings which may render the devices in a state of latent mode of failure are considered. 1 Such wounded or ‘rogue’ components may still be functional with deviatory characteristics, and are potentially prone to catastrophic failures on subsequent stress-repetitions. 2 The time-dependent degrading performance of wounded components is quantified via static-induced electrothermal effects in the device structure. The aging of the device is specified in terms of four possible damaging influences; namely, the elevated temperature, intensive electric field, depletory electromigration, and undue thermoelastic stresses. Based on the relative severity of these influences, a lethality endurance factor (L.E.F) is defined to estimate the failure time. Enhancement of severity due to pulsed waveform is also discussed. Lastly, the latent failure is regarded as the belated response due to slow endochronic growth of microfractures (creeping) caused by thermoelastic stresses arising from repetitive zappings.