Thin-film integrated electronic reliability

A reliability approach on thin-film integrated electronics is discussed in which the overall (inherent) reliability PoAof a circuit is determined as the product of the individual part reliability Pc, design reliability Pd, and fabrication reliability Pf. This article presents data collected on the individual part reliability term for vacuum deposited thin-film resistors and capacitors. Maximum failure rates (at a 60 per cent confidence level) of 0.014 per cent per 1000 hours and 0.057 per cent per 1000 hours are reported for resistors and capacitors based on 8,000,000 element hours of data. The process used in fabricating the thin-film circuits is outlined.