Improved methods for development of high reliability electronics

To meet the critical reliability requirements of aerospace electronics, reliability design needs to be integrated into the early stage of product design process. In this paper the role of finite element analysis, thermodynamic calculation, and microstructural simulation in reliability design are introduced, followed by the discussion of failure oriented accelerated tests with emphasis on failure mechanisms. The typical failure mechanisms of three single loading tests as well as two combined thermal and mechanical loading tests are covered. Lastly, the challenges in reliability assessment and failure analysis of MEMS devices are discussed through two case studies, MEMS microphone and gyroscope.