COTS Test & Screening JEDEC standards rely on device level quali- fabrication processes, assembly processes Test & Screening fication and testing to ensure delivered 12 and package components such as mold product meets the needs of the OEM. While compounds may not be considered as TI Enhanced Plastic Product Family COTS Controversy: 10 Test-in or Build-in Quality? a good start, such practices are not in and of affecting the form, fit and function of COTS themselves adequate to ensure long-term devices and may not be disclosed by the IC In response to customer needs, TI EP package qualification compre- 8 reliability in harsh environments. 150 MHz manufacturer. Therefore, IC manufacturer Texas Instruments has released the hends performance at extended temper- Even when the semiconductor manu- quality and reliability data, if available, only Enhanced Plastic (EP) product family to atures with package element concerns facturer performs additional qualification 6 reflects a one-time snapshot of the existing 200 MHz facilitate, not replace, OEM qualification such as glass transition temperature and Beyond Quality – Assuring the and screening for operation at extended process baseline. It is an aggregate estimate of COTS devices through baseline con- thermal expansion coefficients taken into temperatures, it only provides a means to 4 of product performance within published trol and enhanced qualification pedigree. account. Electrical testing is warranted to facilitate—not replace—OEM qualification Product Life (years) data sheet limits based upon history. Enhanced Plastic (EP) devices are meet the data sheet over the specified 2 Reliability of Plastic of COTS devices. Instead, defense system TI catalog products comprehending temperature range. Device characteriza- designs must examine the IC manufacturer’s COTS Standard Qualification and devices from multiple families including tion and statistical process controls are fabrication, assembly and qualification pro- 0 Screening Digital Signal Processors (DSP), Analog used to ensure performance over the cedures for integrated circuits to ensure reli- 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 Testing and screening semiconductor Encapsulated Integrated Circuits and Mixed-Signal, Digital Logic, ASIC, specified temperature range. Assembly, able operation over extended temperatures. products is performed in accordance with Junction Temperature ( deg C) Microcontrollers and Programmable test and qualification changes require the manufacturer’s data sheet for that Logic. Enhanced Plastic (EP) devices approval of the TI Technical Review Uprating and upscreening commercial components to extended temperatures are dangerous IC Obstacles Figure 2 device. Components are processed per “best Military and commercial avionics commercial practices” to the manufacturer’s offer several advantages over standard Board (TRB). practices that can adversely affect reliability and maintainability. Instead, look closely at the Electromigration: Life versus Junction Temperature. Maintaining the proper junction COTS products: For EP devices, TI will provide OEMs currently purchase 0.5% to 1.0% of temperature prolongs device life; reducing clock speed is beneficial to both. internal baseline flow. Processing and IC manufacturer’s fabrication, assembly and qualification process, policies and procedures. the total number of commercial integrated screening is typically documented in the change notification via the TI electronic circuits sold. With so many commercial manufacturer’s Quality Manual. Almost all • Stand-alone data sheets parts change notification (PCN) system if a change has the potential to affect form, applications driving OEM IC designs, as and monitors based upon generic industry relative quality and reliability of semicon- semiconductor manufacturers are certified • A controlled baseline—one S. Richard Biddle, Quality and Reliability Engineering Manager fit, function or reliability. In other words, much as 30 or 40 percent of COTS devices standards. Existing industry standards for ductor devices is quite limited. Since these to ISO9001. assembly/test site and one Texas Instruments, Military and Automotive Semiconductor Products Division changes to the baseline will be communi- destined for military use require uprating or plastic encapsulated microcircuit qualifica- monitors are performed on a periodic basis To ensure a device exhibits the best wafer fabrication site upscreening, depending on the OEM and tion and reliability monitors are based on random samples of devices, they cannot quality and reliability possible when using cated prior to implementation. Distributors or more than forty years the the application. For the purposes of this upon historical data, experiments and field be considered acceptance tests on any spe- that technology over an extend temperature • Enhanced product change notifi- will be independently notified to facilitate Department of Defense was the discussion, uprating is defined as use experience with the use of these devices in cific group of components. range or in harsh environments, additional cation (PCN) via electronic dis- notification of their customers. Fleader in publishing guidance for beyond the environment and application commercial and industrial applications. To further compound the problem, evaluation is needed: tribution In the event a proposed change component reliability and maintainabili- for which the part was designed. The applicability of these standards in device and process changes that do not Reliability and electromigration • • Die revisions does affect form, fit, function or reliability, Def/Aerospace • (Defense/Aerospace) ty. But as a part of Defense Acquisition Upscreening, on the other hand, is defined determining the suitability for use and affect commercial applications could checks at maximum recommended TI will take steps to minimize the impact Reform, the responsibility has now shifted as performing additional testing and/or lot safety performance in military and aero- impact the performance or suitability of operating conditions in the target • Assembly process changes on the customer. This may include contin- Automotive to the defense original equipment manu- acceptance to use product beyond data space applications has not been established. devices for military or other high-reliability package • Material changes such as mold uing production of the established base- • (Automotive) facturers (OEMs) where most programs sheet conditions. Other applications, such The value of process monitors in assessing environments. Changes to die design, wafer Electrical characterization over tem- • compound and lead finish line after commercial production has Government are governed by performance-based spec- as ground-based communication systems, perature Communications changed, establishing a wafer bank of the COTS • (Commercial ifications. Military and aerospace OEMs are more benign and COTS components • Confirmation of package perform- • Electrical performance current die revision and/or offering a life- Comm’l Avionics Avionics) 12 using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) may be suitable for use without additional ance over extended temperatures (for time buy on the configuration in question. 3rdParty • Manufacturing location Design Upscreen components must now establish their own qualification or screening. example, some mold compounds are TI’s new products will offer an alter- Homeland Security Change standards for qualification and reliability. Uprating and upscreening are prob- 10 not suitable for extended temperature) • Extended temperature up to and native to upscreening for customers who Commercial semiconductor products lematic at best. Very few, if any, manufac- Health/Safety including -55°C to +125°C believe that a plastic packaged part is System-Level are not designed for military and aerospace turers will support this effort, and few 8 The term “Qualification Pedigree” is Qual Qualification pedigree to assure suitable for their particular application. Cell Phones applications. Instead, they’re designed for upscreening test facilities have the ability to used in the aerospace industry to define the • reliable operation over specified Although the EP products receive addi- use in a wide range of applications and test complex parts. The actual process of 6 qualification and characterization per- Computer environments that are often at odds with upscreening has the potential to degrade formed by a manufacturer. Reliability mon- temperature range tional testing and process verification over and above their commercial coun- • (Electronic Toys) defense applications (Figure 1). With mili- component reliability. For example, there is itors are usually performed on a regular Assurance from TI that the Electronic Toys 4 • terparts, they may still not be suitable for Commercial Industrial Extended- Extended-Temp Extended-Temp Mil-Temp Mil-Qualified tary and aerospace platforms, some appli- the possibility of yield loss and damage due basis and include EFR (extrinsic failure rate) device will perform to data sheet ° ° Temp * Qualification * Custom Ceramic * Compliance QML all environments. For those applications 0 to 70 C -40 to 85 C Product Life (years) cations are very benign while other appli- to electrical overstress and electrostatic dis- and IFR (intrinsic failure rate) life test, tem- electrical specifications in envi- * “Robust” * Controlled Electricals * Hermetic * Hermetic 2 that require a ceramic/hermetic pack- Qualification Baseline * Special