Capacitor Reliability Seminar

This virtual training seminar will be presented in two sessions, each session approximately 2 hours. The first covers tantalum & electrolytic capacitors presented by Dr. Yuri Freeman from KEMET. The second session covers a wide range of technologies ranging from ceramic to film, stacked modules and SuperCaps presented by Ron Demcko from AVX. Click here to see the full outline.

This course is intended for component engineers, designers, process engineers, QEs, and managers responsible for designing and building hardware and procuring capacitors for use in microelectronic assemblies.

Copper and Gold Wire Bonding

Wire Bonding is a welding process that is the dominant chip interconnection method. More than 15 trillion wires are bonded annually. In the past, gold wire was the dominant material in use, but in 2015 copper and palladium coated copper wire captured more than 51% of the total market. Copper provides benefits in cost, improved conductivity, stiffness and reliability. However, it is significantly harder than gold and achieving a robust, reliable process is more challenging. With the high productivity and growth rate of wire bonding, it is one of the most reliable manufacturing processes. Achieving high yields requires rigorous attention to details and excellent statistical process control. Wire bonding high-volume lead-frames often generates defect rates below 10ppm, this presents a significant barrier to entry for any process competitor, but copper is meeting the challenge in high-volume manufacturing. Click here to see the full outline.

This course is intended for wire bond process engineers, technicians, quality control engineers and managers.

Design and Test of Non-Hermetic Microelectronics

Packages made from polymeric materials as opposed to traditional hermetic materials (i.e. metals, ceramics, and glasses) require a different approach from a design, production, testing, and qualification standpoint. The problem is now one of moisture diffusion through the barrier and package interfaces. Fick’s law of diffusion and the interaction of moisture and other gases with the plastic package, with or without a cavity, is of primary importance.

This course begins with a brief overview of hermetic packaging and associated testing methods that have been developed over the years, some of which are applicable to cavity style non-hermetic enclosures. Then the focus is primarily on the materials used to build non-hermetic packages and the variety of testing methods available to evaluate the non-hermetic package. A review of the techniques and methods to evaluate a “non-hermetic” approach is discussed with a special emphasis on cleaning of the device prior to encapsulation and alternate test methods to evaluate reliability. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended for process engineers, designers, quality engineers, and managers responsible for design, test and production of cavity and non-cavity style non-hermetic packages intended for use in high reliability military and Class 3 medical implants.

External Visual Inspection per Mil-Std-883 TM 2009

This course covers the visual inspection criteria for hermetic packaged microelectronic devices and similar devices and a review of typical plastic package defects in accordance with best commercial practices. Color photographs of actual production defects are reviewed and discussed in detail. The students are exposed to a variety of defects and the instructor explains why the defects are critical to the reliability of the end product. Click here to see the full outline.

Microelectronic Packaging Failure Modes and Analysis

The design and packaging of microelectronic devices such as hybrids, RF microwave modules, Class III medical implants and other types of packaged microcircuits intended for high reliability systems is a critical aspect of reliability engineering. This course is intended to review and highlight the typical kinds of microelectronic packaging related failures that occur during manufacturing, qualification and the unfortunate field failures. FA (failure analysis) tools and techniques that are utilized to understand root cause of failure and guide corrective actions will also be addressed by experts with years of experience working in FA labs.

The instructor shares his years of experience related root cause FA investigations of microcircuit packaging defects and failures. Mismatched CTEs and poorly designed packages geometries often lead to mechanical failure at the die and substrate interface or cracking at the heel of a wire or ribbon bond interconnect. Careful delid, visual inspection followed by SEM and EDAX/Auger are required to identify root cause. Reliability engineers must be cognizant of the full range of FA tools available to diagnose failures and, resist the temptation to rush to judgment, which often happens destroying valuable evidence along the way. The instructor will review real world specific examples of packaging failures and resultant FA analysis and problem resolution. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended for FA engineers, component engineers, reliability engineers, design, quality and process engineers involved in microelectronic packaging.

Microwave Packaging Technology

Microwave Hybrids, MICs, RF MMIC modules all require a unique set of materials and processes necessary to achieve reliable operations in extreme military and commercial environments, such as next generation 5G modules. This three-day course examines all aspects of microwave packaging from a practical perspective. The instructor shares valuable lessons learned from years of experience. Design issues, material tradeoffs, process selection are all covered in detail with the goal of imparting useful information to the students so they can return to the work place better equipped to assemble and manufacture reliable microwave hybrids for military, space and other hi reliability commercial and medical device applications. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended as an introductory to intermediate level course for process engineers, designers, quality engineers, and managers responsible for design and manufacture of microwave hybrids.

Pre Cap Visual Inspection per Mil-Std-883 (TM 2017)

Hybrids/MCMs/RF Microwave Modules all require a visual inspection step just prior to encapsulation or hermetic seal. This is a critical process step that requires a high degree of operator skill and understanding of what to look for and reject as part of the inspection process. This course defines the inspection criteria based on traditional Mil Spec requirements in conjunction with industry accepted best commercial practices. Over 250 color photographs of actual production defects are reviewed and discussed in detail. The students are exposed to a variety of defects and how the defects relate to the materials and process flow. Students learn what to look for as part of Pre Cap visual inspection and how to interpret and apply the very latest MIL-STD-883 criteria. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended for quality assurance personnel, inspectors, QEs and Process engineers, component engineers and lead operators and others responsible for inspection of the hardware prior to the final package sealing process.

Space and Military Standards for Hybrids and RF Microwave Modules

The US military specifications for the manufacture of hybrids and RF microwave modules can be confusing and overwhelming to the inexperienced user. This course is designed to explain in a logical manner the quality and manufacturing requirements for building custom Class K hybrids for military and space applications.

The governing document is MIL-PRF-38534 Hybrid Performance Specification, which in turn further calls out specific test methods in MIL-STD-883L Test Methods and Procedures for Microelectronic Devices. Mil 883 is a collection of destruct and non-destruct test methods used as screening and qualification tests to verify microelectronic performance requirements and to assess the reliability of finished modules. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended for anyone interested in gaining better insight and understanding of the quality and process control requirements for hi reliability space and military products, specifically component and quality engineers working in this industry.

Thermal Management for High Reliability Electronic Systems

Semiconductor and electrical components of all types generate and must dissipate heat. Practical understanding of objectives of thermal management as a key component of system design for reliability is critical, for thermal and electrical engineers alike. This course is intended to give both a practical understanding of a range of different and critical thermal management topics and trends, but to also give up-to-date understanding of:

• New thermal materials developments; thermal materials categories, testing and characterization, and selection of thermal materials;
• Thermal management challenges current and forward-looking;
• Semiconductor trends and impact on thermal management;
• Thermal management technologies, from phase-change energy storage to vapor chambers and liquid immersion and pumped two-phase liquid cooling.

A major failure mechanism for electronic systems is inadequate heat dissipation, both from individual components and at the system level. Heat is the single largest cause of failure, with vibration and dust and other environmental factors as examples of other causes.

Specific topics included are:

• Overview: Thermal management objectives and terminology
• Thermal technologies technologies for semiconductor test
• Thermal challenges for very high performance processors*
• Thermal challenges for heterogeneous integration in multichip packaging*
• Semiconductor industry trends: SiC and GaN – and thermal impact*
• Thermal management for high temperature electronics

Click here to see the full outline.

Volatiles Control in Hermetic Electronic Components

This tutorial includes a basic review of the Mil Spec test methods in place to prevent moisture related failures in hermetically sealed microelectronics where functional reliability is of utmost importance (e.g. IC’s, Hybrids and RF modules, MEMs/Sensors, Class III Medical Implants, etc.). It is intended to enlighten the student on the negative, and sometimes catastrophic consequences of too much moisture or other harmful gasses inside a hermetic enclosure. The class begins with a definition of hermeticity and a description of the latest hermeticity test methods in MIL-STD-883 TM 1014, including the standard helium-based methods, plus the new Condition A5 along with Optical Leak Test (OLT) techniques, Kr-85 and other methods. The latest developments in TM 1018 IGA (Internal Gas Analysis) and revised criteria will be discussed. Additionally, we will be introducing getter materials and overviewing the use of these materials within vacuum packages and inert gas filled hermetic devices where moisture and/or hydrogen can be detrimental to device performance and lifetime. Click here to see the full outline.

The course is intended for quality assurance personnel, inspectors, QEs and Process engineers, component engineers and lead operators and others responsible for inspection of the hardware prior to the final package sealing process.