Component Reliability for Electronic Systems
Answers to RF Cafe Quiz #37

Return to RF Cafe Quiz #37

This quiz is based on the information presented in Component Reliability for Electronic Systems, authored by Titu-Marius I. Bajenescu & Marius I. Bazu. Published by Artech House. Note: Some of these books are available as prizes in the monthly RF Cafe Giveaway.

1.  What are the two main components of product quality?

c)  Conformity and reliability

Quality in fact contains two notions: conformity, which is referring to the conformance to requirements at the moment of delivery to the client, and reliability, focused on how the conformance to requirements was maintained during the product usage. (see page 2)

2.  What are the two main ways to quantify the reliability of a system?

d)  Laboratory tests, field operational data

Laboratory test are designed to simulate actual field conditions to identify potential problems areas, while field data under actual operational conditions provide feedback for a continuous improvement process. (see page 22)

3.  TQM (Total Quality Management) requires which behaviors?

d)  All the above

"TQM is an applications of the management for the involved methods and human resources in the purpose to control all processes and to achieve a continuous improvement of the quality," U.S. DoD. (see page 36)

4.  A properly designed Accelerated Lift Test (ACL) must do what?

a)  Pass through all states, in the same order as normal, but in shorter time

Along with the actual physical testing is a requirement to develop applicable statistical models to correlate accelerated testing conditions (see page 115)

5.  What are some key components of meaningful failure analysis?

b) Knowledge of the failure mechanism and establishment of the consequences

The constitutive elements of a failure analysis are:

  - Knowledge of the failure mechanisms

  - Discovery of the causes producing the effects

  - Establishment of the consequences

  - Statistical evaluation of the decisions

  - Development of improved methods of analysis (see page 194)

6.  What type of failure has the highest occurrence in semiconductors?

b)  Metallization defects

According to Figure 5.7, the order of defect occurrence is metallization (43%), connections (29%), other (19%), oxide (10%), die (5%), crystallographic (5%). Note that percentages total more than 100% due to multiple occurrences in some failures. (see page 210)

7.  Which of the following are likely causes for passive component failure?

d)  All the above

Add to that list inadequate utilization and that about completes the list. (see page 260)

8.  What is radiation hardness?

a)  Immunity to failure due to radiation, wave or particle

Space environments are more hostile to microelectronics because Earth's atmosphere is not available to absorb some of the highest energy particles and wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. That necessitates special packaging for protection. (see 352)

9.  What is the well-known Arrhenius model determine the relationship for?

c)  Relationship between failure rate and device junction temperature

T_j = P_D (R_jC + R_CS + R_SE) + Ta,

where T_j is the junction temperature, P_D is the dissipated power, R_jC is the thermal resistance junction-to-case, R_CS is the thermal resistance case-to-heatsink, R_SE is the thermal resistance from heat-sink-to-environment, and Ta is the ambient temperature. (see page 366)

10.  What is a failure mode unique to MEMS devices compared to traditional ICs?

c)  Moving parts can fail

Micro ElectroMechanical Systems are a combination of electrical and mechanical components (motors, gears, levers, pumps, etc.) on a single substrate, and therefore can experience mechanical failures beyond simple die fracturing. (see page 589)