Component reliability problems: Their origins and manifestations

Abstract

It is important to understand the root causes of component reliability problems and how they may systematically be diagnosed and eliminated using available test information. A generalized model is developed to show the relationship between where component reliability problems originate and where they are manifested. First, the model categorizes the components and their defects to distinguish their behavior toward different stress and test conditions. Hard defects are detectable with the right fault coverage but conditional or latent defects require certain applied stresses to show up. These differences in behavior will determine the effects of various processes on these components. Then, the processes in design, manufacture, testing and field-use are characterized as black-box operators that act on the component groupings. This model creates a clear linkage between where and how a component fails and the probable underlying cause of the failure. Such a global picture may then identify major areas to improve quality.