List of Failure Modes
Prepared by ESPEC CORP.
List of Failure Modes
About this list
Failure modes are classified from various perspectives that are determined by the different standpoints of engineers working in
different fields, and by the frequency with which they are encountered. Examples of typical anticipated failure phenomena are
classified here mainly from the perspective of electronics mounting reliability. They are drawn from Espec's experience and past
reported cases. We plan to update this list in future to reflect member feedback and the latest information.
Category
Sub-category
1
Sub-category 2
Failure phenomenon Applicable component or material
Insulation
deterioration
Plastic materials, adhesives, coating resin
Strength
deterioration
Plastic materials, coating resin, PCBs
Combined acceleration
conditions
Main test conditions
Example reference material
Pressure cooker test
110 to 130ºC, 85%, 300 hours
Kazuhiro Nakamura, 'Print Haisenban no Taishitsusei Hyōka ni Okeru Kasokusei
Shikenhō no Kadai’ [‘Problems With Accelerated Test Methods for PCB Moisture
Resistance Evaluations’] 16th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute of Electronics
Packaging (2008)
Kanji Mori, ‘Tomaku no Kōsoku Taikōsei Shiken Hōhō no Kaihatsu’ [‘A New
Weatherability Test Method for Coatings with Acceleration Factor of 100’]
Materials Life Society (2001)
Thermal breakdown
Thermal
deterioration
Oxidation
Oxide film formation
Contact materials
(contact failure)
Heat + Moisture
UV irradiation in 40ºC hydrogen
peroxide
Thermal diffusion
Strength
deterioration
Soldered joints, plating or connecting portions of different
metal type
Heat + Stress
Yasushi Yamada, ‘Power Handōtai Device Jissōyō Bi-Kei Handa (II) Setsugōtai no
Hot/cold cycle test:
Reinetsu Cycle Shinraisei’ [‘Hot/Cold Cycle Reliability of Bismuth-Based Solder (II)
-40/105ºC, –40/200ºC, –40/250ºC (20
Joints for Mounting Power Semiconductor Devices’] 16th Microelectronics
minutes each)
Symposium (2006)
Low-temperature fragility
Strength
deterioration
Tin, solder
Thermal stress
Thermal fatigue
Strength
Soldered joints, PCBs, chip capacitors, joint interfaces
deterioration, fatigue
between different material types
cracks
Heat + Strain
Temperature cycle test (*1)
–40/100ºC (30 minutes each) for
1,000 cycles
Strength test conditions: Shear
velocity of 20, 10, 5, 0.5 mm/min
*1: Yo Yoshida, ‘Oi Handa to Sōnyū Buhin no Setsugō Shinraisei ni Tsuite’ [‘Joint
Reliability of Resoldered Locations and Inserted Parts’] 11th Microelectronics
Symposium (2001)
*2: Masahiko Furuno, ‘Hyōmen Jissō Buhin ni Okeru Namari-Free Handa Setsugō
Temperature cycle test (*2)
–40/125ºC (30 minutes each) for 100, bu no Sendan Kyōdo’ [‘Shear Strength of Lead-Free Soldered Joints in SurfaceMounted Parts’] 15th Microelectronics Symposium (2005)
500, 1,000 cycles
Thermal
cycling
Temperature cycle test
–65 to 150ºC, –55 to 85ºC (*1)
Thermal-stress-driven
whisker growth
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
Lead frames, connectors, plating of component electrodes,
soldered joints
Heat + Strain
Temperature cycle test
–40 to 125ºC, 100 cycles (*2)
Temperature cycle test
–40 to 130ºC (2 hours per cycle),
3,000 cycles (*3)
*1: Yoshikuni Nakadaira, 'Growth of tin whiskers for lead-free plated leadframe
packages in high humid environments and during thermal cycling'
Microelectronics Reliability (2007)
*2: Keun-soo Kim, ‘Sn Whisker Bōshiyō Hyōmen Nanomekki no Shinraisei Hyōka’,
[‘Reliability of surface coated Sn plating’] 18th Microelectronics Symposium (2008)
*3: Koichiro Kuribayashi, ‘Pb-Free Mekki no Himaku Hyōka Oyobi Whisker Yokusei
Gijutsu no Kaihatsu’ [‘Lead-Free Plating Film Evaluation and Whisker Inhibition
Technology Development’]
17th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging (2003)
Swelling
Diffusion
Hydrolysis
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
Plastic packaging, PCBs, adhesives, plastic materials
Discoloration,
Plastic materials, adhesives
strength deterioration
Heat + Moisture
Heat + Moisture
130ºC/85%, 130ºC/100%
Nobuyuki Kawayoshi, ‘Jōki Osen ga Pressure Cooker Shiken ni Oyobosu Eikyō’,
[The effect of steam pollution on the pressure cocker test’] 19th JUSE R&M
Symposium (1989)
Heat + Moisture
Constant-temperature/constanthumidity test
85ºC/85%, applied voltage of 10
kV/mm (24 hours) + 15 KV/mm (32
hours) (*1)
85ºC/85%, 50 V, 1,000 hours (*2)
*1: Kenji Okamoto, ‘Kōon Kōshitsu Bias Shiken ni Okeru Jushi Zetsuensō no
Zetsuen Rekka Genshō’ [‘Deterioration Phenomenon of Insulation Layers of High
Temperature High Humidity Bias Tests’] 20th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute
of Electronics Packaging (2006)
*2: Yoichi Shinba, ’20 μm Pitch Flexible Kairo Kiban no Kaihatsu’ [’Development of
a 20 μm-Pitch Flexible Circuit Board’]
19th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging (2005)
Moisture
absorption
Breathing
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
Resin films, sealed parts, temperature fuses
Constant-temperature/constanthumidity test
60ºC/93%, 85°C/85% (*1)
Oxide-growth (internal
stress) whiskers
Humidity
stress
Corrosion
Lead-free (tin/silver) solder plating, joints
Thermal cycling + Moisture
Pressure cooker test
110ºC/85%, 85°C85%, 60°C/93%,
room temperature (0, 500, 1,000,
4,500 hours) (*3)
Constant-temperature/constanthumidity test
85ºC/85% (3 000 h
) (*4)
THB test (85ºC/85% RH)
Minoru Tomoike, ‘COB no Taishitsusei Shiken ni Okeru Kasokusei’ [‘Acceleration
Unsaturated pressure cooker bias test
In Humidity Testing for COB’] Fujitsu Access Review (1999)
(120ºC/85% RH)
Galvanic corrosion
Resistance value
Resistors, semiconductors, heat-radiating parts, etc.
increase, wire breaks
Moisture + DC electric fields
+ Heat
Gap corrosion
Corrosive
deterioration
Moisture + electrolytic
substances
85ºC/85%, 64%, 43% (1,000 hours)
Moisture + DC electric fields
+ Heat
*1: Ikuo Yanase, ‘Flexible Kiban no Migration Shiken’ [‘Migration test of flexible
85ºC/85%, 85ºC/75%, 85ºC/65%, 75º
substrate’] Electronic Device Reliability Symposium (2004)
C/85%, 65ºC/85%, 50 VDC (*1)
*2: Sachiko Kitamura, ‘Ion Migration Rekka ni Yoru Print Haisenban no Jumyō Hyō
ka ni Kansuru Ichi Kōsatsu’ [‘An Examination of PCB Life Evaluations by Means of
85ºC/85%, 60ºC/90%, 40ºC/90%; 50,
Ion Migration Deterioration’]
25, 12.5 VDC (*2)
36th JUSE Symposium on Reliability and Maintainability (2006)
Vibrations + Heat
Acceleration: 9.8 m/s2; resonance
frequency: ± 5 Hz; sweep time: 10
minutes (48 hours)
Metal material connection terminals, gap portions
PCBs (main electrode materials: Silver, copper, lead, tin)
Laminated ceramic capacitors, flax, coating materials
Jiangjun Xiang, ‘Sn-Zn-Kei Teion Handa no Kōon Kōshitsu ni Okeru Sanka Kyodō’
[‘Oxidation of Sn-Zn solder under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions’]
16th Microelectronics Symposium (2006)
Ion migration (dendrites,
CAFs)
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
Vibrations
Fatigue cracks
Solder joints, structural parts (metal, plastic), joint interfaces
between different material types
Shock, drop impact
Fatigue cracks
Solder joints, structural parts (metal, plastic), joint interfaces
between different material types
Wear
Contact resistance
increases
Sliding components, components with rotating parts
Repetitive bend fatigue
Fatigue cracks
Soldered joints, structural parts (metal, plastic)
Creep
Strength
deterioration
Soldered joints, metal materials, plastics
Stress + Time + Heat
External stress whiskers
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
Tin plated connectors, lead frames
Stress + Time
Current
density
Electromigration
Wire breaks (in
aluminum or copper
wiring)
Semiconductor aluminum wiring, solder bump joints
Current density + Heat
Tin/silver/copper solder bumps
Current density: 10 kA/cm2
Temperature: 180ºC
Kimihiro Yamanaka, ‘Namari-Free Handa Bishō Setsugōbu no Electromigration ni
Tsuite’ [‘A study on Pb-free solder electromigration in micro-joint system’] 16th
Microelectronics Symposium (2006)
Electric field
strength
Time-dependent dielectric
breakdown (TDDB)
Leak current
increases
Semiconductor insulation films
Electric field strength + Heat
Voltage: 3.7 V (NMOS), 4.1 V
(PMOS)
Temperature: 110ºC
Tetsuji Uno, ‘HfSiOx Gate Zetsuenmaku no TDDB Tokusei ni Kansuru Ichi Kō
satsu’ [‘An Examination of the TDDB Characteristic of HfSiOx Gate Insulating
Film’] 18th Electronic Device Reliability Symposium (2008)
Sulfide gas
Contact failure
(sulfide corrosion)
Contact materials and metal materials (copper, silver), plating
SO2 + Moisture + Heat (+
Nox)
H2S + Moisture + Heat (+
Nitride gas
Contact failure
(nitride corrosion)
Contact materials and metal materials
Nox + Moisture + Heat
Organic gas
Siloxane gas
Contact failure
(formation of silicon Contact materials in relays, small motors, etc.
oxide)
Corrosion
Chloride corrosion
Ruse
Metal materials, exteriors
Saltwater spray test
Plastics, solar cells
Light irradiation test, outdoor
exposure test
PCBs, insulation materials
Repetitive
stress
Mechanical
stress
Load stress
Electrical
stress
Inorganic
gases
Gas stress
Saltwater
stress
Short-circuiting,
insulation failure
Constant-temperature/constanthumidity test
55ºC/85% (96 hours) (*2)
*1: Yoshikuni Nakadaira, ‘Growth of tin whiskers for lead-free plated leadframe
packages in high humid environments and during thermal cycling’
Microelectronics Reliability (2007)
*2: Keun-soo Kim, ‘Sn Whisker Bōshiyō Hyōmen Nanomekki no Shinraisei Hyōka’,
[‘Reliability of surface coated Sn plating’] 18th Microelectronics Symposium (2008)
*3: Kazuhiko Tanabe, ‘Namari-Free Handazukebu ni Okeru Whisker Hassei Yōin no
Ichi Kōsatsu’ [‘An Examination of Whisker Generation Factors in Lead-Free
Soldered Locations’]
20th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging (2006)
*4: Koichiro Kuribayashi, ‘Pb-Free Mekki no Himaku Hyōka Oyobi Whisker Yokusei
Gijutsu no Kaihatsu’ [‘Lead-Free Plating Film Evaluation and Whisker Inhibition
Technology Development’]
17th Academic Meeting of Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging (2003)
Light stress
UV
Photolysis
Strength
deterioration,
discoloration
Dust stress
Dust
Adhering impurities
(tracking)
Insulation failure,
short-circuiting
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Toshiyuki Hamano et al., ‘Electronics Jissō Kiban no Shindō Fuka ni Okeru Hakai
Mechanism’ [‘Destruction Mechanism for Vibration Load of Electronics Mounting
Substrate’]
Microjoining and Assembly Technology in Electronics (2003)
JEITA-ET 7409/106: Test methods for solder joint of surface mount device — Part
106F: Cyclic drop test [in Japanese]
Vibrations + Moisture
JEITA-ET 7409/105: Test methods for solder joint of surface mount device — Part
105: Cyclic bending strength test [in Japanese]
Siloxane + Heat
1 ppm H2S, 25ºC/75% (1,000 hours) Kishichi Sasaki, ‘Namari-Free Handa no Fushokusei no Kentō’ [‘A Study of the
Corrosiveness of Lead-Free Solder’] 18th Electronic Device Reliability Symposium
(2008)
1 ppm NO2, 25ºC/75% (1000 hours)
40ºC; siloxane concentration: 1 ppm,
11 pm
Open/close count: 30,000; resistance
load: 12 VDC, 10 mA
Electric field + Moisture +
Tracking test
Electrolytic substances + Dust NH4Cl 0.1%, 600 V
1
IEC Publ. 112, ‘Method for determining the comparative and the proof tracking
indices of solid insulating materials under moist conditions’ (1979)
Test Navi [Test handbook]