Practical Lessons Learned From Overstress Testing -A Historical Perspective

摘要

Accelerated or overstress testing (HALT and ESS) has been extensively used for product improvement, for product qualification and for improving manufacturing yields for several decades. Starting with the lowest level in the electronics equipment food chain, accelerated testing was rigorously applied to the packaged integrated circuit, for economic reasons. Component screening has been a way of life for the military/aerospace community, led by NASA and the U.S. Air Force, since the inception fo the integrated circuit industry in the late 1950's. Almost every major computer and automotive manufacturer performed accelerated stress testing on all purchased integrated circuits (ICs) until major quality improvements became widely evident.