Multi-Stress Chamber for Accelerated Life Testing of Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits

(1) Development and fabrication of a PEM/EEC with temperature cycling, relative humidity (RH), solar exposures, and PEM electrical stimulus and output monitoring (2) A series of experiments to develop delivery and monitoring mechanisms for dust, contaminants, and other specified stresses. The results of the second path will be integrated in Phase II into the chamber developed in path (1). Each path is supported by design and materials selection efforts, and a marketing survey proposed to define the PEM/EEC market and begin the process of forming alliances for marketing, distribution, and sales of PEM/EEC products in Phase III. A notional design package integrating all exposures for Phase II fabrication, and Phase I PEM/EEC drawings are included as deliverables. A model of the exposures is proposed to provide guidance in setting intensity levels and for investigating the effects of exposure interaction. The model will be a modification of an earlier TRI/Austin software product on accelerated test design, as will the design for chamber RH exposure and control making TRI/Austin a unique opportunity to develop PEM/EEC technology. BENEFITS: The ability to test electronics within a chamber that will be capable of multiple stress environments will benefit anyone that is concerned about the synergistic effect that combined aging environments can have. To ignore these simultaneously applied environments is a risk that can be overcome by the use of this next generation environmental chamber.