Vibration tests utilization in the study of reliability of connections in microelectronics

Reliability of electronic devices is a crucial scope of interest of the electronic manufacturing industry. The reliability is connected with electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of investigated products. Electrical and thermal properties are investigated during the specified tests such as thermal shocks, temperature, and humidity cycles, dry oven storage. Mechanical properties are concerned of mounted components are mainly problem of the assembly industry. At the present electronic components are mounted to the PCB mostly by surface mount technology (SMT) or flip chip processes. The lead-solders are being presently replaced with lead-free solders or electrically conductive adhesives. It is caused by the European and Japanese restrictions. The restrictions forbid using lead in consumer electronic products because of its harmful influence on beings. The new solders and assembly technology force to the following investigations of reliability of joints. This paper contains information about information tests as accelerated tests commonly used to evaluate fatigue life of interconnections in electronic assembly. In the first part of the paper short review of accelerated tests is presented. Anand's model of the solder joint used in finite elements analysis (FEA) and Darveaux's crack initiation and growth model are also mentioned, The bases of FEA and DOE are beyond the scope of this paper. In the second part of the paper harmonic as well as random variation and two different constructions of shakers, their advantages, limitations and requirements are presented. Characterization of specimen and vibration setup is considered. At the end of the paper vibration test is proposed.