Experimental evaluation of moisture-induced failures of surface mount plastic packages

Moisture induced failures of surface mount plastic electronic packages during solder reflow is investigated experimentally for various package designs and different levels of moisture. Testing was carried out in connection with the development of guidelines for experimental qualifications and reliability monitoring programs for Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Integrated Circuit (IC) in plastic packages. Based on the obtained data, we developed recommendations for the selection of the appropriate moisture preconditioning parameters. The recommendations can be helpful to engineers associated with handling and storage of plastic packages of IC devices in and out of dry bags, as well as to quality control specialists, factory personnel, and customers involved in the manufacturing of surface mount plastic packages.