Manufacturers of aerospace, defense, and high performance (ADHP) equipment are currently facing multiple challenges related to the reliability of electronic systems. The continuing reduction in size of electronic components combined with increasing clock frequencies and greater functionality, results in increased power density. As an effect, controlling the temperature of electronic components ...

We describe the use of electrical methods for evaluating mechanical reliability and properties of patterned copper and aluminum interconnects on silicon substrates. The approach makes use of controlled Joule heating, which causes thermal strains in the materials system due to differences in thermal expansion between the metal and constraining substrate and passivation. Our efforts concentrate o...

Thermoset polyimide resins are used as the polymer matrix in high temperature composites for aerospace applications such as engine shrouds. At these locations the components have to withstand high temperatures and significant vibration. A number of studies have investigated the effects of thermal exposure on mechanical properties of polyimide resins, and the effects of fatigue on thermoplastics...

A review of fourteen solder joint fatigue models is presented here with an emphasis on summarizing the features and applications of each fatigue model. The models are classi®ed into ®ve categories: stress-based, plastic strainbased, creep strain-based, energy-based, and damage-based. Fatigue models falling outside these categories are categorized as `other empirical models'. Each model is prese...

The aim of the study was to evaluate the core veneer bond strength of graded zirconia combinations and compared those to conventional zirconia combinations after thermal and mechanical tests. Conventional zirconia-veneer combinations and graded zirconia-veneer combinations were made into cylinders. Prior to shear bond testing, half of each group was subjected to thermal and mechanical cycling t...

With flexible leaded parts, the solder-joint failure process involves a complex interplay of creep and fatigue mechanisms. To better understand the role of creep in typical multi-hour cyclic loading conditions, a specialized non-linear finite-element creep simulation computer program has been formulated. The numerical algorithm includes the complete part-lead-solder-P WB system, accounting for ...

Potential problems induced by the multilayered manufacturing process pose a serious threat to the long-term reliability of MEMSCAP® actuators under in-service thermal cycling. Damage would initiate and propagate in different material layers because of a large mismatch of their thermal expansions. In this research, residual stresses and variations of design parameters induced by metal multi-user...

The ultrasonic infrared thermal wave method is a new nondestructive testing technique. It is remarkably sensitive and convenient for detection of small vertical cracks, such as fatigue cracks in metals. Pulses of ultrasonic launched by the ultrasonic emitter as heat source are excited into the sample, if there are some cracks in the material, they will be revealed through their heat generation,...