Reliability

Reliability testing

Material, Stress, Mechanical and Environmental induced mechanisms

TC, TCT, HTOL, HAST, HTS
Advanced Packaging Diodes Integrated Circuits Light Emitting Diodes Transistors Thyristors Reliability Wafers

Reliability

Reliability is the probability that a packaged microelectronic device will perform its intended function over a defined time under a specified mission profile and environment. A modern reliability program is qualification‑driven, physics‑of‑failure aligned, interface‑focused, and mission‑profile based—combining JEDEC/AEC qualification with the stresses your product will actually see in the field. It enables business outcomes: protecting yield, controlling warranty exposure, and meeting safety/compliance targets without slowing time‑to‑market.

Why is Reliability Important?

Reliability gates qualification and time‑to‑market, and it directly impacts field returns and brand risk. As package density increases, interfacial stress rises, making delamination and fatigue more likely. As operating voltage climbs, insulation margins compress, raising leakage/breakdown risk. As moisture exposure increases (e.g., higher MSL or longer floor life), ionic mobility and corrosion accelerate.

Reliability programs protect:

Quality & Yield

Prevent defect escape and control latent defects before ramp.

Warranty & Field Returns

Reduce RMAs and the cost of failure after deployment.

Safety & Compliance

Meet automotive/industrial expectations (e.g., AEC‑Q100) and mission‑critical requirements.

Time‑to‑Market

Increase qualification predictability and accelerate production ramps.

The Evolution of Reliability

Early standards such as MIL‑STD‑883 were written for mostly hermetic packages. As the industry shifted to polymer‑based plastic packages, JEDEC introduced stress‑test‑driven qualification (JEP150) and moisture/reflow classifications (J‑STD‑020) to manage moisture, adhesion, and assembly risks. Today, reliability must also account for advanced packaging (2.5D/3D, fan‑out, chiplets) and wide‑bandgap (SiC/GaN) power devices with higher junction temperatures and field strengths.

 

1990s

From Hermetic to Plastic

Plastic‑encapsulated packages become widespread.

Reliability emphasis: MSL, popcorning/delamination during reflow.

Example: IPC/JEDEC J‑STD‑020 (moisture/reflow sensitivity).

2000s

Pb‑Free Era

Lead‑free solder raises reflow temperatures; early flip‑chip/wirebond hybrids.

Reliability emphasis: preconditioning (JESD22‑A113), adhesion under Pb‑free, board‑level assembly effects (JEP150).

2010s

Advanced Packaging

Fan‑out, WLCSP, and 2.5D interposers increase interface count and thinness.

Reliability emphasis: warpage/fatigue (thermo‑mechanical), moisture/ionic risks with density.

2020s & Beyond

AI/HPC & WBG

HBM + 2.5D/3D, foundry/OSAT capacity ramps; SiC/GaN adoption in EV/industrial.

Reliability emphasis: higher junction temps, electric fields, and power‑cycling loads; insulation reliability and thermal management become limiting.

Timeline of key reliability qualification and packaging milestones

Market Insight

Reliability Demand in Advanced Packaging and Qualification

 
Advanced Packaging (2030)
~$79.4B

Up from ~$46B in 2024; ~9.5% CAGR (AI/HPC demand; more interfaces & stress density) 1, 2

Semiconductor Test Equipment (2031)
~$21.6B

Up from ~$15.1B in 2025; ~6.1% CAGR as test content expands for complex packages 3

Advanced Substrates (2030)
~$31B

Substrate complexity is a proxy for interface density and reliability‑critical interfaces 4

AI/HBM Capacity Signal
Ramping

CoWoS/SoIC capacity expansions indicate rising reliability screening/material needs 1, 4

Growth proxy: Advanced packaging growth ≙ more interfaces and thinner structures → higher delamination/fatigue risk unless adhesion and modulus are controlled.

Mechanism linkage: Higher power density → higher Tj → accelerated aging; higher voltage → compressed insulation margins → greater sensitivity to voids and ionic contamination. Wide‑bandgap devices (SiC/GaN) push these limits further 8, 9.

Reliability Qualification Flow

A typical reliability program flows from mission profile → preconditioning → accelerated stress → FA feedback loop.

1 Define mission profile & qualification standard (e.g., JEDEC JESD47/JEP150; AEC‑Q100/‑Q101 for automotive) 5, 7.
2 Identify critical package interfaces (die/attach, die/passivation/mold, mold/substrate, underfill/solder, coatings).
3 Apply preconditioning (MSL soak + Pb‑free reflow simulation per J‑STD‑020/JESD22‑A113) 6.
4 Run accelerated stress tests by stress family (thermo‑mechanical, moisture/ionic, electrical/bias).
5 FA & corrective action loop (materials, process, and design levers).
Highlight

Three Main Reliability Components and Their Operational Implications

Reliability consolidates into three stress families—the systems where materials make the difference:

Thermo‑mechanical reliability

Must evolve to manage CTE mismatch and warpage

Thinner packages and more interfaces increase interfacial stress; thermal cycling drives delamination and solder/interconnect fatigue.

Moisture & ionic reliability

Must evolve to barrier+cleanliness+adhesion under wet state

Moisture diffusion and ion mobility cause corrosion, ECM, and leakage; higher MSLs and longer floor life raise exposure risks.

Electrical bias & insulation reliability
Needs high-strength dielectrics with void/ionic control

Higher fields (esp. Wide Bandgap power) increase sensitivity to leakage, partial discharge, and Time dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB); insulation stability becomes limiting.

Test Methods

Common Reliability Tests

Tests are only meaningful if they accelerate field‑relevant mechanisms. Conditions vary by package/device/customer. Use this table as a mapping tool from stressor → expected failures → material levers. (Grounded in JEDEC JEP150/JESD22; examples only) 5

Stress family Test (Abbrev.) Primary purpose Typical conditions (example) Common accelerated failure modes Interfaces / material properties stressed
Assembly / moisture Preconditioning (Precon) Simulate MSL soak + Pb‑free reflow prior to other tests Per J‑STD‑020 profile; soak per MSL; 3× reflows 6 Popcorning, delamination, wire‑bond damage Mold compound adhesion; passivation/mold; underfill integrity; package porosity
Moisture / ionic + bias Temperature‑Humidity‑Bias (THB) Assess passivation/barrier integrity under moisture + bias 85 °C/85% RH, ≥1000 h with bias Leakage, corrosion, ECM Surface insulation; ionic cleanliness; barrier coatings; adhesion under wet state
Moisture / ionic (no bias) HAST / uHAST Accelerated version of THB under pressure 110–130 °C, 85% RH, ≥96 h Corrosion; passivation/mold degradation Barrier performance; adhesion retention when saturated
Moisture / pressure Autoclave (ACLV) Stress moisture ingress & package interfaces 121 °C, 15–30 psig, ≥168 h Swelling; delamination; corrosion Mold permeability; adhesion promoters; interface design
High‑temp storage HTS Elicit metallization/passivation aging (no bias) 150–175 °C, ≥1000 h Intermetallic growth; pad corrosion; passivation cracks Metallization stack; mold stability; passivation integrity
Thermo‑mechanical Temperature Cycling (TC) Drive CTE‑mismatch fatigue & interfacial stress –65→150 °C, 500–1000 cycles (air) Delamination; solder/interconnect fatigue; die‑attach cracks Adhesion; modulus/CTE tuning; underfill/MUF; substrate warpage
Thermo‑mechanical (rapid) Thermal Shock (TS) Rapid thermal excursions through liquid media –65→150 °C, 300–1000 cycles (liquid) Cracking; interfacial separation Adhesion robustness; toughness vs. brittleness
Electrical / bias aging HTOL Validate wear‑out under electrical bias at temperature 125–150 °C, 500–1000 h with bias TDDB; leakage; parametric drift Dielectric strength; void content; ionic cleanliness; passivation integrity

Source mapping adapted from JEDEC JEP150 and JESD22 examples 5, 6 and additional technical references 10, 11, 12.

Enabling Reliability Across Core Infrastructures

CAPLINQ Solutions for Reliability

 

Reliability requirements shift by infrastructure, but the same reality holds: as power density, temperature, voltage, and environmental exposure rise, performance is often limited by materials behavior at interfaces and surfaces. CAPLINQ supports consumer, automotive, and aerospace programs with materials that strengthen adhesion retention, environmental resistance, and dielectric stability at the system level.

Consumer Infrastructure
Automotive Infrastructure
  • EMCs: thermal cycling capability, crack resistance, and adhesion retention for harsh duty cycles
  • TIMs: sustained thermal performance to manage junction temperature in power and control electronics
  • Potting/encapsulation resins: vibration resistance, sealing, and dielectric robustness
  • High-CTI coatings: creepage and clearance support for high-voltage modules and busbars
  • Primers/silanes: adhesion durability under high humidity, fluids, and thermal stress
Aerospace Infrastructure
Related blogs

Further Reading on Reliability

Thermal Cycling and CTE Mismatch in Conformal Coatings

Thermal Cycling and Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Mismatch in Conformal Coatings

Kalliope Zembillas,  January 2026

This blog explains how CTE mismatch and thermal cycling drive interfacial stress, cracking, and delamination—key to planning coating selection and board stack‑ups for long‑term reliability.

How can TIMs enhance the efficiency and reliability of HPC & Data Centers

How can TIMs enhance the efficiency and reliability of HPC & Data Centers

Darlene Pudolin,  October 2024

This blog explains how thermal interface materials enhance the efficiency and reliability of HPC and data centers by improving heat transfer and supporting stable, high-performance operation.

Overmolding Solutions for 2.5D Semiconductor Packages in Advanced Electronics

Overmolding Solutions for 2.5D Semiconductor Packages in Advanced Electronics

Rose Anne Acedera,  August 2025

This blog explores overmolding solutions for 2.5D semiconductor packages used in high-performance data center CPUs and GPUs, highlighting how they support greater processing performance in AI and HPC racks.

Enhance thermo‑mechanical, moisture/ionic, and electrical‑bias reliability across modern package environments.

Let our engineers recommend the right materials for your reliability stress envelope and package interfaces.

References

  1. Yole Group, Status of the Advanced Packaging Industry 2025 and press note: “Advanced packaging market set to reach $79.4B by 2030.” (Aug 31, 2025). Link
  2. Electronics Weekly summary of Yole: “Advanced packaging market on 9.5% CAGR to reach $79.4bn in 2030.” (Sept 3, 2025). Link
  3. Mordor Intelligence: Semiconductor Test Equipment Market Size & Growth to 2031 (accessed 2025–2026). Link
  4. Yole Group Strategy Insights: “AI fuels the future of advanced packaging” (advanced IC substrates ~$31B by 2030). (Aug 1, 2025). Link
  5. JEDEC JEP150A (Dec 2023): Stress‑Test‑Driven Qualification of and Failure Mechanisms Associated with Assembled Solid State Surface‑Mount Devices. Link
  6. IPC/JEDEC J‑STD‑020F: Moisture/Reflow Sensitivity Classification for Non‑Hermetic SMDs. Link
  7. Automotive Electronics Council (AEC): AEC‑Q100 document set. Link
  8. Qin, Y. et al., “Thermal management and packaging of wide and ultra‑wide bandgap power devices,” J. Phys. D, 56 (2023). Link
  9. Wang, Y. et al., “Reliability of Wide Band Gap Power Electronic Semiconductor and Packaging: A Review,” Energies 15(18), 6670 (2022). Link
  10. Zhang, H.C., Lin, F., Zhao, T., Wensheng (2020). Modeling, Analysis, Design, and Tests for Electronics Packaging beyond Moore – §1.2.3 Stress & Reliability Issues. Elsevier.
  11. Chung, H., Wang, H., Blaabjerg, F., Pecht, M. (2016). Reliability of Power Electronic Converter Systems – §4.1 Introduction. IET.
  12. Chen, A., & Lo, R.H.-Y. (2012). Semiconductor Packaging: Materials Interaction and Reliability. CRC Press.