TY - GEN
T1 - Identification of interconnect failure mechanisms using RF impedance analysis
AU - Kwon, Daeil
AU - Azarian, Michael H.
AU - Pecht, Michael
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - This paper presents RF impedance analysis as a nondestructive indicator of interconnect failure mechanisms. Physical changes on a printed circuit board can be detected using the TDR reflection coefficient as a measure of RF impedance. The test circuit in this study consisted of an impedance-controlled circuit board, a surface mount low-pass filter, and two solder joints providing both mechanical and electrical connections between them. A cyclic mechanical load was applied to generate either solder pad separation failures or cracking of the solder joints. In the case of pad separation, the test results showed that the TDR reflection coefficient gradually decreased as the pad lifted off the circuit board, which was distinguishable from the TDR response due to solder joint cracking. These results are explained using a simple theoretical analysis of the effect of each failure mechanism on impedance. This demonstrates that RF impedance analysis provides for the determination of failure mechanisms as well as early detection of both pad separation and solder joint degradation. The detection sensitivity for solder joint cracking using this technique is also discussed.
AB - This paper presents RF impedance analysis as a nondestructive indicator of interconnect failure mechanisms. Physical changes on a printed circuit board can be detected using the TDR reflection coefficient as a measure of RF impedance. The test circuit in this study consisted of an impedance-controlled circuit board, a surface mount low-pass filter, and two solder joints providing both mechanical and electrical connections between them. A cyclic mechanical load was applied to generate either solder pad separation failures or cracking of the solder joints. In the case of pad separation, the test results showed that the TDR reflection coefficient gradually decreased as the pad lifted off the circuit board, which was distinguishable from the TDR response due to solder joint cracking. These results are explained using a simple theoretical analysis of the effect of each failure mechanism on impedance. This demonstrates that RF impedance analysis provides for the determination of failure mechanisms as well as early detection of both pad separation and solder joint degradation. The detection sensitivity for solder joint cracking using this technique is also discussed.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/70349983808
U2 - 10.1109/SPI.2009.5089855
DO - 10.1109/SPI.2009.5089855
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:70349983808
SN - 9781424444892
T3 - 2009 IEEE Workshop on Signal Propagation on Interconnects, SPI '09
BT - 2009 IEEE Workshop on Signal Propagation on Interconnects, SPI '09
T2 - 2009 IEEE Workshop on Signal Propagation on Interconnects, SPI '09
Y2 - 12 May 2009 through 15 May 2009
ER -