The Design and Manufacturing of an Environmental Chamber to Test Microelectronic Devices

Abstract

As further studies are undertaken to improve the capabilities of microelectronics, methods of testing need to be perfected as well. One method of testing, “accelerated aging,” exposes microelectronics to high temperatures and humidities to gather and extrapolate data about their lifespan, to better inform end user expectations and potentially help produce ideas for device improvement. Another microelectronic reliability issue of importance is electromigration. Electromigration can create voids in electronic traces, leading to interrupted circuits or electrical shorts, breaking microelectronics. Electromigration is well understood at larger scales, but as the scale of components approaches less than ten nanometers, current theory becomes less applicable.