Abstract:

Today?s semiconductor parts are most often specified for use in the "commercial" 0 to 70^oC, and to a lesser extent in the "industrial" -40 to 85^oC operating temperature range, thus satisfying the demands of the dominant semiconductor consumers in the computer, telecommunications, and consumer electronics industries. There is demand for semiconductor parts rated beyond the "industrial" temperature range, primarily from the aerospace, military, oil and gas exploration, and automotive industries. However, demand for these parts is not large enough to attract or retain major semiconductor part manufacturers. Parts rated for wider temperature ranges have fewer available functions, technology, and package styles. The new, leading-age technology parts (e.g., microprocessors, high capacity DRAMs) are not available in the wider temperature ranges.

There is increasing difficulty in the procurement of parts that meet engineering, economic, logistical, and technical integration needs of equipment manufacturers, and that are specified for wider temperature ranges of operation. There are existing products to be supported and new products to be built which require parts that can operate at temperatures beyond the "industrial" temperature range. Those products need to match with the overall direction in technological development in the electronics industry in functionality, cost, size and weight, and packaging styles. The challenge is to determine what should be done if we cannot find the parts whose documented specifications meet our life cycle application conditions.

Companies who wish to use parts outside the manufacturer-specified temperature range must follow documented, controlled, and repeatable processes in order to demonstrate that they are ?fit? for the purpose. These processes need to be integrated with their electronic parts selection and management programs [1]. Currently, companies have unique in-house developed processes to select parts that are to be used outside the manufacturers temperature limits. These are not always integrated with their electronic part selection and management process, and there is no industry standard for this practice.

This document explains the process of assessing and mitigating risks associated with uprating and use of uprated parts. There are several engineering steps in parts selection and management associated with the uprating of parts. These steps include gathering information about the candidate part, the actual process of uprating, and the management process during the lifecycle (e.g., quality assurance, manufacturing, usage and maintenance) of the product. The mitigation techniques described in this document encompass all these steps.

Complete article is available to CALCE Consortium Members.