Electronic testing and reliability

The 6NAPSE Group carries out electronic testing. We offer fundamental studies for applications by combining high-performance equipment and strong skills in electronic reliability.

Reliability tests on electronic components and systems

Electronic systems optimization

Electronic systems are constantly being improved in both the civil and military domains. This is so because reliability occupies a very crucial place in market competitiveness. It is necessary that the products offered be reliable according to the variable conditions of use.

In this context, the 6NAPSE Group has put in place strategies to provide answers across the entire value chain. Our design office provides solutions from fundamental studies to applications, by combining high-performance technological means and multi-physical methodologies in the field of reliability of electronic components and systems.

Services are therefore offered, depending on the needs, in order to support manufacturers in better controlling failures for:

Facilitate preventive maintenance
Provide better knowledge of the behavior of different technologies according to the demands and conditions of use
Help understand and control changes / degradations in the performance of the technology used
Support the reliability of the systems

Failure control

Failure control begins with knowledge of the failure modes. New electronic component technologies have very high performance, but their degradation modes over time depending on the stresses are not known due to a lack of feedback.

In order to overcome this lack, aging studies, diagnostics and characterization tests to reveal the different mechanisms of degradation relating to the technology used, are proposed. Degradation mechanisms can be activated by temperature, electric current, electric field, etc.

In the case of aging tests, diagnostics and characterization tests of the relevant indicators are defined in order to analyze the origins of the failure. These indicators will make it possible to identify the nature of the failure to go back to the degradation mechanism of the components / systems.

In this context, measurements are carried out in order to know the electrical signature and the electrical parameters (DC, radiofrequency, etc.) of the component or system under study.

Key skills

Electrical, thermal and mechanical component characterization
Design of test mockups
Lifetime estimation
Analysis of failure modes (housing, bonds, solders, chip, etc.)
Physical analysis of electronic chip (transistors, diodes, integrated circuits)
Qualification of electronic power and/or radiofrequency systems…

Applications

Support in the upstream phase of system or subsystem development;
Identification and problem solving on life-series element;
Identification of design weaknesses;
Accompaniment of clients in compliance with legislative specifications and standards;
Long-term test in operational condition;
Accelerated aging under electro-thermo-mechanical stress;
Robustness tests;
Qualification tests;
Upstream studies on new component technologies (HEMT GaN, MOSFET SiC, etc.)

Case study

The case study of aging of GaN technology transistors, intended to operate in radars, can be mentioned. The transistors are placed in their amplifier. Amplifiers are designed to operate in a specific frequency band. They allow in-situ measurements facilitating the characterization of the component in static and dynamic. The various electrical, thermal and microwave characterizations carried out before the aging tests make it possible to define a reference state t0.

During the aging tests, stops are made in order to make recovery measurements. These measurements are then used to observe the changes in the parameters measured during the first characterization. They make it possible to detect possible beginnings of a degradation mechanism, to detect drifts in the performance of the component and to decide on the state of aging of the components.

Other case studies:

Aging study on storage modules containing LIC cells;
Analysis of failure mechanisms on RF power transistors HEMT AlGaN / GaN;
Thermo-vibratory diagnosis of card and electronic subsystem;
Study of the temperature resistance of the chip-package solder on a Schottky SiC power diode;
Qualification of RADAR amplifiers based on LD-MOSFET transistors;
Study of robustness to starts at -40°C of RF amplifiers;
Measurement of the thermal expansion of a power chip by 3D vibrometry;
Opening of ceramic boxes…

The 6NAPSE Group, through its skills and technical means, scales suitable offers to better support companies in optimizing the use of their products, easier maintenance, easing operating costs, better control of failure…

TECHNICAL MEANS

BURN-IN AND LIFE-TEST BENCH

CHARGE / DISCHARGE BENCH

ELECTRICAL MICROCUTS BENCH