ICAMB 2012, Jan 9-11, 2012

Design, Manufacture and Static Reliability Analyses of a 56L Thin Quad Leadless Moulded Package (TQLMP)
K. Padmanabhan S. Subeesh and G. Saravanaram
Abstract- This investigation is a part of the ongoing activities in the
joint project with SPEL Semiconductor Ltd. on advanced semiconductor materials and packaging. Design of the entire 56L Thin Quad Leadless Moulded Package (TQLMP) was done in Pro-E Wildfire 3.0 and the performance analysis accomplished using the ANSYS v.11 FEM ( Finite Element Method) software. The unique feature of the 56L IC is that it is rectangular and not a square design like the 48L TQLMP. Reliability plays a major role at every stage in the manufacture, testing and use of integrated circuit packages. The 56L ICs were encapsulated using a nano-composite mould compound and the Resin Transfer Moulding method (RTM). The electrohygrothermo-mechanical reliability of the IC packages were investigated and reported with the aid of finite element coupled field analysis and corroboration of the results with experimental results. In order to improve reliability, suggestions were made based on the feed back from the analyses. The influence of operating voltages and joule heating on the mechanical reliability of ICs were investigated. Die shear tests were conducted on the ICs and the shear strength compared with the actual values obtained from the finite element results during operating temperatures. Thermal analyses with FEM and thermal tests in a chamber carried out on the ICs were later inspected under a Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM) for possible delaminations The influence of moisture at elevated temperatures was also studied for the aforementioned IC. in order to ascertain the reliability of the IC and its encapsulation despite hygrothermal attack.. Finally all the results of the electro- hygrothermo-mechanical analysis were analyzed and presented. Failure theories were applied to verify the reliability of the IC from a knowledge of the obtained stresses and strains from FEM simulations and design or materials data.. Finally, the overall reliability of the IC was established. Key words : 56 L TQLMP, Reliability, FEM, SAM

Among the electronic packages the quad packages are relatively new and have high design complexities coupled with superior function at a small size. A detailed account of the types of packages is given in Microsystems Packaging by Tummala Rao [2]. As we have ventured in to manufacturing the quad packages like the Thin Quad Leadless Moulded Package ( TQLMP) that are increasingly being used in mobile phones, digital cameras, PDAs and automobile control systems , there is enormous customer curiosity on the reliability of the miniaturized products manufactured with these ICs. Hence there is an imperative need to address these issues and demonstrate the evaluation techniques and conformance of these packages to user requirements. Figure 1 shows the architecture of a simplified plastic IC package. Plastic packages are non-hermetic meaning permeable but flexible and cost affective at operating temperatures below 200 C.

Figure 1: Two-dimensional cross section model of an IC package

I.

INTRODUCTION

The joint project with an electronic industry SPEL Semiconductor Ltd [1] to improve the understanding and exploitation of advanced semiconductor materials and electronic packaging of ICs is unique as it caters to the needs of customers all of whom are from the export market. This project assumes great significance as the entire 3D design and
K. Padmanabhan, Centre of excellence in Nano-composites. School of Mechanical and Building Sciences, VIT-University, Vellore-632014. S. Subeesh Spel Semiconductor Ltd. Maraimalai Nagar, Chennai G. Saravanaram, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering , Sri Perumbudur

Plastic based non-hermetic packages are more popular with the manufacturers of electronic packaging. Their maximum operating temperature is low and they may face a hoard of problems that may lead to premature failure. The causes of such failures are mostly due to joule heating due to resistive heating ( I2 R losses), electrostatic discharge (ESD), hygrothermal fracture , electro-thermo-mechanical fatigue, manufacturing defects like delaminations, soldering defects and material defects. In the present investigation the complete architecture of a 56L TQLMP was designed in Pro-E modelling software and analyzed for electro-hygro-thermo-mechanical static reliability using the ANSYS version 11 finite element modelling software [3] and reliability tests. As the IC packages experience joule heating during operation due to the application of voltage difference and current they cause thermal stresses to be induced in the package. As thermal stresses cause warping, bending, twisting and other type of
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analyses for the ICs developed , are carried out with the facilities available with the the joint collaborators .
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ICAMB 2012, Jan 9-11, 2012

deflections, the mechanical stresses develop in the package that is fixed to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or a Printed Wiring Board (PWB) in the leads and the package as whole. The reliability and durability of some of the quad packages have been investigated earlier by Padmanabhan et al [4,5,6]. Here, the results from the simulation studies and calculations based on actual operating conditions are compared with the experimental results from the die shear tests , thermal preconditioning tests and delamination observation under the scanning acoustic microscope (SAM). Comparison reveals that the operating stresses are lower than the failure stresses with the factor of safety included. The significance of this investigation is in the consideration of the actuarian multiple effects that the IC packages go through. The Design for Manufacturing, Assembly and Environment (DFMAE) approach is emphasized here as concurrent design, analysis, manufacturing and testing feedback principles are employed keeping cost in mind. The ICs fabricated by SPEL semiconductors are also lead free thereby addressing the issue of environmental impact. II. MODELLING AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS : was possible to evaluate the electrical influence on the thermal characteristics and then the thermal influence on the mechanical characteristics of the IC package.

Figure 2 (a) 56L TQLMP IC with encapsulation

The 3 Dimensional model was created using the Pro-E wildfire 4.0. For analytical requirements the model was created with and with out the IC plastic encapsulation as the property evaluation had to be done for both the conditions in order to clearly identify the influence of the mould compound. The copper lead frame shown in figure 1 forms the skeletal frame on which the silicon die is pasted using a conductive silver epoxy paste. Gold wires with a diameter of 25 microns are bonded from the leads on to the silicon die in order to enable the IC to receive and transmit signals. The entire micro assembly is encapsulated with a mould compound consisting of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, carbon black powder and fused silica powders through the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) technique. Here, in the 3D model the IC with the mould compound encapsulation is shown to be transparent in order to provide visual details keeping in mind the material properties. Figures 2 (a) and (b) show the design of 56L TQLMP packages with encapsulation . The model was imported in to the ANSYS in the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification ( IGES) format. A coupled field electro- thermo-mechanical FE analysis was conducted using the materials properties given in Table 1 for the various materials used in the design . The coupled field analysis was carried out using a solid element with 8 nodes and capable of two degrees of freedom ,i.e. temperature and voltage. The element is also capable of three dimensional thermal and electrical conductivity. So it was used for the electrical thermal coupled field analysis involving joule heating and another solid element was used for the thermal-mechanical coupled field analysis involving the von mises equivalent stresses and shear stresses. The thermal results from the first coupled field analysis were fed in to the next analysis through an `.rth file and the thermalstructural analysis performed using another solid element that is used for this coupled field analysis. The results from the thermal-structural analyses were stored in an `.rst file. Thus it
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Figure 2 (b) 56L TQLMP IC gold wire

bonding.

Meshed model of the 56L IC without encapsulation is shown here in figure 3. According to the properties to be derived the models were meshed with and without encapsulation.. The models were constrained at the lead lines along the four outer edges of the copper lead frame as it would be during operation. A manufacturer recommended potential difference of 5 volts was applied to the IC at the designated leads. The results for the 56L IC obtained from the two coupled field analyses are shown in figures 4 to 6. As the IC is supplied with a voltage it takes a few minutes to reach a steady state due to joule heating. Hence all the results presented are from steady state electrical- thermal coupled field analysis. No transient analysis is presented here due to the practicality of the approach of this investigation. Figure 4 shows the maximum temperature achieved in the encapsulated package due to joule heating which is 33.4 C. Figures 5 and 6 indicate the XY shear stresses developed in the entire package and the XY plane shear stress developed at the silicon die and the copper lead frame interface bonded with a conducting silver epoxy adhesive. The XY shear stress is of significance as the stresses developed in operation can be compared with the actual shear strength of the interface. The shear stresses developed should be at least 2.5 times ( factor
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ICAMB 2012, Jan 9-11, 2012

of safety) lower than the shear strength of the silicon diecopper interface in order to qualify the IC for reliability.

Figure 5: XY Shear stresses with encapsulation Figure 6: XY shear stress at Si-Cu bonding

Figure 3: Meshing of IC without encapsulation Figure 4: Joule heating distribution of IC

TABLE I PACKAGING MATERIALS PROPERTIES MATERIALS YOUNGS MODULUS (N/mm2) 110.31e3 11.5e3 200e3 82.737e3 26e3 33e3 CTE (1/C) 16.50e-6 30e-6 2.60e-6 14.20e-6 7e-6 1.5e-5 ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY ( - mm) 1.673e-5 8e-4 1 2.350e-5 THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY (W/mm- C) 401e-3 546e-3 130e-3 317e-3 0.0012e-3 0.0012e-3 POISSONS RATIO 0.22 0.35 0.25 0.44 0.25 0.25

Copper Silver epoxy Silicon Gold Filled epoxy for 36L (M1) Filled epoxy for 64L (M2)

III.

EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS:

The die shear test apparatus to measure the shear strength of the silicon die-copper lead frame interface adhesively
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bonded with a silver epoxy paste ( with out encapsulation), shown schematically in figure 7, shows the silicon die adhesively bonded to the copper lead frame clamped to the apparatus. A shear beam with a wedge is tightened laterally until the die is sheared of the copper lead frame. The average
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load from about five tests, required to shear the die is noted and the shear strength is calculated based on the surface contact area of the die with the lead frame. Here, temperature rise , the shrinkage pressure due to the encapsulation moulding and the thermal stresses developed in the encapsulation while in operation have a role to play in the origin of XY shear stresses , the magnitude of which is ~ 2 MPa ( Fig 6). The die shear strength evaluated through the experimental setup was 24.51 N/mm2 or MPa which is higher than the XY shear stresses developed during operation by at least a factor of safety (FOS) of 10. Temperature) of the material, device/component should be at least 25 Celsius lower than the lowest wet Tg of the material. In this case the mould compounds qualify this clause. This investigation deals with more reliability analyses based on failure theories and hygrothermal influences . The 56L TQLMP fails at around 110 C by using mould compound Mould 2. By using the mould compound Mould 1 the design is more robust as the wet Tg is about 121C.The ensuing sections present the hygrothermal and the failure analyses of the 56 L ICs. IV. HYGROTHERMAL ANALYSIS

The packages involved in this investigation are polymeric epoxies that are non-hermetic, meaning permeable to moisture and transport of other ingredients. Among the many environmental conditions that may influence polymer mechanical behaviour, changes in temperature and moisture contents are important for discussion. Effects of temperature are usually referred to as thermal effects, whereas those of moisture are referred to as hygroscopic effects. The word hygrothermal is used to describe the combined effects of temperature and moisture. There are two principal effects of changes in the hygrothermal environment, on mechanical behaviour of polymers. Stiffness and strength are altered. Increasing temperature causes a gradual softening of the polymer material up to a point. If the temperature is increased beyond the so called glass transition region (indicating a transition from glassy behaviour to rubbery behaviour) the polymer becomes too soft for use as a structural material. Plasticization of the polymer by absorbed moisture causes a reduction in glass transition temperature (Tg). Thus the wet Tg is always lower than the dry Tg and a corresponding degradation of polymer properties results. Recent attention by Andrew Tay [9] and Ji Hyuck Yang and Kang Yong Lee [10] are on the hygrothermal reliability aspects of various IC packages. The hygrothermal degradation of the polymer encapsulant strength or stiffness can be estimated by using an empirical equation given in Ronald Gibson [11], that is --- (1)

Figure 7: Silicon- copper lead frame die shear test Figure 8 : SAM showing delaminations (as red areas) in the IC The manufactured ICs are subjected to a preconditioning test (Thermal Shock Test (JESD22 A106B) [7] involving temperature cycles. As the temperature of the ICs is raised beyond 125 C which is near the glass transition temperature of the encapsulant resin and the silver epoxy adhesive, to up to 260 C for lead free products , delaminations were observed in the encapsulated ICs .This was confirmed through Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM) observation of the conditioned specimens. Figure 8 provides information about the extent of delaminations after preconditioning at the aforesaid temperatures for 24 hours or more. As the IC temperature during operation is not expected to go beyond 34 C as evinced through the joule heating analysis it is clear that delaminations occur only when the IC is treated near and above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the epoxy for long durations, due to the differences in the CTE of the different materials, as discussed above. As there is a clear margin between the maximum temperature reached during operation and the failure temperature due to the development of thermal stresses, it is found that the IC will not reach its failure limits during operation. According to the ASTM STP 5229 M rule [8] the MOT ( Maximum Operating
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F
m

P P

T = T

gw go

T T 0

1/ 2

Tgw = (0.005Mr2-0.1Mr+1.0)Tgo
Where, Fm = Mechanical property retention ratio, P = Strength or stiffness after hygrothermal degradation, Po = Reference strength or stiffness before degradation,T = Temperature at which P is to be predicted (0C), Tgo= Glass transition temperature for reference dry condition , Tgw =Glass transition temperature for reference wet condition at
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ICAMB 2012, Jan 9-11, 2012

moisture content corresponding to property P, To = Test temperature at which Po was measured, Mr = Weight percent of moisture at equilibrium. In our package the encapsulation is made up of a filled epoxy material which absorbs moisture. Two types of encapsulation moulding materials were used by SPEL Semiconductor Ltd. Figures 11 to 13 show the retention ratios and the strength degradation for the two moulding compounds at different temperatures after saturation moisture conditioning. The maximum moisture concentration for the two moulding compounds as determined was 0.23 wt % (Mould compound 1) and 0.3 wt % (Mould compound 2) respectively.

M1 M2

Figure 13 Temp Vs Strength plot of mould Compound 2 used in encapsulation Figure 14. 56L TQLMP - XY stress The actual strength of the encapsulant resin is reduced due to the moisture absorption especially at higher temperatures. The strength degradation versus temperature plots for a saturation moisture conditioned mould compound 1 and mould compound 2 are shown in figures 12 and 13.The XY in plane stresses of the encapsulation alone at 34 C are shown in Figure 14. V. FAILURE THEORIES AND ANALYSES

Figure 11 Temperature Vs Retention Ratio plot Figure 12 Temp Vs strength plot of Mould Compound 1
Mould 2

The failure of composites has been investigated extensively from the micromechanical and the macromechanical points of view. As the encapsulant mould compound is a filled composite , failure theories for composites are required to describe and predict failure. Failure predictions based on micromechanics, even when they are accurate with regard to failure initiation at critical points, are only approximate with regard to global failure with respect to orthotropy. For these reasons a macromechanical approach to failure analysis is preferred. Numerous failure theories have been proposed exclusively for composite materials and are available to the composite structural designer. They are classified into three groups, limit or non interactive theories (maximum stress, maximum strain) , interactive theories by Azzi-Tsai-Hill [12] and Tsai-Wu [13] and partially interactive or failure mode based theories . The

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ICAMB 2012, Jan 9-11, 2012

validity and applicability of the above theories depends on the phenomenological events like interaction between the normal and shear stresses and agreement with experimental results. At the maximum operating temperature i.e at ~ 34 C , the following values were obtained for the stresses actually developed and the mean strength of the 36L package encapsulation using mould compound 1. The values of the tensile , compressive and shear strengths for the two mpuld compounds at a designated temperature can be read off from figures 12 and 13. The actual stresses developed can be extracted from the FE analyses. These values correspond to the encapsulation material only and not the operative part of the package. For the total shear stress developed in the package refer figure 5. It could be ascertained that the design is safe with a factor of safety of more than 2.5 at the MOT, as unity is not reached on the left hand sides. VI. CONCLUSIONS:

The design and reliability analyses of 56L IC packages were discussed in this investigation. The 3 D design was carried out with a PRO-E Wildfire 4.0 software and the finite element simulation, with ANSYS v 11 FEM software. The simulation results were useful along with the results from the die shear and thermal treatment experiments. The following conclusions could be made from the study . 1. The joule heating during operation of the ICs caused the temperature to rise up to 34 C in the 56 L packages. A full transient or a steady state electro-thermal analysis provides this result. The operational temperature due to joule heating caused thermal stresses to build up in the package that caused warping, twisting and bending. 2. The mechanical stresses thus developed in the package were evaluated employing the electro-thermo-mechanical coupled field analysis using ANSYS v11 software. The silicon die- copper lead frame bonding interface shear stresses (XY shear stresses ) could be evaluated for operational conditions. They were in the range of ~ 2 MPa. The actual shear strength of the interface was, however , 24.51 MPa, . 3. A preconditioning thermal test was conducted on all the encapsulated ICs . The ICs were found to delaminate when treated to temperatures in excess of the glass transition temperatures of the mould compound epoxy and the silver epoxy paste. As the maximum test temperatures were in the range of 260 C , the SAM images of the thermally treated ICs revealed the delaminations seen as red areas. However, operational joule heating was not seen to produce any delaminations. 4. A detailed hygrothermal analysis was carried out on the IC package that provided vital information about the tensile, compressive and shear strengths of the moisture saturated package at elevated temperatures up to the wet glass transition temperature of the mould compound. 5. The study establishes the overall reliability of the 56L TQLMP ICs with acceptable safety margins at their operating temperatures as substantiated through the application of failure theories. 6. The ASTM STP 5229 M rule which states that the MOT ( Maximum Operating Temperature) of the material, device/component should be at least 25 Celsius lower than the lowest Tg ( normally wet) of the material, is found to hold good for the mould compounds used in this investigation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

For Mould compound 1 the following are the stress details. Maximum operating conditioning i.e at 34 C ( lengthwise) X stress in MPa = 35.303 Y stress in MPa = 3.31 XY shear stress in MPa = 24.26 Tensile strength in MPa =180 Compressive strength in MPa = 190 Shear strength in MPa = 90 When the failure theories are applied the parameters on the left hand side are lesser than 1 or the failure index. This is shown below Tsai Wu Failure theory: 0.116 < 1 Azzi-Tsai-Hill theory: 0.107(Tensile) / 0.104(compressive) < 1 Thus the design is safe at the operating temperature..

For the same mould compound Maximum operating conditioning i.e at 27 C ( Width wise) X stress in MPa = 8.71 Y stress in MPa = 12.153 XY shear stress in MPa = 17.736 Tensile strength in MPa =183 Compressive strength in MPa = 193 Shear strength in MPa = 93 When the failure theories are applied the parameters on the left hand side are lesser than 1 or the failure index. This is shown below Tsai Wu Failure theory: 0.049 < 1 Azzi-Tsai-Hill theory: .0433(Tensile) / .0429(compressive) < 1 Thus the design is safe at the operating temperature..

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The authors thank the managements of VIT, SVCE and SPEL for all the support. REFERENCES
[1] www.spel.com

[2] Tummala R Rao, ` Fundamentals of Microsystems packaging, McGraw Hill , 2001. [3] Ansys software v11, Manual on coupled feld analysis , Pennsylvania(2008). [4] K. Padmanabhan, S.Subeesh, K. Balaguru and T. Karthik , ` 3D Modelling and Failure Analyses of IC packages, in ANSYS Users Conference CD, Bangalore, 6 & 7 November 2008. [5] K. Padmanabhan, S.Subeesh, K. Balaguru and T. Karthik , ` An Analyses of Reliability and Hygrothermal Effects in IC packages, in ANSYS Users Conference CD, Bangalore, 6 & 7 November 2008, [6] K. Padmanabhan, D. Sanjay and S. Subeesh, ` Design and ElectroHyrothermo-Mechanical Reliability Analyses of a Leadless Quad IC Package, International journal of micro and nano electronic circuits and systems, Serials Publications, July-December, 1(2), 2009, pp 67-76. [7] JEDEC Thermal Shock Test , JESD22 A106B,Solid State Technology Association, Arlington, VA 2004. [8] ASTM STP 5229 M- Annual Book of Standards Vol 15.03, American society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 1994. [9] Andrew A .O. Tay , ` Modelling of Interfacial Delamination in Plastic IC Packages Under Hygrothermal Loading , Jl. of Electronic Packaging, Transactions of the ASME, Vol. 127, p 268 , SEPTEMBER 2005 . [10] Ji Hyuck Yang and Kang Yong Lee, ` Hygrothermal Cracking Analysis of Plastic IC Package, Jl of electronic Packaging, Transactions of the ASME Vol. 127, p 164, JUNE 2005 , [11] Ronald F Gibson Principles of composite material mechanics Mc Graw Hill, New York, April 2007. [12] V.D. Azzi and S.W. Tsai, ` Anisotropic strength of composites Experimental mechanics, vol: 5, p 283 , 1965. [13] S.W. Tsai and E.M. Wu , A general theory of strength for anisotropic materials, Journal of Composite Materials, vol : 5, p 58 ,1971.

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