Accelerated mechanical fatigue interconnect testing method for electrical wire bonds

Every new development in device performance and packaging design, can drastically affect the reliability of devices due to implementation of new materials and design changes. High performance and high reliability demands in power electronics over several decades and a short time to market development, raise the need for very fast reliability testing methods. In this study a mechanical fatigue testing method is presented for evaluating the interfacial fatigue resistance of heavy Al wire bonded interconnects in high power modules. By separating the concurrent thermal, mechanical and environmental failure mechanisms a selective investigation of the desired failure mode is possible. The setup is designed to reproduce the thermo-mechanical shear stresses by mechanical means, while provoking the same lift-off failure mode as in power cycling tests. With a frequency variable test setup of a few Hz up to several kHz, measurements from 103 up to 108 loading cycles and determining the influence of the testing frequency on the fatigue life are possible. A semi-automated bond wire fatigue tester operating at 60 kHz is presented which is suitable for rapid screening and qualification of a variety of wire bonds at the stages of development and during the production. © 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.