ABSTRACT
The reliability of semiconductors today is determined by the materials, processes, and quality control of chip manufacturers. Performance in the field is determined by the care taken in hardware design and the operating environment. A semiconductor package serves three important functions: The mechanical assembly process is critical to the ultimate reliability of the device. Loose particles within the package cavity can present a serious reliability hazard because they could short exposed metallization. Following attachment of the bonding wires, the die attach medium and the package itself are examined for particles that could break loose. The circuit density found in very large scale integration devices has pushed semiconductor manufacturing technology close to its fundamental reliability limits. Semiconductor failure modes can be broken down into two basic categories: mechanical and electrical. The chapter describes the construction of a semiconductor device and types of manufacturing defects that may result from contamination of a semiconductor die.
