Reaching the Highest Reliability for Tantalum Capacitors

Reaching the Highest Reliability for Tantalum Capacitors
Written By: James Bates | Marc Beaulieu | Michael Miller | Joseph Paulus
Abstract:
Weibull reliability assessment has been used for characterization of tantalum capacitors for many decades driven by MIL standards. Over time major improvements have been made in process, material, testing, equipment and other process control.

Is Weibull still the best fit for today’s technology and Hi-Rel applications?

A new approach is needed since the current Weibull grading to assure reliability has deficiencies, in particular, the need for early life failures and the potentially damaging application of excessive voltage during the burn-in in an effort to maximize the Weibull acceleration factor.

This paper will discuss modifications to the existing burn-in process, techniques for DC leakage screening, and improvements in process monitoring. These modifications improve the consistency of the resultant product DC leakage as well as eliminating the potential for field-induced dielectric damage. The result: tantalum capacitors that deliver the best performance in zero failure tolerance applications.

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