NBS

PUBLICATIONS

NAT'L INST. OF STAND & TECH

Ill "

'

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NBS SPECIAL PUBLICATION 400-69

QC

100

U57

No.TO-691

1981

c. 3L

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / National Bureau of Standards

iconductor Measurement Technology:

ARPA/NBS Workshop V

Moisture Measurement Technology

for Hermetic Semiconductor Devices
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act ot Congress on March 3, 1901.

.

The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology

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the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology.

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Semiconductor Measurement Technology:

ARPA/NBS Workshop V

Moisture Measurement Technology

for Hermetic Semiconductor Devices

Proceedings of the ARPA/NBS Workshop V

held at the National Bureau of Standards,

Gaithersburg, MD

March 22-23, 1978

Edited by

Harry A. Schafft, Stanley Ruthberg, and Elaine C. Cohen

NfiTIONfiL BURERXJ- OF STftND.''j;D3 LiERASY

at

Electron Devices Division

Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 20234

This activity was supported by

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

1400 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209

and

National Bureau of Standards

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director

Issued May 1981
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 81-600034

National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 400-69

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 400-69, 202 pages(May 1981) CODEN: XNBSAV

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WASHINGTON: 1981

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Wasliington, D.C. 20402

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(Add 25 percent for other than U.S. mailing)
Table of Contents

Page

Preface v

Abstract 1

1 . Introduction 1

2. Session I Mass Spectrometer Measurements 3 2.1 Mass Spectrometer Measurements at RADC

Benjamin A* Moove (Rome Aiv Development Center) ... 3

2.2 A Method for Measuring the PPM Moisture-Sensing

Limitations of Mass Spectrometers in Testing Small

Packages

Johnny L. Hartley (Sandia Laboratories) 24

2.3 A Dynamic Method of Calibrating a Mass Spectrometer Used

for Measuring the Water Content of Semiconductor

Encapsulations

Robert P. Merrett (British Post Office Research

Centre) 33

2.4 Moisture Measurement by Mass Spectrometer

John C. Pemiaka (Pemiaka Corporation) 42

2.5 Microcircuit Package Gas Analysis

Ray F. Haack and Alex Shurrka (Jet Propulsion

Laboratory) 43

2.6 Comparison of Mass Spectrometric Moisture Measurements

by Different Laboratories

Kenneth L. Perkins (Rockwell International) 58

3. Session II Moisture Sensors 69

3.1 The Effects of Assembly Techniques Upon the Performance

Characteristics of AI2O3 In-Situ Moisture Sensors

Victor Fang (Panametrics, Inc.) 69

3.2 Application Considerations of Solid State Moisture Chips

for Hybrids and Associated Calibration Measurement

Techniques

Paul F. Bennewitz (Thunder Scientific Corporation) . . 75

3.3 Hysteresis and Long-Term Repeatability of Aluminum Oxide

Humidity Sensors

Herbert L, Webster (Sandia Laboratories) 80

3.4 Moisture Standards and Sensors

Charles G. Messenger (Rome Air Development Center), . 82

3.5 Assessment of the Use of Measurement of Surface

Conductivity as a Means of Determining Moisture Content

of Hermetic Semiconductor Encapsulations

Robert P. Merrett and Steven P. Sim (British Post

Office Research Centre) 94

3.6 Moisture Sensing With the Charge-Flow Transistor

Stephen D. Senturia, Michel G, Huberman, Robert

Van der Klott (Massachusetts Institute of

Technology) 108

iii
3.7 A Surface Conductance Technique for the Evaluation of

Internal Package Environments

Colin W, T. Knight, Abe Korgav, and Emit Pievvon

(Advanced Micro Devices) •%••%%•••*•%•••• 115

4. Panel Meetings 122

4.1 Discussion Group Summary of Mass Spectrometer

Measurements

Robert W, Thomas, Chairman (Rome Air Development

Center) 122

4.2 Comments on Round-Robin Results

Robert W, Thomas, Chairman (Rome Air Development

Center) 124

4.3 Moisture Sensors

Saburo Hasegawa, Chairrmn (National Bureau of Standards)* 126

5. Session III Package Analysis and Quality Assurance 128

5.1 Parts-Per-Million Water-Vapor Generating System Used to

Simulate Moisture in Small Integrated Circuit Packages

Johnny L, Hartley (Sandia Laboratories) 128

5.2 A Total Moisture Analyzer for Hermetic Devices

Steven R» Louaks and Arthur Bumham

(Medtronic Inc*) ••••••«. 133

5.3 Analysis of Water Vapor in Purified Gas Systems

Haiping Dun, Brenton L, Mattes, and

David A. Stevenson (Stanford University )• 143

5.4 Mass Spectrometric Moisture Analysis of Hermetic

Semiconductor Devices by Acetylene Conversion

William M» Hickam and William R» Morgan (Westinghouse

Research and Development Center) 153

5.5 Moisture in Packages - A User's Viewpoint

Aaron Der Marderosian (Raytheon Company) 159

5.6 Problems in Specifying and Measuring Moisture Content

Within Electronic Devices

Robert W, Thomas (Rome Air Development Center) • • • • • 179

6. Group Encounters 185

6. 1 List of Attendees 187

iv
PREFACE

The Workshop on Moisture Measurement Technology for Hermetic Semiconductor

Devices was conducted as part of the Semiconductor Technology Program in the

Electron Devices Division of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). This

Workshop is the fifth in a series dedicated to the furtherance of the measurement technology needed by the semiconductor device industry in its attempt to provide to its customers products that are based on the most advanced technology, yet have high reliability and the affordable costs which

result from high yields. It was held at the Gaithersburg, Maryland^ facility

of the National Bureau of Standards on March 22-23, 1978^ under the cosponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards and the Defense Advanced Research

Projects Agency^ with the concurrence of the Rome Air Development Center.

Representatives from industrial, governmental, and academic organizations

concerned with device manufacture, analysis, and instrument design participated in this workshop. Speakers were selected from among the finest and most

active researchers in the field. The outcome was a large and enthusiastic

workshop attendance.

The workshop was concerned with present problems with the measurement of

moisture in hermetic semiconductor devices. While moisture-induced failure

modes and mechanisms had received considerable attention in the published

literature and in meetings, the accurate and reliable measurement of the

moisture content had not; yet, this lack of measurement of moisture reliability is a major obstacle to meaningful efforts to limit and control this pervasive contaminant. The workshop featured 20 formal talks and several group

and panel discussions. The 150 attendees represented a broad spectrum of the

semiconductor and related communities concerned with moisture measurement.

The workshop was chaired by H. A. Schafft of NBS. S. Ruthberg of NBS served

as Technical Advisor and R. W. Thomas of RADC was the third member of the

Planning Committee. E. C. Cohen of NBS coordinated workshop arrangements.

J. S. Halapatz of NBS typed the workshop report.

It is hoped that this report will convey the spirit of the workshop to those

who could not attend.

Disclaimers

The views and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not nec- essarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this report in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no

case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

•V

Semiaonductov Measurement Technology

Moisture Measurement Technology for Hermetic Semiconductor Devices — A Workshop Report —

Chairman: Harry A. Schafft

Technical Advisor: Stanley Ruthberg

Coordinator: Elaine C. Cohen

ABSTRACT

The workshop, fifth in a series concerned with measurement problems

in integrated circuit processing and assembly, served as a forum to

examine present problems with the measurement of moisture in hermetic semiconductor devices. While moisture-induced failure modes and

mechanisms had received considerable attention in the published literature and in meetings, the accurate and reliable measurement of

the moisture content had not; yet, this lack of measurement of moisture reliability is a major obstacle to meaningful efforts to limit

and control this pervasive contaminant. Manuscripts and sxammaries are provided of 19 talks, panel meetings, and group encounters on three major topics: mass spectrometer measurements of internal

package moisture, moisture sensors, and package artalysis and qaulity

assurance.

Key Words: Analysis of moisture content; mass spectrometer

measurement; moisture; moisture generators; moisture sensors;

quality control; reliability of semiconductor devices;

semiconductor devices.

1. INTRODUCTION

A Workshop on Moisture Measurement Technology for Hermetic Semiconductor

Devices was conducted by the National Bureau of Standards at its

Gaithersburg, Maryland site on March 22-23, 1978. It was the fifth in a series of ARPA/NBS workshops concerned with the measurement problems in integrated circuit processing and assembly.

The workshop served to bring together workers in the field to examine present problems with the measurement of moisture in hermetic semiconductor devices. While moisture-induced failure modes and mechanisms had received con- siderable attention in the pviblished literature and in meetings, serious

problems with the accurate and reliable measurement of moisture content had

not. The workshop was designed to address this gap.

The accurate determination of moisture content in hermetic semiconductor devices is fraught with pitfalls. These pitfalls present a major obstacle to

meaningful efforts to limit and control this dangerous and pervasive contaminant. At the time of the workshop it appeared that while single-laboratory

precision of mass spectrometer measurements were adequate, interlaboratory

measurement precision was poor. That made the accuracy of reported values of

moisture content suspect, and thwarted efforts in relating moisture content

to device failure. It appeared that the use of moisture sensors was

1
becoming more practical. While the availability of such sensors appeared to

open up new opportunities for measuring and monitoring moisture content, it

also required that a number of questions be addressed. Of significance to

the reliability community was that both mass spectrometer and moisture sensor

measurements were to be used in Test Method 1018 of MIL-STD-883B (Interval

Water-Vapor Content) which was soon to become effective. It was in this

context that the workshop was held.

It was only natural, therefore, that the measurement approaches addressed in

detail were those using mass spectrometers and moisture sensors (aluminum

oxide and surface conductivity types). The main conclusions reached at the

workshop were: (1) for all of the methods used to make measurements in

device packages, one can only talk about measurement precision — not accuracy; (2) none of the measurement techniques available is ready for use by

inexperienced personnel; and (3) the precision or repeatability of moisture

measurement will not be satisfactory until much more is done to characterize

mass spectrometers and moisture sensors in terms of all the variables, conditions, and applications that can affect the measurement.

The format of the workshop included a mix of formal presentations, group discussions, and group encounters with some of the speakers. The first day was devoted to presentations on the use of mass spectrometers and moisture sen- sors to measure moisture content, and to discussions for developing responses

to questions regarding the variables which affect measurement results and the

specification of measurement data. Two panels met in the evening to define

the state-of-the-art and what needs to be done for each of the two approaches. The work of the panels was presented for refinement and discussion in

the afternoon of the second day. In the morning of the second day, presentations were given on aspects of military standard tests for moisture content

and on a number of different approaches related to moisture measurement.

Following these presentations, the audience was divided into three groups.

Three pairs of speakers moved separately to each group, in turn, for

questions and discussions. Summaries of these encounters were given in the

afternoon followed by the panel reports and open discussions.

2
2. SESSION I MASS SPECTROMETER MEASUREMENTS

2.1 Mass Spectrometer Measurements at RADC

Benjamin A. Moore

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

Telephone: (315) 330-4055

Since the late 1960s RADC has been actively involved in mass spectrometric

microelectronic package ambient gas analyses. As reported by Thomas &t

at* [1] , a system was developed and used to determine the effects of various contamination of the package ambient on the reliability of the contained

device. It soon became apparent that moisture, even in small quantities,

could have serious detrimental effects on the operational integrity and reliability of integrated circuits. The severity of these effects depends upon

the matrix of contamination with a package, i.e., moisture concentration, or- ganic and/or inorganic contamination, the technology of the contained device

(whether classical digital, linear, or MOS type), and the various stresses to

which a package could be subjected. The result of these experiences in moisture measurements led to the creation of Method 1018 of MIL-STD-883B which

sets an upper bound on the acceptable moisture concentration contained within

a militarily acceptable device. This upper limit of 5000 parts per million

by volume (ppm^) was chosen so that if cind when the package was cooled, the

moisture within the package ambient would freeze out (frost point) rather

than condense on the surface of the contained device. In order to assure accurate measurements of moisture vapor, requirements for certification of

analytical facilities and methods were established. This paper will describe

efforts to assure mass spectrometric moisture measurements at RADC and will

present some of the interesting phenomena discovered during this program.

During approximately ten years' experience of mass spectrometric measurements

at RADC, a set of criteria for a desirable analysis system evolved. These

criteria included refinements of the original batch processing system, re- moval of inherent limitations on the size and type of package that could be

handled, and inprovements in the flexibility and throughput of the overall

system.

These features included a rapid cycle capability. The original batch system

required a 12- to 24-h 125*C vacuum bake process to reduce the system moisture background to an acceptable level. All packages were therefore subjected to a time-temperature stress that made it inpossible to separate moisture contained in the package ambient from moisture adsorbed and/or outgassed

from materials within the package. In order to circumvent the long bake cycle, a system was needed that would allow minimum exposure of system walls to

atmospheric contamination during package loading. Also, by reducing or eliminating this bake cycle, time-critical analyses would not be delayed. Secondly, the batch system did not have the ability to reliably and reproducibly

control the gaseous constituents under more than one condition. Therefore,

as requirements for analysis of larger and larger microelectronic packages

increased, the capability of the system to perform accurate analysis

decreased, since the pressure in the mass analyzer rose into a nonlinear

operating range. Attempts to limit the pressure within the analyzer resulted

.3
in distortion of the gaseous ambient due to selective separation of components by limited conductance vacuum valves. Therefore, a system was required

that would feature variable conductances, thus controlling the pressure in

the mass analyzer independent of the size of the package analyzed. An additional requirement was the ability to compare different techniques used for mass spectrometric gaseous analyses. These included both static sample-andhold techniques and dynamic flow sampling. In order to study the difference

between ambient water vapor and absorbed moisture, the system should also

feature variable sample temperature.

The result of our criteria is the Rapid Cycle mass spectrometer system pictured in figure 1 and schematically presented in figure 2. Sample holddown

and release is accomplished through manipulation of V5, a three-way valve.

The sample chamber is roughed by a mechanical puitp through V4. V5 provides

access to a calibration and backfill port that includes a micrometer valve.

A high-voltage probe is mounted in the sample area and when high voltage is

applied at less than 5 x 10"^ and more than 1 x 10"-^ Torr, a plasma

discharge occurs that helps to clean the system surface. A capacitive micrometer, D1, monitors the sample chcimber pressure. Valve V2/C1 has an orifice

machined into its seat and therefore can act as either a high or a low con- ductance. V3 can be used to regulate the amount of gas flowing into the mass analyzer through C2, a fixed orifice, by controlling upstream pressure. V1

,

when open, gives a large direct conductance to the mass analyzer and is used

mainly to reduce the sample system background prior to analysis. An ionization gage is supplied which is helpful in measuring ionizer pressures during

ambient gas analyses. The mass analyzer is pumped by a direct drive turbomolecular pump backed by a mechanical pump. By choosing combinations of valves

V2 and V3, one can allow for dynamic (V2 open, V3 closed), static (C1 in, V3

closed), or differential (CI in, V3 open) type flow systems. The choice of

sampling depends, in part, on the sample volume of gas, the maintenance of

acceptable pressure levels within the mass analyzer, and the selected sensitivity of the mass analyzer to partial pressures of gas (gain of instruments,

emission current). The key to effective, clean system operation is that the

sample gas-handling portion of the system is contained within one small block

of stainless steel. This block is shown in figure 3.

The scale of this drawing is approximately 1:1, indicating that care has been

taken to minimize the total gas sampling surface area. The proximity of the

valves and the sample to the analyzer, along with the relatively small ex- posed surface area promote a clean background that can be quickly attained

even after sampling a wet volume of gas from a microelectronic package. The

inlet block is maintained at 120°C to minimize surface adsorption of moisture

and other condensible species. A minimum amount of deviation in the line of

sight of the spectrometer to the sample has also been designed into the inlet

block. The puncture pin assembly and V3 are perpendicular to the plane of

the drawing, and thus does not show in this cross section. The sample holder

is also perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and mates to the sample lid

0-ring. The sample holder features removable chucks to allow rapid compensation for change in sample size and configuration. The sample holder is sur- rounded by fluid lines that allow either cooling (cold water) or heating (hot

gas). Not shown is a thermocouple which mounts through the sample holddown

vacuum line and abuts directly on the sample chuck. The chuck assembly is

held in place by a vise and is securely sealed to the sample chamber by a

4
viton 0-ring. Isolating the sample chuck from the sample chamber is accom- plished by a viton 0-ring which is concentric to the puncture pin channel and

impinges on the top of the sample. Therefore, only a very small area of the

package undergoing analysis is exposed to the interior of the high vacuum gas

inlet block. This precludes the necessity of vacuum baking the surface area

of the package and the sample holder prior to analysis. Application of a positive pressure of an inert, dry gas through V5 will prevent atmospheric

diffusion into the sample chamber during loading. A typical analysis from

sample loading to puncture takes about 10 min.

A sample is loaded on the sample chuck and vacuum is applied via V6 with V3

on. The vise is then closed and V4 opened. As V4 is evacuating the roughing

chamber, TC2 is monitored to assure that gas is not being leaked by the

0-ring seal to the top of the package. V2 is then opened and the system is

evacuated to a pressure of 10 ym as read on TC2. V3 is then closed and VI

opened. The mass spectrometer is now used to monitor gases in the sample

chamber. After no major change is noted in the background peaks for 1 min,

VI is closed and V2 opened. Once equilibrium is obtained, a background is

taken. The package is then punctured. After analysis, V2 and V4 are closed,

the locking vise is released and V6 is moved to the sample removal (eject)

position. V5 is opened to allow positive flow of an inert gas out of the

sample chamber. Another sample can then be loaded and the process repeated.

The principal means of water vapor calibration of the batch system consisted

of measuring the room relative humidity and converting to percent moisture

using a relationship developed from Amagat's Law of Partial Volumes

%H20 = . However, this gave only a one-point calibration whose

ATM

level was uncontrollable. In order to determine the moisture sensitivity of

the Rapid Cycle system over an expected range of interest (1000-10 000

ppm^), a divided flow moisture generation system was built. Figure 4 is a block diagram of this system. Dry nitrogen flow from a liquid nitrogen

source is divided into two sections. One section is bubbled through 18 MJ^

water maintained at 50**C. The other acts as a dilution flow. The resultant

wet nitrogen flows through a short section of tubing also maintained at 50*»C

and is bubbled through 18 Mf2 water at 19«C. Since the incoming flow is saturated with respect to the 19°C ambient, 100 -percent saturation is assured

leaving the second saturator. This saturated carrier gas is then immediately

combined with the dilution flow. This effectively drops the dew point such

that moisture will not condense in the combined flow at room temperature

(20*'C or greater). The combined gas flow goes through a temperature stabilization coil into a stainless steel moisture sensor calibration module maintained at 25°C, The calibration gas then leaves this manifold and flows by

the Rapid Cycle system inlet where it is sampled. The flowmeters have been

calibrated at the outlet of the system using a mercury piston flowmeter calibrator. This negated the need to compensate for the back pressure of the

saturators.
A comparison was made between the Rapid Cycle mass spectrometer system, when

calibrated with room relative humidity, the determination of flow stream con- centration of water vapor and the predicted moisture, converting for nonideal

behavior generated by the divided flow system. The results of this experiment are given in figure 5. Over the range of calibration the Rapid Cycle

mass spectrometer system has a linear response that exhibits practically a one-to-one relationship with the divided flow system. Therefore, the relative humidity calibration technique is accurate from 1000 to 7000 ppm^ of

moisture. The short-term (8-h) stability of the Rapid Cycle mass spectrometer system calibration factors for water vapor was confirmed by measuring

relative humidity and determining this factor periodically during a typical

analysis run. The results of this experiment are shown in figure 6.

Prior to the moisture calibration experiments, attempts were made to correlate analyses performed on the batch system with the Rapid Cycle system measurements. It was discovered that an appreciable amount of moisture detected

by our batch system was not being seen by the Rapid Cycle system. A subsequent investigation revealed that the plasma discharge preanalysis technique

used to accelerate system cleanup between analyses was the apparent loss factor. Later it was discovered that, in addition to the plasma discharge effect, backfilling and purging the system with argon or other inert gases re- sulted in similar behavior. Figure 7 shows the behavior of moisture released

during a typical gas analysis run in the Rapid Cycle system after the system

had been backfilled to 1 atm with room air with no positive pressure of gas

flowing from the sample chamber. The long-term pump-out exponential curve

was anticipated based upon our previous experience. Next, an analysis on a similar part was performed with air backfill and no positive pressure. However, during system evacuation prior to analysis, a plasma discharge was ac- tivated for 1 min. The water vapor peak intensity was then monitored as a function of time after package puncture. As pictured in figure 8, the peak

decreased rapidly within a few seconds after puncture and decreased to background levels within 4 min. Figure 9 shows the effect of replacing the air

backfill with argon at a positive pressure preventing atmospheric diffusion

into the sample chamber. Again, the intensity of the water vapor peak decreased dramatically (approximately 40 percent) within the first few seconds

after package puncture and background level was achieved within 4 min. Apparently, both plasma and again backfill were conditioning the system sur- faces such that moisture was immediately adsorbed onto them and did not desorb within the time span of normal analysis. Figure 10 shows the result of

triplicate analysis run on similar samples for the purpose of determining the

magnitude of this adsorption-desorption phenomena.

Since the air backfill technique resulted in long moisture residence times

within the system, extended analyses for longer than normal times could integrate increasing quantities of moisture into package ambient gas analysis.

Triplicate determinations on similar samples were made at increasing analysis

(integration) times. The results of this experiment are shown in figure 11.

The data points represent the average of three determinations with the deviation bars representing the minimum and m&ximum values obtained. Within the

limits of our data handling and storage capabilities (200 s of data accumulation) , there is no appreciable change in reported moisture concentration with

increased percent of available gas sampled.

6
One possible way of distinguishing between ambient moisture within a microelectronic package and total moisture (moisture adsorbed on surfaces and

absorbed in materials used within the package) is to perform comparison analyses of similar samples at room temperature (25®C) to determine the ambient

water vapor concentration and at elevated teit^erature (100°C) to liberate

"bound" moisture within the package. The results of increasing sample temperature on the determined moisture concentration are shown in figure 12.

The samples used in this experiment contained an epoxy die attach material so that differentiation between the contribution of adsorbed and absorbed moisture to the total is not possible. However, it has been shown by Czanderna

[2] that epoxy materials release moisture with increasing temperature. Fig- ure 13 illustrates the results of an experiment to determine if (1) the package had obtained thermal equilibrium with the normal analysis time (approximately 10 min), and (2) if the desorption of moisture with the package would

continue once thermal equilibrium was reached. Generally, the package did

reach thermal equilibrium and no additional moisture outgassed within the ex- perimental time frame.

In order to compare analytical processes requiring an extended high temperature bake prior to analysis with the Rapid Cycle analytical technique (no

bake), a sample time at 125*>C experiment was performed. The results of this

determination are presented in figure 14. The zero time figure is from data

taken at 100°C under normal analytical conditions. The 1-h point suggests

increased moisture outgassing from the epoxy die attach at 125*C. Some of

the ambient moisture then apparently reacts with materials within the package

as evidenced by the depressed moisture concentrations at the 4- and 8-h

points. This reduction in moisture has been noted in other analyses where

the packages had been subjected to elevated temperatures (125, 200, 250°C)

for varying lengths of time, up to 4000 h). After 24 h at 125°C, the average

moisture concentration returned to the 1-h level, but the large deviation

between the minimum and maximum suggests emphasis of differences in the quality of the epoxy die attach material and its subsequent handling (curing,

etc. )

After characterization of the Rapid Cycle system was completed, several analyses of packages containing known amounts of moisture were performed. Good

agreement was obtained on those samples containing 4000 ppm^ moisture or more. However, when analyses were performed on samples containing 500 ppm^

or less moisture, the Rapid Cycle system reported moisture concentrations

from 2000 to 3000 ppm^. This suggested that the air backfill technique,

which was necessary to prevent adsorption of moisture from relatively "wet"

packages onto sample chamber walls, was conditioning the chamber walls such

that moisture was being desorbed during analysis of dry samples. The results

of an experiment to characterize this phenomena are detailed in figure 15. A

valve with minimum dead space was attached to the Rapid Cycle system inlet

and used to simulate a microelectronic package analysis by bursting gas into

the system to a pressure similar to that encountered during analysis of the

moisture standards. Room air backfill was necessary to accurately analyze

relatively high moisture samples but introduced error in analysis of low

moisture concentration samples. The results of this experiment indicate that

more work must be done to characterize and compensate for the system moisture

adsorption-desorption behavior.

7
other experiments and work to be done include further comparison of moisture

determinations from solid-state sensors, the Rapid Cycle mass spectrometer

system, and the divided flow generation system. The necessity of acquiring a dew point apparatus will be investigated, and, if needed, one will be ac- quired as transfer standard. Comparisons should be made between in situ

sensor measurements and Rapid Cycle mass spectrometer system calibrated in

different modes (burst, flow, low, and high moisture) in order to determine

possible correction factors (transfer functions) to compensate for various

package volumes and concentrations. Traceability to the National Bureau of

Standards (NBS) can be obtained by having a dew point apparatus calibrated at

NBS and/or having solid-state moisture sensors calibrated at NB,S and used in

the laboratory as a laboratory standard.

In conclusion, it appears that known concentrations of moisture can be generated and independently measured accurately by several different analytical

instruments. Furthermore, assurance of generation of accurate quantities of

moisture should allow characterization of the mass spectrometer system re- sponse with respect to adsorption-desorption phenomena and for calibration of

solid-state sensors which, in turn, may be used to confirm the Rapid Cycle

system moisture response. Also, the Rapid Cycle technique for quantitative

mass spectrometric analysis of microelectronic package gaseous ambients

promises to be a viable analysis technique.

REFERENCES

1. Thomas, R. W. et at,. Moisture, Myths and Microcircuits , IEEE Tvans,

Parts, Hybrids, and Packaging php-12 , 167-171 (September 1976).

2. Czanderna, A. W. , Vasofsky, R. , and Czanderna, K. K. , Mass Changes of

Adhesives During Curing, Exposure to Water Vapor, Evacuation and

Outgassing, Pvod* 1977 Int. Miaroeteotvonias Symp., Baltimore, Maryland,

October 24-26, 1977, pp. 197-208.

8
Figure 1. Photograph of a Rapid Cycle system.

11
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12
13
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yOiOVd AiIAIiISN3S 3JjniS10W

H313WOH103dS SSVW

14
15
1000

800
1000

800--

ANALY5IS TIME, IN MINUTES

Figure 9. Argon backfill.

17

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23
2.2 A Method for Measuring the PPM Moisture-Sensing Limitations of Mass

Spectrometers in Testing Small Packages

Johnny L. Hartley

Sandia Laboratories, Division 2553

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185

Telephone: (505) 264-3160

SUMMARY

Using a known ppm moisture generator, the water-vapor-measurement limitations

of two mass spectrometers have been measured. It has been shown that the

lower detectability limit for moisture in a gas is a complex function of the

variables of each system employed. These variables include package and inlet

volumes, inlet and ion source temperatures, type of high-vacuum pumping, and

length of pumpout between analyses and/or calibrations. The influence of

these variables has been measured to establish instrument characteristics at

ambient temperature and at 110'C.

INTRODUCTION

A series of extensive tests was made to characterize the performance of two mass spectrometers for measurement of water content in small, hermetically

sealed packages. Water measurement studies were made using an IC package

simulator in which package free volume, pressure, and moisture content were

known. Problems associated with actual package opening and testing are yet

to be studied.

Primary interest in this study was to provide a final method of mass spectrometer water calibration which is compatible with the testing of packages

sized from 2 to 0.07 cm^. The calibration is intended to provide a method

of determining either the moisture vapor content of a package or the moisture

vapor plus the package wall desorbed moisture.

Description

Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of the two mass spectrometers used in

this evaluation. Shown in figure 1 is a typical oil diffusion pumped, liquid

nitrogen trapped, permanent magnet residual gas analyzer. Temperature of the

analyzer is regulated at 225*0 while the batch inlet system is at ambient. A

fixed conductance of 0.072 cm^ per second is provided between the inlet

system and analyzer.

Most of the time spent in water measurement evaluation has been in characterizing the system in figure 2. Turbo-molecular pumping is used without cold

trapping to attain an analyzer pressure of 10"^ Torr. Gas is transferred

from the batch inlet system into the analyzer through variable conductance

adjusted to provide an initial pressure rise in the analyzer of about 5 x

10"^ Torr. The inlet sample chamber and quadrupole mass filter are regulated at 110*0 during package testing.

A six-port package simulation valve is attached to both systems shown in

figures 1 and 2. This valve connected to the known ppm moisture source is

24
shown in figure 3. "Carrier" gas is made to flow through the generator, as shown in figure 3, either through hvunidifier Hi or H2 where a known water

vapor is added to the flowing gas. Humidified gas is vented after passing

through the sample loop attached to the six-port valve. Inherent in the

sample loop is the simulated package volume, pressure, and gas mixture.

Further description of the package simulator is given in paper 5.1 of this

workshop.

Experimental Results

Experimentally derived characteristic curves for water calibration are given

in Graph A for the diffusion-pumped, fixed-conductance mass spectrometer.

For simulated package sizes of 2, 1, and 0.5 cm-^, the moisture-sensing

limitations are 1000, 1700, and 2500 ppm, respectively, assuming 1-atm

initial pressure.

Characteristic curves for water calibration are given in Graph B for the

turbo-molecular pumped quadrupole mass spectrometer having a variable conductance. For simulated package sizes of 0.5, 0.11, cind 0.07 cm-^, the

moisture-sensing limitation is extended to 250 ppm. As the package size is

reduced, larger uncertainties are seen in the ppm moisture measurements.

If mass spectrometers are to be used as moisture detectors, it is essential

that instrument precondition be used and pump-out time be carefully controlled. Given in table 1 are test results of further measurements made to

determine the influence on inlet sample chamber pump-out time upon NET ion

peak integral. Tests were made at two levels of moisture in nitrogen: 500

and 1000 ppm. No significant difference was measured in NET integrals after

5 and 10 min of pump-out time. However, after 20 min of continuous

turbomolecular pumping, a 30-percent reduction in NET integral was measured.

As expected, the water vapor sensitivity of the quadrupole mass spectrometer

increased when the sample chamber and analyzer were elevated from ambient to

IIQOC. The NET ion signal at 110*C was two to four times larger than the NET

measurement at ambient temperature. Results are given in table 2.

CONCLUSION

Moisture measurement characteristics of two mass spectrometers have been

established for use in testing hermetically sealed packages.

The smallest measurable ppm moisture content in sealed packages was determined using a package simulator.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author is indebted to Dr. F. B. Bums for his assistance in data acquisition and data interpretation, and for his preparation of tubing used for

package siumlation. The project could not have been completed on schedule

without his contributions.

25
Pcccka

hf\.\l,P.

/Q''^ User

Oil OifWoM

Figure 1. Constant conductance permanent magnet mass spectrometer.

26
Figure 2. Variable conductance quadrupole mass spectrometer.

27
Loop Ifyeci

Figure 3. Hermetically sealed package simulator. GS - dry gas source; VI,

V2, and V3 - gas control valves; V4 - sample loop pressure adjust and vent

valve; R - gas flow regulator; V6 - six-port loop load and inject valve;

SL - sample loop used to simulate package volumes; MS - mass spectrometer

connection; P - total gas pressure (gage); P - water vapor pressure; w

T - humidifier temperature; TSB - temperature stabilizing box; HI - liquid

water humidifier (1 L) ; H2 - lithi;am chloride saturated water solution

humidifier (3 L)

.

28
FPm mois jure

Graph A, Constant conductance mass spectrometer water calibration.

29
240 -

210

/JO120 -

90 -

^0'

50

o

o

10 ^v, :^^0m.

L_

0 2^0 soo

PPNx MO/S ToKf

2000

Graph B-. Variable conductance mass spectrometer water calibration.

30
Table 1. Change in Mass Spectrometer ppm Sensitivity Due to 5-, 10-,

and 20-Min Vacuum Pxamping Between Observations

3 Simulated package volume 0.5 '^^

Ten5)erature 110 °C Humidified Np gas

ppm

Water

(By Volume)

Purapout

Time

(Min.)

NET

Integral

(Millivolts)

Sensitivity

(Millivolts per

Millitorr)

500 5

10

20

2M

2.1+9

1.77

2.55

2.58

1.83

1000 5

10

20

5.2k

5.78

3.66

1.36

1.50

0.95

31
Table 2. Measure NET Ion Peak Integrals at Ambient and 110°C

Temperature

.

ppm NET Ion Peak Integrals

Water

(By Volume) Ambient Temperature 110"c Temperature

250 225 k23

500 259 hkO

1000 329 980

2000 568 2230

32
2.3 A Dynamic Method of Calibrating a Mass Spectrometer Used For Measuring

the Water Content of Semiconductor Encapsulations

Robert P. Merrett

Post Office Research Centre

Martlesham Heath

Ipswich, England IPS 7RE

INTRODUCTION

The principal problem concerning the accurate measurement of the moisture

content of small packages using a mass spectrometer arises from adsorption by

the internal walls of the instrument. The problem can be overcome in part

by the use of a small volume system maintained at an elevated ten^erature.

Calibration of the system is, however, essential so a dynamic technique has

been developed to characterize the instrument and hence enable accurate and

reproducible measurements of the water content.

The important parameters of the instrument are the volume, V, of the expansion chamber into which the gaseous contents of the package is released, the

conductance, U, of the leak connecting this cheunber to the mass spectrometer,

and the conductance. Up, controlling the pressure in the latter. The volume of the cheutiber and the size of the leak are such as to ensure that there

is molecular flow throughout the system. If the specimen of gas contains an

cunount, Q, of an inert species, the partial pressure, P, of that species in

the spectrometer will be described by the equation:

P = —^ . exp (-t/T.) , (1)

T , U d

d p

where x^/ the depletion time, is equal to V/U. As there is molecular flow,

U depends on the molecular weight of the species.

Each time a water molecule impinges on an uncovered surface, it is physically

adsorbed for a short time and then desorbed. Consequently, when water is

released into the expansion chamber, equilibrium between the amount of water

adsorbed and that in the gas phase is reached extremely rapidly if physical

adsorption is the only process removing water from the gas phase. For most

systems the time taken to reach equilibrium will be much less than the depletion time so the two phases will remain in equilibrium as the pressure falls

in response to the loss of water to the spectrometer. When the specimen con- tains a small quantity of water, the amount adsorbed will be proportional to

the pressure, and the equation describing the decay in pressure is the same

as that for an inert gas. The only difference is that the depletion time be- comes (1 + n) V/U, where n is the quotient of the amount of water adsorbed to

that in the gas phase. It follows from eq ( 1 ) that the rise in the partial

pressure also depends on the value of n.

Figure 1 shows how the partial pressures of nitrogen and water decayed after

the puncturing of a package. The ratio of the depletion time for nitrogen to

that for the other inert gases in the package confirmed that there was molecular flow so the value of V/U for water could be deduced from the depletion

time of nitrogen. Thus, it was possible to predict the rate of decay of the

33
pressure of water in the absence of adsorption (n = 0). In this ideal case,

the plot of pressure against time should be parallel to the broken line on figure 1. As the measured decay rate was half that indicated by this line,

the value of n must have been 1. So half of the water released into the

chamber was adsorbed.

These calculations assume that the adsorption in the spectrometer has a negligible effect compared with that of adsorption in the expansion chamber,

and that the pressure in the former is always proportional to that in the

latter. This will be true if the two parts of the instrument are at about

the same temperature and if Up > U, conditions will usually be met. Adsorption in the spectrometer just delays the response of the pressure in this

part of the system to changes of pressure in the expansion chamber (as

demonstrated by fig. 1).

Calculation of Water Content

The simplest method of calculating the water content of a specimen is to

compare the rise in the partial pressure of this gas with that observed when

a known quantity of an inert gas is released into the system. As there is

molecular flow throughout the system the equation to be used is:

(amount of water) _ (1 + n) (rise in pressure of water)

(amount of inert gas) (rise in pressure of inert gas)

The nxamerator of the RHS of this equation is the pressure which would have

been observed in the absence of adsorption. A simple technique has been

developed to determine the value of the unknown (1 + n). It is based on an analysis of the time dependence of the rise in pressure of water when this

vapour is leaked into the expansion chamber at a constant rate.

Assessment of the Amount of Water Adsorbed by the Expansion Chamber

Nitrogen was bubbled through water and passed over the entrance to a needle

valve connected directly to the expansion chamber which was evacuated by a diffusion pump. When the chamber was subsequently isolated from the pump,

the partial pressure of water in the chamber, and hence in the spectrometer,

slowly rose towards a limiting value. If the rate of entry of water into the

expansion chamber is q, then the amount which will have entered within a time, t, since starting the flow will be q.t. The amount extracted from the

t

chamber by the spectrometer during this period will be U«/ P 'dt, where Pg

is the partial pressure in the chamber. As the amount of water in the gas

phase is V. Pg it follows that n, the quotient of the amount adsorbed and

that in the gas phase will be:

t n = (q't - U. r P .dt - V.P )/V.P . (3)

/ e e e

-'o The partial pressure in the spectrometer is related to Pg by the equation:

P.U = P .U . (4)

P e

34
Equilibrium is eventually reached when the flow of water through each part of

the system is constant. The pressure in the spectrometer rises to the

limiting value, Pg/ which is given by the equation:

^ = q/Up . (5)

Equations (3), (4), and (5) can be combined to give:

t

n = (P 't - r P'dt - P*V/U)'U/P»V . (6)

'o

As the value of V/U can be deduced from the depletion time of nitrogen, all

the quantities on the RHS of this equation can be measured. Figure 2 shows

plots of the reciprocal of n plotted against the pressure in the spectrometer. They were obtained when the system was at 165 and 150''C. The linear

relationship is predicted by a model based on physical adsorption. If the

amount of water adsorbed is described by Langmuir's eq (1), the value of n will be:

A'ym* g " = v.il + 3.P)

where A is the surface area of the expansion chamber, the roughness of this

surface, m is a constant, and 6 a parameter which depends on the heat of

adsorption, 0, the temperature, T, and the oscillatory period, x^, of the

adsorbed molecule. If the pressure is measured in mbars, volume in 1, and

area in m'^, then eq (7) becomes:

/

1.37 X 10^VU (

-4 \

n = \ A-y-T-U

^

j

* I vr~) • - F¥ • \ ' / \ A* Y* T .T ' o The values of V, A and Up/U are known; the latter is determined by calibration of the instrument using a known quantity of an inert gas. Thus the

slope of the plot of 1/n against pressure can be used to calculate Y; a value

of 4 is needed to account for the results presented here. The intercept of

the straight line can be used to calculate the heat of adsorption. The value

of 14.3 kcal/gram mole needed for a reasonable fit to the results are at the

high end of the range of values quoted for physical adsorption in the literature [2] but it is possible that the calculation is affected by the substantial temperature gradients in the oven enveloping the system.

Equation (8) is only valid if equilibrium between the amount of water

adsorbed and that in the gas phase has been reached. In equating the values

of n given by this equation to that given by eq (6), it has been assumed that

the rise in pressure is slow enough for the two phases to remain in equilibrium. This is an assumption which can be checked by comparing the rate of

decay of pressure, when the flow is stopped, with the value calculated using

the value of n deduced during the period when the pressure was rising. It can be shown that if n is described by an equation of the same form as eq (8),

then the rate of decay of pressure is a solution of:

35
where is the value of n when P is zero. All the factors on the right

1 dP of this equation are known so the measured value of — — can be compared

with the calculated one. The measured values plotted in figure 3 are all

normalised by multiplying by V/U. These values, which were obtained from the

results of four experiments, are in reasonable agreement with the solid line

which was calculated using the value of n given by figure 2. Therefore, the

assumption that the two phases were always in equilibrium is shown to be

valid. We have not shown that equilibrium is reached immediately eifter water

is released into the expansion chamber (as it would be if there were only

physical adsorption), but let us proceed as if we had.

Reappraisal of the Calculation of the Water Content of Packages

When a package is punctured, the water released would almost immediately be

shared between the two phases and the rise in pressure is (1 + n)~^ times

lower than it would have been in the absence of adsorption. As the value of

n is known, it can be used to convert the measured pressure rise into that

which would have been observed in the absence of adsorption and hence the

water content can be calculated. Figure 4 shows the relationship between the

measured and the calculated pressures. It was obtained using the value of

1/n plotted in figure 2. The accuracy of this calibration curve can be

checked by releasing a known quantity of water into the expansion chamber.

The point on figure 4 was obtained by puncturing a TO-5 package which had

been sealed in an atmosphere having a dew point of 12*»C. The agreement

indicates that the model is substantially correct. The self-consistency of

the analysis can also be checked by comparing the rate of decay of pressure

after puncturing a package with that predicted by the equations.

When small quantities of water were released into the instrument (at 165*C),

the time constant controlling the decay in pressure was found to vary with

the range 2 to 3.8 times V/U, whereas the value of n obtained from figure 2

predicts a time constant of 3.5 V/U. The discrepancy can be shown to be due

to the fact that the amount of water adsorbed depends on the previous history

of the expansion chamber.

None of the measurements of the amount of water adsorbed, which have been described so far, had been made after a prolonged period of outgassing. The

first measurement of the pressure dependence of n after such a period always

gave lower values of n than those found subsequently, so it would appeetr that

the ejqpansion chamber was capable of adsorbing more water than it did during

subsequent exposure to moisture. The increased adsorption may be due to the

transfer of water to a tightly held state — a mechanism which may be akin to

the chemisorption studied by Hayashi [3]. As only the first measurement

after outgassing is substantially affected, it would appear that the eunount

of water which can be held by this state is limited and that the rate of desorption is low. If the flow of water into a previously outgassed expansion

chamber is stopped after only a short time, the subsequent rate of decay of

36
pressure is far more rapid than that found when all the sites responsible for

this second type of adsorption were full. This rapid decrease in pressure

can be explained by postulating that the transfer of water to the tightly

held state continues when the pressure begins to fall. As this behaviour indicates that the adsorbed and the gas phases were not in equilibrixim, the

rate of transfer to the tightly held state must have been small. Thus, immediately after water is released from a punctured package, we need only con- sider the amount of water physically adsorbed. The transfer to the tightly

held state will, however, cause the pressure to fall more rapidly than

expected. As the rate of transfer depends on the amount of water already

chemisorbed, the variability of the time constant describing the rate of

decay of pressure after puncturing a package can be explained.

REFERENCES

1. Dushman, S. , Scientific Foundations of Vacuum Technique, 2nd Edition

revised by members of C. B. Res. Staff, J. M. Lafferty, Ed. (John Wiley

and Sons, Inc., New York, 1979)

2. Dayton, B. O. , Outgassing Rate of Contaminated Metal Surfaces,

Tvans. 8th Vac* Sym, and End Int, Congress, Vol 1, Washington, DC, Oct.

16-19, 1961, pp. 42-57, L. E. Preuss, Ed. (Pergamon Press, New York,

1962)

3. Hayashi, C. , Role of Adsorption in Production and Measurement of High

Vacuum, 4th National Sym. on Vac, Technology Trans., Oct. 9-11, 1957,

Boston, Massachusetts, pp. 13-26, W. G. Matheson, Ed. (Pergamon Press,

New York, 1957).

37
Temperature l65°C

0 10 20 30

Time elapsed since puncturing a package,

minutes

Figure 1. Decay of pressure after puncturing a package.

38
0.6

(amount of water in the

gas phase)

(amount adsorbed)

0.2 .

1x10 2x10

Partial pressure of water in the spectrometer,

mbars

Figure 2. Pressure dependence of the reciprocal of the amount of water adsorbed.

39
0.6

.

o

OA - No rmal 1 i z e d

rate of decay

V dP

U.P dt Calculated using the

value of n given by

Figure 2

0.2 -

0 .0 1x10" 2x10"

Partial pressure of water in the spectrometer, mbars

Figure 3. Pressure dependence of the rate of decay of the partial pressure of water in the spectrometer.

40
Partial pressure of water in the spectrometer, mbars

Figure 4. Calibration curve.

41
2.4 Moisture Measurement by Mass Spectrometer

John C. Pernicka

Pernicka Corporation

450 E. Middlefield Road

Mountain View, CA 94043

Telephone: (415) 969-0220

SUMMARY

Accuracy and precision in any measurement can only be achieved by a thorough

understanding of the dependent and independent variables associated with the

measurement problem. This paper addressed the identification of variables

and their impact on: 1) obtaining a valid sample, 2) transferring the sample

to the analyzer, 3) analyzing the sample, and 4) calibrating the analyzer. A

test method was discussed which provides a high degree of precision, sensitivity, and accuracy. Examples of instrumentation capable of reliably

implementing the above test method were described. A summary of test data

over a one-year period was presented.

42
2.5 Microcircuit Package Gas Analysis*"''^

Ray F. Haack and Alex Shumka

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

4800 Oak Grove Drive

Pasadena, CA 91103

Telephone: (213) 354-6568

Quality control [1] and failure analysis of hermetically sealed integrated

circuit packages has become increasingly important in establishing the criteria which should be satisfied for reliability and long-term performance of

the IC package. The failure to preclude solvent, moisture, and other contaminants can lead to migrated-gold resistive shorts [2]

Failure analysis as outlined below furnishes a wealth of information for determining the nature of the problem and what factors need to be considered

for improvement in reliability.

A. Nondestructive Testing

1. external visual

2. electrical characterization

3. radiographic (x-rays)

4. hermeticity test

B. Destructive Testing

1. package gas analysis

2. internal visual

3. internal electrical characterization

4. SEM analysis

C . Report

1 . part history

2. analysis results

3. conclusions

4. recommended action

* This paper represents the results of one phase of research carried out at

the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under

Contract No. NAS7-100, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration.

t The views and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not

necessarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense,

Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

§ Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this paper in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

43
Mass spectrometry is an effective method for package gas analysis but problems associated with moisture determinations [3,4] require that the method be

carefully executed and that reliable calibrations are available.

The microcircuit analysis accessory device (MAAD) [5] used at JPL is a multisample inlet system (fig. 1) with a high vacuum environment for the preanalysis bakeout, a package puncturing fixture, and a gas transfer line to the mass spectrometer. The MAAD consists of a heated chamber (fig. 2) containing

a carousel upon which a maximum of twelve packages may be mounted. By varying the carousel base plate design, ceramic packages, cans, or flatpaks can be accommodated. The carousel may be detented to a specific package location

and then the package is punctured with a manual micrometer-driven puncture

device. All fabricated materials, pneumatically operated valves, rotary

advance, and the puncture mechanism, are of stainless steel. Gaskets are OFHC copper. The complete system is maintained at 100°C during the analysis

sequence.

The MAAD, with its own vacuum system, capacitance nanometer, and inlet to the mass spectrometer, enables one to subject the samples to a bake-out sequence

and then to analyze in succession the contents of each package. A data

system provides the necessary versatility and speed for such an analysis.

PROCEDURE

Chamber Loading

The IC packages are carefully rinsed with acetone and methanol, and then

mounted (avoid lead stress) on the MAAD carousel. Standard cleanliness procedures are observed during the handling of any parts of the sample environment. Upon reassembly of the chamber, the system is purged with dry nitrogen

for 15 min before high vacuum initiation and then undergoes a bake-out period

of ^^16 hours at 125°C with the ion pump operating between 10"^ and 10"^

Torr. For analysis, the chamber, inlet line, and mass spectrometer manifold

are operated at lOCC.

System Verification

The Finnigan Model 3200 is calibrated for the range 18 to 800 amu in the con- ventional manner using FC-43 (C^2^27'^^* quantitative analysis in the mass range 2 to 50 amu, the Mass Fragmentography Mode is capable of monitoring 4 different m/e values. In order to achieve maximum sensitivity and ac- curacy, the Diagnostic Mode (fig. 3) is used to determine the proper m/e value to the nearest 0.1 amu. The background spectrum or that of a calibrating

gas mixture (fig. 1) may be used to establish the mass defect.

At the conclusion of the bake-out period and during the 1-h equilibration

period (125"C lOO^C), the system is conditioned and the response level and

stability checked by inletting a 10 ppm DI water in nitrogen standard [6]

(baseline reference) as shown in table 1. The amount of gas, the variable

leak-rate setting, and the scanning parameters are determined from previous

experience.

44
Package Analysis Sequence

Prior to analysis of the first package (table 1), the background spectrum of

the instrument is compared to that obtained with the chamber open (valves

^2' ^4' ^6 ops^^f fig. 1) to the instrument. Immediately upon penetration of the package lid with the puncture device, the Tru-Torr gage indicates

the pressure of the ejcpanded gas volume in the chamber. Simultaneous observation of the gage readout and the puncture device torque prevents undue penetration of the package cavity and circuit damage. The available volume of

the chamber varies from 110 to 140 cm^ depending upon the size of the ca- rousel jig used. At this point, the proper leak rate is selected and rapid

qualitative scans of the gas sample are made with either the light beam os- cillograph (mass range 2 to 90) or the data system (mass range 2 to 800) by

opening the inlet valve to the mass spectrometer for "^Z s (with proper leak

rate, less than five percent of the total sample is used for this survey).

From the rapid scan result, a selection is made as to which four m/e peaks

are to be monitored by the data system for the quantitative analysis of the

gas sample. Since nitrogen and water are usually monitored, there are only

two available choices. The list of general interest includes hydrogen, helium, methane, argon, and carbon dioxide.

For a sample package which produces a chamber pressure of 100 millitorr, the mass flow rate is 0.55 Torr-£/s and a total scan time of 4.3 min is used.

For small package gas volumes, all of the gas is inletted to the mass spectrometer in order to account for transport characteristics for different species as shown in figure 4. In particular, relatively long sampling times are required for moisture. In order to analyze large gas volumes which would

produce chamber pressures >1 Torr, a sampling volume (SV) is available between V4 and V2 (fig. 1). By allowing the sample gas to expand and equilibrate into this segment and then isolating it from the chamber via V2, this

sampling volume ('\^4.5 cm-^ ) can be analyzed in a reasonable length of time

and in a similar fashion to smaller samples. Again, conditions for the sam- ple and for the baseline reference are duplicated.

Following the analysis of the sample, the inlet valve is closed and the chamber opened to the ion pump for 'v.5 min. The gate valve to the ion pump is

then closed and a sample of the moisture standard (10 ppm water in nitrogen)

is added to the chamber. The pressure and analysis conditions are identical

to that of the previously analyzed package sample. Thus, one establishes the

baseline for the moisture calculation of the sample, the sensitivity factor

for nitrogen, and the background state of the MAAD chamber before puncturing

the next sample. In the event of a very wet sample (>1-percent water), the

sequence with the moisture standard may have to be repeated in order to determine the recovery of the system (see table 1). Area integration of the curves (fig. 4) generated by %500 scans is made with a background correction

using the first and last 10 scans of the respective species being monitored.

The 10-scan intervals represent the instrument background before and after

closure of the sample inlet valve, For the moisture measurement (fig. 5),

the total data intensity of scans 10 to 468 represent the moisture "area."

Reproducibility of the results for repetitive backfilling of the chamber to

the same pressure is shown by the integrated areas of the nitrogen curves

(table 1). The behavior of the moisture background during the sequence is

45
likewise indicated. These data printouts are used to ascertain the stability

of the system.

Following each set of samples analyzed (daily), the moisture standard (1000

ppm water in nitrogen) is analyzed under conditions identical to that of the

samples and the baseline standard (10 ppm water in nitrogen (fig. 5)). These

standards are inletted to the MAAD chamber from the cylinders through heated

stainless steel regulators, lines, and valves. Room air is used for calibration for higher levels of moisture.

Sensitivity Factors

Because the mass spectrometer has varying sensitivities for the different

species being analyzed, it is required that these relationships be determined

in order to complete quantitative measurements. The sensitivity factor determination for water is most important and also exhibits the most problems.

Ideally, it would be desired to puncture a package similar to the sample in

size, gas composition, pressure, and having a predetermined amount of moisture. Calibration standards are under developnent [7] . For species other

than water, a 0.2-percent by volume mixture of water, helium, methane, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide in nitrogen is used to determine the respective sensitivity factors. Results indicate that, during normal mass spectrometer operation, these need to be checked only once per week. Limitations

for this system are: the sensitivity for oxygen is low; for the <10 amu

range, both a mass defect and lower sensitivity require that a sensitivity

factor be determined with a standard similar in con5)osition to the sample

being analyzed and that the amu positions of the hydrogen and helium peaks

are established.

Identification of Organic Contaminants

Cautions This method is used only for the identification of species and

is not applicable for the obtaining of quantitative data. One reason for

this is that the mass transfer effect will be pronounced for species of

widely different mass values. Several scans of a small portion of the sample

are made. A representative scan is selected and normalized with respect to

the major component, usually nitrogen (table 2A). Clean packages will not

exhibit significant values above m/e 28 and 29 with the exception of 40 and

44. A significantly large peak may represent the molecular ion of a compound

and/or its, base peak (most abundant peak). Therefore, the m/e 45 peak was selected as a possibility and all data normalized with respect to it (table

2B). Mass spectral matching indicated that i-propyl alcohol was a possibility. Plausibility in this case was confirmed reviewing the package as- sembly process with the manufacturer; also a corrective step of improved

bake-out of the components following the cleaning with the alcohol was

adopted.

The validity of a qualitative analysis of a single sample can be increased by

knowledge of sample history, etc. For example, the contaminant, methyl ethyl

ketone (table 3A), was conclusively identified by mass spectral matching.

Normalization of the data to m/e 43 is shown in table 33. Both the Library

File (generated with the instr\iment using a known compound) and the ASTM

listing (table 3C) were used for the matching. Inquiries concerning the

46
package epoxy preform were made because an evaluation report on the type of

adhesive and its specification listed acetone as the solvent. Part history

(preform batch no. ) was unavailable but the vendor stated that methyl ethyl

ketone or acetone were used as solvents in different batch processes.

Quantitative Results

The gas analysis (table 4) coit5)rises a portion of a typical failure analysis

report at JPL. Leak tests results for the three accepted packages are nominal but the gas analysis shows dramatic dissimilarities. Because of the low

sensitivity for oxygen (common to many quadrupole instruments), argon (0.9

percent in air) is used to indicate air leakage. S/N 1193 shows the presence

of helium, argon, and a low percentage of nitrogen, and this is what would be

ejqjected if the package had a temporary loss of hermeticity prior to the helium leak test. S/N 1388 is similar to S/N 1193 except that it may have been

hermetic during a helium leak test. S/N 1293 contained a large trace of or- ganic contaminants which were identified as Freon TF and an alcohol. Both of

these are customarily used as cleaning solvents during package assembly. In

accordance with the nature of the contaminants' spectra (contribution to m/e

44) , the entry for carbon dioxide is qualified. A con^rehensive gas analysis

can aid in establishing the probable time at which the desired fill gas

and/or hermeticity of the device was not maintained. The excessive amount of

moisture (3.4 to 5.8 percent) found in all of the packages as well as the

large trace amounts of organic solvents in one of the packages clearly point

to problems in preseal bakeout and sealing.

SUMMARY

During the past 2-1/2 years, hundreds of packages (volume range 5 x 10"-^

cm-^ to several cubic centimeters) have been analyzed as a part of the fail- ure analysis program. Gas analysis has been a very useful tool for the evaluation of the packaging technology. A great deal of information has been obtained which has significantly helped the manufacturer to control the sealing

process. Recently, participation with other laboratories in testing "standard" packages of a certain moisture level was completed. The need exists

for the extension and continued effort in this area so as to provide an available technique for the certification via gas analysis which is acceptable by the concerned parties.

Total moisture as determined by the mass spectrometric method can be a reliable method provided the following points are observed:

1. thermal equilibration of the system,

2. sample/standard matching,

3. stability of system response, and

4. availability of standard packages of a well-established moisture

level for calibration.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are grateful to Dr. Robert Thomas of RADC and to John Pernicka of

Pernicka Corporation for their many suggestions and aid in the successful

development and application of the package gas analysis system. Also, they

47
gratefully acknowledge the help given by the members of the JPL Parts Failure

Analysis Group.

REFERENCES

1. Mattera, L. , Component Reliability, Part 1: Failure Data Bears Watching,

Eleatvonias 48, 91-98 (1975).

2. Shumka, A., and Piety, R. R. , Migrated-Gold Resistive Shorts in

Microcircuits, IZfh Annual PvoaeedingSj Reliahility Physios 1975, Las

Vegas, Nevada, April 1-3, 1975, pp. 93-98.

3. Thomas, R. W. , and Meyer, D. E. , Moisture in SC Packages, Solid State

Technology r? (9), 56-59 (September 1974).

4. Thomas, R. W. , private communication, Rome Air Development Center, Solid

State Applications Section, Griffiss AFB, Rome, New York.

5. Submitted by Pernicka Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA, under contract to Jet

Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, Task Order #RD-147.

6. Moisture standards (10 ppm water in nitrogen and 1000 ppm water in

nitrogen) as obtained from Airco Industrial Gases, Riverton, New Jersey.

These standards are of the type described by S. Wechter and F. Kramer,

Jr. , in Evaluation of Gas Phase Moisture Standards Prepared in Treated

Aluminum Cylinders (presented at the 21st National Symposium, Analysis

Instrumentation Division, Instrument Society of America, May 8, 1975).

7. Cordasco, V. T. , Control of Microcircuit Contamination, A Microsensor for

Moisture Measurement, RADC-TR-75-317, Final Technical Report (March

1976).

8. American Society for Testing and Materials, Committee E14 on Mass

Spectrometry, Index of Mass Spectral Data, listed by Molecular Weight and

the Six Strongest Peaks (1969).

48
X-Y ZETA MODEL 6100 FINNIGAN

MODEL 3200 LIGHT BEAM

PLOTTER DATA SYSTEM MASS

SPECTROMETER OSCILLOGRAPH

MANIFOLD

&

]4

HV

ALCATEL PUMP

3 cfm

VARIAN

TRIODE ION PUMP

60 i/sec

RECORDER

M

10 ppm HjO/N^

8 y 1 000 ppm HjO/N^

y MIXTURE CALIBRATION

12

13

'7

V - V ^2 4

V - V M

HV

SV

4" GATE VALVE, PNEUMATIC, THERMIONICS

SS BELLOWS VALVE. PNEUMATIC, NUPRO

THROTTLE VALVE, MONEL DIAPHRAGM, HOKE

VARIABLE LEAK, MICROMETER ADJUST, NUPRO

SS-4H, NUPRO

CAPACITANCE MANOMETER, MKS TRU-TORR, 0. 000 - 8.000 TORR, DIGITAL. DISPLAY MOLECULAR SIEVE TRAP HIGH VOLTAGE FEEDTHROUGH, MAY BE USED WITH ARGON PURGE UNDER GLOW

DISCHARGE (OPTIONAL)

SAMPLING VOLUME

I'

Figure 1. IC package gas analysis.

49
03

tji

-r-l 0

4-4

>i0m

CO

(Uoo

nJwH

CO>i

rH

n3w

(dCP

Q)

tT> u

Qj1 'b,—1

nj

CO

+ju

<u 4J

u

gQ

r-lw1 n.

CO tH•H cn

1X3 C/D ^ fO O M

CJ r;

Q)

COQ)

(0 iH u

CO

(N nH

fO

0) •H M P

Cn 0) H

50
DIAGNOSTIC MODE ,

/'

0.1 AMU INCREMENTS , INTENSIFY M/E 17.5

1

o

f!|

1 1

....inliiiu.M.*-*««««*iiiiiiuIll ll llliiii ill

Figure 3 , Diagnostic mode - Finnigan Model 6100 Data

System 0.1 amu increments, m/3 17,5 intensified.

51
— H2- FILLED HYBRID —10 ppm H2O/N2 STANDARD

1 CHAMBER PRESSURE 0 500 TORR

NORMALIZATION WITH RESPECT

TO MAJOR COMPONENT

NITROGEN

V /- 28

^--^.I^. /

^28x20

1

J

«

WATER

^s,^^ 17.7x100

METHANE

14.6x100

\ HYDROGEN

\ 1.3

1

0

iin'Ti|MMMMi]MTriMl|MMMM'|Mi|iM|i|MMMMi|niIMMi|MMMMi|Mi|i|UijMl^

100 200 300 400 500

SCAN NUMBER

Figure 4. Mass fragmentogram for hydrogen-filled hybrid.

52
o

<

o- <: ^ I

^.8 O •—

LU o

on <

LU

Q_ UJ

ti

UJ S

CO O

< O

O

O

O

O

or: O

E

o.

CL

o

OO

CSJ

(§)

NO

>-

O

o i

E

o.

LU

<r\ LU

o

i-H

Oo

<

3SNOdS3y

53
Table 1. Package Analysis Sequence.

1. Conditioning (ascertain background level)

2. Package #1 analysis

3. Major constituent calibration and/or background equilibration

4. Package #2 analysis

5. Repeat step #3

6. Calibration

a. Moisture

b. Other constituents (H^, He, CH-, Ar, C0«)

FINNIGAN MODEL 3200 GC/MS DATA SHEET

- Control Settings -

Pressure

(Torr)

Micrometer

Setting

Nitrogen Water AH2O

Area

File # Sample Area Bkg

X 10^ X 10^

Scan 10 - 468

Total Intensity

X 103

92201

92202

92203

N2 Std.

7-2

N2 Std.

5.995

6.001

7.273

7.272

7.273

0.010#

i

2.634 74

2.592 74

3.010 72

2.945 72

2.875 71

50.78

51.03

70.88 ^

52.36

50.46 ^

20.42*

- Remaining Samples

92207

92208

N2 Std.

Air

(1.44% H2O)

7.173

7.169

2.711 65

1.900 62

48.94 ^

87.49 ^ 38.55

Determined moisture 0.70%

54
Table 2. Mass Spectral Data (Contaminant - isopropyl alcohol)

MASS RANGE 1 -200

FILE 60702 SCAN 22- 14

8E

SPEC. #22

0 .00 .28 .00 16.48

7 .00 .00 .00 .00

14 .00 .00 .00 .00

21 .00 .00 .00 .00

28 100.00 1.44 .00 .44

35 .00 .00 .08 .12

42 .32 1.36 .64 6.03

49 .08 .00 .00 .00

56 .00 .00 .08 .20

63 .00 .00 .00 .00

70 .00 .00 .00 .00

77 .00 .00 .00 .00

84 .00 .00 .00 .00

91 .00 .00 .00 .00

98 .00 .00 .00 .08

• 105 .00 .00 .00 .00

112 .00 .00 .00 .00

119 .00 .00 .00 .00

126 .00 .00 .00 .00

133 .00 .00 .00 .00

140 .00 .00 .00 .00

147 .00 .00 .00 .00

JIB

FILE 60702 SCAN 22- 14 NORM M/E 45

8E

SPEC. #22

0 .00 4.66 .00 273.33

7 .00 .00 .00 .00

14 .00 .00 .00 .00

21 .00 .00 .00 .00

28 > 24.00 .00 7.33

35 .00 .00 1.33 2.00

42 5.33 22.66 10.66 100.00

49 1.33 .00 .00 .00

56 .00 .00 1.33 3.33

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 2.13

.16 .52 .00

.00 .16 .96

.00 .00 .00

.40 .08 .52

.12 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .06 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.04 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 35 .33

2 .66 8 .66 .00

.00 2 .66 16 .00

.00 .00 .00

6 .66 1 .33 8 .66

2 .00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

.00 .00 .00

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

(Gas, ASTM)

m/e %

45 100

43 17

27 16

41 7 39 6

31 6

29 10

55
Table 3. Mass Spectral Data (Contaminant - methyl ethyl ketone).

IIIA MASS RANGE 1-200

FILE 50505 SCAN 39-14

S/N 97

SPEC. #39

0 00 .00 .19 1,98 .00 .00 .00

7 00 .00 .00 .00 .58 .61 41.99

14 4 66 1.62 .54 1.42 .00 .00 .00

21 00 .00 .00 .00 .17 1.39 6.06

28 100 00 11.90 .24 .27 14.04 .00 .07 35 00 .04 .22 .29 .95 1.30 .93

42 1 66 28.93 4.98 .46 .00 .00 .00

49 09 .22 .17 .04 .17 .04 .19

56 07 1.76 .36 .04 .00 .00 .00

63 00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00

70 00 .12 3.06 .14 .00 .00 .00

77 00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00

84 00 .07 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00

91 14 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00

98 00 .00 .04 .00 .00 .00 .00

105 00 .04 .00 IIIB

FILE 50505 SCAN 39-14 NORM M/E 43

S/N 97

SPEC. #39

0 .00 00 67 6 87 00 00 00

7 .00 00 00 00 2 03 2 12 145 12

14 16.11 5 59 1 86 4 91 00 00 00

21 .00 00 00 00 59 4 83 20 94

28 > 41 13 84 93 48 51 00 25

35 .00 16 76 1 01 3 30 4 49 3 22

42 5.76 100 00 17 21 1 61 00 00 00

49 .33 76 59 16 59 16 67

56 .25 6 10 1 27 16 00 00 00

63 .00 00 00 00 00 00 00

70 .00 42 10 60 50 00 00 00

77 .00 00 00 00 00 00 00

84 .00 25 00 00 00 00 00

91 .50 00 00 00 00 00 00

98 .00 00 16 00 00 00 00

105 .00 16 00

IIIC LIBRARY FILE - rCTHYL ETHYL KETONE

21 .00 .00 .00 .07 28 5.31 36.20 .85 .51 35 .00 .12 .85 1.08

42 7.32 100.00 3.40 .95 49 .33 .82 .49 .15 56 .30 8.00 .28 .00

63 .00 .00 .00 .00

70 .00 .85 20.36 1.16

METHYL ETHYL KETONE

(Gas, ASTM)8

74 6.45 21 .39 00 .00 00 m/e %

12 .36 2 .16 00 .00 07 43 100

74 .20 72 29 24

00 .00 00 72 17 00 .00 00 27 16 05 57 6 42 5 26 5

56
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57
2.6 Comparison of Mass Spectrometric Moisture Measurements

by Different Laboratories

Kenneth L. Perkins

Rockwell International Corporation

Electronic Devices Division

P. O. Box 4192

Anaheim, CA 92803

Telephone: (714) 632-3316

INTRODUCTION

As part of an MM&T (Manufacturing Methods and Technology) Study on the screen

testing of electronic components performed for Army/MIRADCOM, an investigation was made to determine the quality of the existing capability for measuring the moisture contents of microcircuit packages. This investigation con- sisted of preparing moisture standards or standard packages (i.e., packages

filled under precisely controlled conditions with nitrogen containing known

concentrations of moisture), having identical sets of these packages analyzed

by different laboratories that are recognized experts in moisture measurement, and comparing the results.

The primary purpose of this paper is to present and discuss these results.

However, since the validity of these results and the credibility of this en- tire effort depends on the propriety of the standard packages, they will be

discussed first.

The Standard Packages

The basic method selected for preparing the standard packages is depicted in

figure 1. Nitrogen of the desired moisture content is flushed through the

lidded package via two attached tubes while the moisture content at the input

and output is monitored by an optical dew point hygrometer. When equilibrium

is established at the desired moisture content as indicated by the equivalence of the optical dew point hygrometer readings, the package is sealed by

simultaneously sealing off the two tubes.

The package used for this application is an empty 2.54-cm (1-in. ) square

gold-plated Kovar package blank or box (i.e. , a package without electrical

feedthroughs ) sealed with a gold-plated Kovar lid containing two 0.316-cm

(1/8-in. ) outside dicuneter gold-plated copper tubes located diagonally in two

of its corners. The lid is seam-sealed to the package case using a. gold-tin

preform prior to processing, and final seal is accomplished by simultaneously cold welding (pinching off) the two tubes. A photograph of this package

is shown in figure 2.

The method by vhich nitrogen of the desired moisture content is produced is

illustrated in figure 3. Nitrogen partially saturated with moisture is generated by flushing dry nitrogen from the laboratory supply through a flask

containing deionized water and mixing it with dry nitrogen directly from the

laboratory supply. This partially saturated nitrogen is then circulated

through a double wound coil of copper tubing immersed in a controlled temperature bath set at the value required to produce nitrogen of the desired

58
moisture content. The precise value of the moisture content of the output

nitrogen is measured using an optical dew point hygrometer.

A diagram of the setup used for preparing the standard packages is given in

figure 4. This setup consists of a manifold to which five packages can be

connected, a laboratory ' source of dry nitrogen for purging the packages and

the optical dew point hygrometer, a source of nitrogen of controlled moisture

content for filling the packages, an optical dew point hygrometer for monitoring the moisture content of the nitrogen, pressure gages to assure that

the packages are sealed at atmospheric pressure, provision for connecting a leak detector to troubleshoot the system, and the necessary plumbing (tubing,

couplings, and valves), pressure regulators, flow gages, and exhausts to interconnect these major con^onents as required and assure proper operation of

the setup.

A photograph of the manifold portion of this setup and connection of the an- cillary equipment completing the setup is shown in figure 5. As just stated,

the manifold can accommodate five packages; however, valving is provided to

isolate the packages from each other so that any number of packages from one to five can be processed as desired. Valves also are provided so that the

moisture content (dew point) can be measured at both the package input and

output. Also, magnehelic pressure gages (0 to +10 in. of water) are attached

at both the input and output to assure that the packages are sealed at atmospheric pressure. Flow gages are provided at the output cind at the optical

dew point hygrometer to assure that the flow is within the 0.5 to 5 SCFH

(standard cubic feet per hour) range required for proper operation of the

optical dew point hygrometer.

Provision (not shown) also has been made to heat the system to 125<*C. The

packages are heated by twining a heater strip among them and covering them

with an insulated metal box. The temperature is monitored by a thermocouple

attached to one of the packages. The plumbing inside the large manifold box

is heated by serpentining a long heater strip. The inside bottom and top of

the box is insulated to prevent heat loss. The plumbing extends below the

insulation and the temperature is monitored by a thermocouple attached to one

of the tubes or valves. The manifold box is aluminum and all plumbing

(tubing, valves, and couples) is stainless steel.

The procedure used in preparing the standard packages is as follows:

1. The package cases and lids are cleaned in an ultrasonic Freon TF

bath. The lids are checked for cleanliness by immersing each lid in

a circulating deionized water bath (10 Mfi minimum) with a conductance monitor at the overflow and noting that the 'resistance of the

water does not decrease. The tubes are then flushed with isopropanol and Freon TF and blown dry with nitrogen.

2. The package cases and lids are assembled by seam-sealing them in a normal dry nitrogen sealing environment (dry box) using gold-tin

preforms.

3. The packages are mounted on the manifold and checked for leaks using

the leak detector.

59
4. The packages are purged simultaneously by flushing them with dry

nitrogen from the laboratory supply. Progress of the purging cycle

is monitored by periodically measuring the moisture content at the

manifold output using the optical dew point hygrometer and is con- sidered completed when this measurement indicates a moisture content

well below that at which the packages are to be filled.

5. After purging, the laboratory nitrogen supply is shut off and the

source of nitrogen of controlled moisture content is turned on, and

valves are switched to permit each package to be filled individually. Moisture content at the package output is monitored using the

optical dew point hygrometer and when equilibrium is reached, the

reading is recorded, valves are closed to isolate the package, and

the copper tubes are pinched off. During this fill cycle, pressure

is monitored to assure that the package is at atmospheric pressure

at pinch off.

6. The packages are leak tested (both fine and gross) and the tips of

the tubes are dipped in solder.

Standard Packages for the Present Investigation

Ninety standard packages were prepared for the present investigation, 30 each

at moisture contents of approximately 1000, 6000, and 10 000 parts per

million by volume (ppm^). Fifteen of the 30 packages prepared at each

moisture content were processed and sealed off at room temperature and 15 at

125'C. The packages were prepared in batches of five and systematically

labeled. After all of the packages were prepared, they were grouped into

five sets consisting of one package from each batch to assure that the sets

of packages were essentially identical. These five sets of packages were

then sent to the five selected laboratories for moisture analysis. Each

laboratory was sent a total of 18 packages, six each prepared at moisture

contents of 1000, 6000, and 10 000 pi»n^/ of which three of each moisture

content were processed and sealed off at room temperature and three at

125»C.

Results

The results obtained from the four laboratories that responded are presented

in tables 1 and 2 for the packages filled at room temperature and at 125'C,

respectively. The results obtained by the laboratories differ widely eind none agree with the fill values. The values obtained by Lab 2 were in closest agreement with the fill values. Those obtained by Lab 3 were higher than

the fill values by factors of 3 to 4, and those obtained by Labs 4 and 5 were

lower than the fill values by factors of 3 to 5 for the high moisture content

packages (5950 and 10 000 ppm^), and by factors of 4 or 5 to 15 for the

1050 PEHfty moisture content packages.

These results are significant in that they are representative of the

state-of-the-art capability of the moisture measurement technology and attest

to the need for improvement.

60
There also is another interesting observation to be made from these results.

It was expected that the measured moisture contents would be higher for the

packages filled at room temperature than for those filled at 125°C at the

three different moisture contents due to the fact that more moisture would be

adsorbed on the walls of the packages at the lower temperature, and this

moisture would be released at the higher temperature at which the moisture

measurements are made. However, a comparison of tables 1 and 2 shows that

this was not the case — the measured moisture contents of the packages filled

at 125"C, in general, were at least as high as or higher than those filled at

room temperature.

A special comment must be made regarding the results obtained by Lab 3.

After discussing the large difference between the moisture contents, they

measured for the packages and the fill moisture contents of the packages;

they carefully examined their system and discovered that a thermal runaway

that damaged their moisture calibration system had occurred causing the

results to be high by a factor of three. The corrected values obtained by

Lab 3 are given in table 3. With this correction, the Lab 3 results are in

much closer agreement with the fill values than any of the other laboratories.

61
SEAL-OFF POINTS

NITROGEN OF

DESIRED

MOISTURE

CONTENT

OPTICAL

DEW POINT

HYGROMETER

FLOW

GAUGE

Figure 1, Basic method for preparing standard packages.

62
Figure 2. Moisture standard package.

63"
Figure 3. Method for producing nitrogen of desired moisture content.

64
Manifold

(5 Packages)

Pinch Off

Pressure

Gauge v

Leak Detector

Exhaust —

Port or Pump

Laboratory Source

of Dry Nitrogen

Pressure Regulator

Source of

NUrogen of 0-«>-*Controlled

Moisture Pressure Content Regulator

Laboratory Source of Dry Nitrogen

Optical Dew Point

Hygrometer

8> Flow Gauge

Exhaust Port or Pump

Figure 4. Diagram of setup for preparing standard packages.

65

Table 1. Moistiare Analysis Results for Standard Packages Filled at Room

Temperature

Filled Measured Moisture Content (ppm^)

(PPTly) Lab 2 Lab 3 Lab 4 Lab 5

1,050 500 3,000 158 60

900 2,700 60 90

600 3,100 83 170

5,950 7,000 19,400 1 ,448 1 ,200

9,800 20,400 1 ,525 1,160

11,600 23,000 1,124 2,580

10,000 14,500

17,600

37,000 2,864

3,095

2,870

2,820

17,100 33,000 3,140 2,560

Table 2. Moisture Analysis Results for Standard Packages Filled at 125°C.

Filled

Moisture Content Measured Moisture Content (ppm^)

Lab 2 Lab 3 Lab 4 Lab 5

1 ,050 500 n ,000 186 200

500 3,100 135 250

500 3,100 88 390

5.950 13,100 24,000 1,458 1 ,360

13,900 21 ,000 1,419 1,510

15,600 20,500 1,540 1,580

10.000 14,000 42,000 2,967 2,750

17,700 40,000 2,750 2,230

17,800 34,000 2,730 2,370

67
Table 3. Corrected Lab 3 Results for Standard Packages

Filled at Room Temperature and at 125 °C.

Fill

Moisture Content

(PPniy)

Measured Moisture

(ppm^)

Content

RT 125°C

1 ,050 1,000 3,700

900 1,030

1,030 1 ,030

5,950 6,500 8,000

6,800 7,000

7,600 6,800

10,000 12,000 14,000

13,000

11,000 11,000

68
3. SESSION II MOISTURE SENSORS

3.1 The Effects of Assembly Techniques Upon the Performance

Characteristics of AI2O3 In-Situ Moisture Sensors*+

Victor Fong

Panametrics, Inc. 221 Crescent Street

Waltham, MA 02154

Telephone: (617) 899-2719

INTRODUCTION

Aluminum oxide moisture-sensing chips have been described in previous literature [1,2]. Information of a preliminary nature with respect to how hybrid

processing affects the performance characteristics has also been reported.

In an effort to expand information that had been reported by Kovac [2] , sev- eral experiments were conducted in order to augment present understanding of

process variables which affect the moisture versus admittance characteristics

of aluminum oxide sensors.

In the discussion of aluminxam oxide moisture-sensing chips, the term "alumi- num oxide" should be interpreted in the context of aluminum oxide produced

with the design, process, and applications compromises peculiar to the Panametrics MMA moisture-sensing chip. All information is based on the use of

standard TO- 5 used as a package study media.

Design Considerations

The Pancimetrics MMA has been designed with the hybrid and semiconductor manu- facturer in mind. The moisture sensor is fabricated on a 60 by 60 mil square

silicon chip, where the silicon is thermally oxidized and the resultant purity of silicon dioxide is comparable to that of an MOS. Symmetrical 6-mil

square bonding pads are forgiving of any random orientation which the chip

might assume when reaching its terminal position on the substrate or header.

If the gold silicon eutectic system is to be used for die bonding, it is

possible to die bond Mini-Mod-A's without the use of a preform.

Admittance Versus Moisture Characteristics

The theory of calibration of aluminum oxide sensors is simple and straightforward and is based on Henry's Law. At Panametrics dry nitrogen from a liquid source is bubbled through a saturator where the saturator is

The views and conclusions expressed are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense,

Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

^ •„ Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this paper in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no case does such identification in5>ly recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

69
maintained at approximately room temperature, but the temperature is precisely measured so that one knows the partial pressure of the water vapor in the

nitrogen/water stream. The stream can then be diluted with known volumetric

quantities of nitrogen, so that dew points or parts per million by volume

(ppm^) can be generated with fair precision, and sensors are thereby calibrated. To give some idea of correlatability with a reference standard, one can refer to figure 1.

In this set of curves a calibration of Mini-Mod-A sensors is shown using an industrial foil sensor such as a Panametrics Type M22 as a primary standard.

This foil sensor was calibrated by the method previously mentioned. Although

seemingly indirect, it is a convenient technique to use eliminating constant

temperature baths and precision-calibrated flowmeters. Still the results

correlate within 2<'C of a direct calibration using the National Bureau of

Standards' two-pressure system. The results are averages of four Mini-Mod-A

sensors calibrated by NBS and then calibrated by Panametrics' simplified

laboratory technique previously described.

Effect of Die Attach

The volatile by-products which in many cases includes ammonia have been found

to affect the admittance versus moisture characteristics of aluminum oxide

moisture-sensing chips. There is one exception. It has been shown that

chips from the same wafer wire bonded by holding the chips with tweezers on headers during the ultrasonic wire bonding are precisely comparable to their

counterparts mounted with Eastman 910 epoxy. We shall define such a calibration curve as a so-called "neutral" curve from time to time as a tool of re- ference. Figure 2 shows the differences when groups of chips from the same wafer are mounted with various epoxies and ultrasonically wire bonded at room

temperatures. Eppotech 31LV is similar to the "neutral" Eastman 910 curve,

but shows divergence at -IS^C dew/frost point. A gold-filled Eppotech is

considerably different.

Another case of die bond effects can be shown in figure 3. Again, the "neutral" curve is shown for purposes of reference. The "Indium" curve is actually a 50-50 weight percent indium-lead alloy, where the liquidus forms at

208«'C. The gold-silicon curve was generated by using eutectic goldsilicon

preforms which melt at 370"»C. Heating rearranges the pore structure of the

aluminum oxide. The trend of heat treatment can either result in steepening

of the calibration curve at the moist end or the lowering of admittance or both.

Since we are dealing with sensors fabricated on silicon substrates, they can be manufactured with gold backing so that they can be die bonded directly to

a gold substrate without the use of a preform.

Effects of Wire Bonding

The effects of wire bonding are similar to the effects of braze or eutectic

die bonding and are determined by the heating column temperature during wire

bonding. Such effects are observable only if the wire bonding is performed

at a temperature appreciably higher than a prior die bond temperature.

70
Effects of Baking and Sealing

Four groups of individually calibrated sensors mounted on T0-5s, vacuum baked

for 4 h at ISCC and resistance welded in nitrogen of 70 ppm^ moisture

level, showed no changes after puncturing the cap and recalibrating the sensors.

A CERDIP process was simulated by taking the TO-5 units used to generate the

gold-silicon curve of figure 3 and dividing them into two subgroups. The

first sxibgroup was heated in nitrogen for 10 min at 450"'C. The second subgroup was heated under the same conditions, except that the maximum temperature was BOO^C. The results are shown in figure 4. The left curve is actually two curves superimposed, indicating no change from original values in

the case of the T0-5s heated at 450''C. This is not surprising, since the

maximum heating column temperature for gold-silicon die bonding is probably

quite close to 400°C. At SOO^C there is a noticeable change as the pore

structure of the aluminum oxide sensors again undergoes modification due to

heat stressing at a temperature moderately higher than a prior process temperature.

Temperature Coefficient

Aluminum oxide chip sensors work on a surface adsorption principle which be- comes severely limited at temperatures approaching 100°C. This is further

complicated by the present state of mass spectrometry art where correlation

from one mass spectrometry system to another system often results in orders

of magnitude differences. There is reasonable expectation that with refinement of readout electronics and measurements made at some elevated temperature, say SO^C, better correlation can be established. Such an objective is

being seriously considered at Panaraetrics.

Presently, measurement temperatures have to be limited to a range of 23''C to

29'>C.

CONCLUSIONS

Aluminum oxide moisture-sensing chips equivalent to the Panametrics Type MMA

can be used in process temperatures up to 500°C. If environments which affect the calibration characteristics of sensing chips are taken into account,

estimates of ambient water vapor level within engineering accuracy are readily obtainable. The maximum temperature of process exposure appears to be the

governing variable affecting the final characteristics of the aluminum oxide

chip sensors, if no epoxies are present in the system. It would, therefore,

appear possible to temperature condition chips or wafers so that the final

characteristics would not be heat-cycle-dependent.

The cost effectiveness of the aluminum-oxide-sensing chip should be reviewed

in the light of many cost advantages. Very low capital investment is re- quired. No specialized training or skill is required to conduct measurements

and to interpret results. The tests are nondestructive. The cost of fine

and gross leak tests can be eliminated. There is monitoring capability for

the life of the product. Finally, confidence levels associated only with

100-percent testing of hermetically sealed packages are possible.

71
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to acknowledge data supplied by the Rome Air Development Center of the calibrations data obtained from the National Bureau of

Standards.

REFERENCES

1. Kovac, M. G. , Chlech, D., and Goodman, P., A New Moisture Sensor for

"In-Situ" Monitoring of Sealed Packages, 15th Annual Proceedings, Reliability Physics 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1977, pp. 85-91.

2. Kovac, M. G. , Performance Characteristics of AI2O3 Moisture Sensor

Inside Sealed Hybrid Packages, Pvoc. 1977 Int. Microelectronics Sym.,

Baltimore, Maryland, October 24-16, 1977, pp. 249-252.

72
COMPARISON OF NBS

CALIBRATION OF MMA WITH PANAMETRICS CALIBRATION

O

O

-10 0 +10 OEW/FROST POINT 'c 2,600 6.000 IZpQO

PPM.. AT I ATM

Figxire 1. Calibration results for Mini-Mod-A sensors

as compared against a Type M22 fail sensor as reference.

EFFECT OF EPOXY DIE ATTACH

2 0 -

2 -

-70 -50 -30 -10 0 +10 DEW/ FROST POINT ( 'c )

1 III. ..I.J ..i.-mI

1.0 10 100 1.000 lO.OOO PPMy AT I ATM

Figure 2. Effect of epoxy die attach on the response o MMA oxide sensors.

73
EFFECT OF PREFORM DIE ATTACH

_L- -70 -50 -30 -10 DEW/ FROST POINT (°C) J \

'

I J

, L

10 10 100 1.000 10,000 PPMy AT I ATM

Figure 3. Effect of preform die attach on the response

of MMA oxide sensors.

EFFECT OF HEAT SEAL (SIMULATED)

450 C 10 MIN

-70 -SO -30 -10 +10 DEW/FROST POINT ( "c) J I

I I J I

I 0 10 100 1.000 10.000 PPMw AT I ATM

Figure 4. Effect of various package heat-sealing procedures on the response of MMA oxide sensors.

74
3.2 Application Considerations of Solid State Moisture Chips for

Hybrids and Associated Calibration Measurement Techniques*"''

Paul F. Bennewitz

Thunder Scientific Corporation

623 Wyoming, S. E.

Albuquerque, NM 87123

Telephone: (505) 265-8701

BR-101B-SS Moisture Chip

The Thunder Scientific BR-101B-SS Moisture Chip, a solid-state thin-film

bulk effect device, is the result of two years of intensive research and development.

It appears to have fast response, minimum hysteresis, and immunity to saturation which with its small size permit unique applications, we believe, beyond

the capability and range of other humidity sensors. Specifically, because of

the extremely small size and broad range, the sensor as a substrate chip may

be die bonded into hybrid packs and ICs for analysis of moisture leak rates

prevalent in most instances.

Theory of Sensor Operation

The moisture chip is literally an array of many interstitial spaces within

the sensor accessed by electrodes. Water molecules Cein drift freely and randomly into and thjfoughout the structure in such a manner as to electrically

change its bulk impedance.

Because of the ability of moisture molecules to drift into and out of the

structure, the sensor exhibits response times of less than 300 ms for 63 percent of reading. As physical size of the substrate is reduced, response time

is equivalent ly reduced.

Specifications

We find the accuracy to be typically better than 2-percent indicated RH over

a range of from 0-percent to 100-percent RH. Inaccuracy is less than 10

parts per million by volume (ppm^) over the range of 1 ppm^ to 3000 ppm^.

The worst case hysteresis taken under the most extreme conditions is less

than 2-percent indicated RH. The best case is less than 1 -percent indicated

* The views and conclusions expressed are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense,

Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

t Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this paper in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

75
RH or nonexistent. The stated guaranteed accuracy is conservative, being

+2-percent indicated RH.

The sensor has been found to also be sensitive to changes in moisture down

to a minimum of 0.1 ppm. Therefore, it may be used in applications where it

is desired to detect minimal moisture conditions.

The sensor has been tested over temperature ranges from -40'>C to as high as

450*>C with no apparent degradation.

The chip has also been exposed to altitudes ranging from sea level to

500 000 feet and also to ultra-high vacuum. In all instances, whether ex- posed for hours or days, the chip continues to function measuring the various

amounts of moisture present. Other sensors take considerable time to respond

once desiccated by a long-term vacuum.

Applications

The BR-101B-SS moisture chip may be used in a myriad of requirements such as environmental control, pollution studies, process controls, metrology, etc.

In particular the intent of this paper is to discuss how well the sensor

lends itself for monitor of leak rates in hybrid packs because of its minute

size when used in die form.

Mass Spectrometer Method

Analysis of microelectronic packages has to date been done with very sensitive mass spectrometers using special san^ling apparatus made specifically

for puncturing microelectronic packages.

This method has worked reasonably well, allowing detection of moisture in the

package in many instances of device failure analysis.

Analysis by mass spectrometry is not only expensive but time consuming, always resulting in a hole in the package or destruction of same. In addition

the mass spectrometer does not lend itself to on-line testing or analysis of

hundreds or perhaps thousands of microelectronic and hybrid packages.

Hybrid Package Application

Presently, the maximum allowable moisture level that can be tolerated in a package has not been determined. Therefore, it is suggested, the necessity

is to monitor the internal atmosphere of the package not only during sealing

operations but also over an extended life period.

Various packages and device types are more sensitive to moisture than others.

As an example, a 741 IC chip is extremely sensitive to moisture even at

levels of moisture from 20 ppm and up. Higher values of moisture, i.e., 6000

to 8000 ppm, can initiate dendritic growths in small geometry packages between opposite polarities under the proper combination of metallization.

Epoxy-sealed circuits are even more subject to failure because of moisture.

Tests have been conducted that indicate the beginning of moisture leakage

76
just after a sealing bake at 125<»C. Moisture levels between inside and out

completely equilibrate in approximately 12 h at standard temperature and atmosphere if the epoxy is leaking.

The moisture chip in die form measures 0.070 in. by 0.075 in. by 10 mils

thick. This size lends itself well to standard die bonding techniques when

using tin-gold or other preforms at a temperature of approximately 270«*C.

The die is constructed in such a manner so as to allow ball bonding, ultrasonic, or thermal welding of gold leads from the pads provided to the hybrid

itself

Due to the small size of the sensor, the intent is to leave the sensor sealed

within the package to allow monitoring of package moisture over extended

periods of time.

In5>roved Sensor Characteristics

The standard aluminum oxide chip exhibits a number of deleterious characteristics such as:

1. It is affected by process ten5>eratures and can be permanently

damaged by this parameter.

2. It shows hysteresis.

3. Response time is 15 s or more.

4. It exhibits continual aging throughout the life of the sensor.

5. Dynamic range is limited.

We claim that The Thunder Scientific moisture chip exhibits many improved

characteristics shown as follows:

1. The chip is linear.

2. Hysteresis is temporary and reduced to 20 ppm or better.

3. Response is 300 ms around reading.

4. Sensitivity is three orders of magnitude better.

5. Repeatability can be as good as 10 ppsa or better.

6. Small size — it can be made smaller.

7. The chip does not age as do normal aluminum oxide sensors.

8. It exhibits minimum change with process temperature.

77
Broader Process Methods

The improved moisture chip due to its inherent construction may be subjected

to broader process methods without normally resultant damage or deterioration

caused by high temperature, etc. In other words, it more nearly approaches a semiconductor due to added flexibility in process.

Die Bonding

The chip may be die bonded using a number of different materials and methods

heretofore not available.

In practice the chip can be constructed upon either amorphous quartz or silicon. In the case of the quartz type, each chip is gold backed. Tin or gold germanium or other eutectics may be used. When the sensor is con- structed upon silicon, standard silicon gold eutectic bonding may be used

negating the necessity of preforms, etc. In this case, bonding temperatures

as high as 270°C may be used without damage.

Lead Bonding

The Thunder moisture chip is ruggedly constructed. Pads provided are greater

than 1000 nm thick providing a bond area of approximately 10 mils in diameter. Because of this, the die can be reused if desired.

Any type of bonding method may be used with little difficulty, i.e., ultrasonic, thermal compression, pulse, etc. Stage heat may be run at lOO^C to

150°C with no damage.

Bakeout

Bakeout when epoxies are used may be at 120°C or higher.

Vacuum bake-out temperature prior to sealing of the hybrid will not harm the

sensor.

High-Temperature Capability

A high-temperature version of the Thunder moisture chip is available where

process temperatures may be as high as 450*'C as in the case of DIPS or ce- ramic glass-sealed packages. This is the Model BR- 10 IB-SS-HT.

Calibration Methods

For calibration of the moisture chips after mounting in the hybrid and prior

to sealing. Thunder Scientific provides calibration systems covering the full

range of moisture from essentially zero to 100-percent RH.

The series 4000 provides a calibration accuracy guaranteed to be better than

+0.5°C. We claim that typical accuracy is +0.2''C over a range of -75" to -8*» dew point (1 to 3060 ppm^).

78
The series 7000 covers an overlapping range from as low as 5-percent RH to

96-percent RH with an accuracy of better than +0. 5-percent RH. It contains a small chamber in a stable bath which will hold a considerable number of

hybrids for calibration.

The series 6500 provides a large upright chamber where a larger volume may be

required for quantity calibrations. The series 650 0 covers the range from

5-percent RH to 96-percent RH with a guaranteed accuracy of better than

+1 -percent RH.

The Model 4A-1 or 4AB-1 Humidity Standard

Where it is necessary to know precisely the RH in an air stream or chamber,

the model 4A-1 or 4AB-1 standard is recommended.

This system will provide an accurate measurement to better than +0. 5-percent

RH over a range of 1 -percent RH or less to 99.9-percent RH.

SUMMARY

In review, the BR-101B-SS moisture chip provides a useful source for determination of the moisture content of hybrid assemblies during manufacture and

final operation of these devices.

In addition, equipment for calibration of the moisture chip in hybrids has

been delineated and typical accuracies stated.

The Thunder Scientific model BR-101B-SS moisture sensor is an advanced method

for determining moisture level in hybrids in production requirements.

79"
3.3 Hysteresis and Long-Term Repeatability

of Al\iminum Oxide Humidity Sensors

Herbert L. Webster

Sandia Laboratories, Div. 2551

Albuquerque, NM 87185

Telephone: (505) 264-6042

Aluminum oxide humidity sensors calibrated at Sandia Laboratories have all

shown a hysteresis following water vapor pressure variations and/or temperature variations. To make the aluminum oxide hygrometer calibrations more useful for many measurement applications at Sandia, hysteresis and long-term

repeatability measurements have been made.

Three sensors were tested for hysteresis by first stepping them from dry to

150 parts per million by volume (ppm^), then from 10 000 ppm^ to 150 ppm^.

Typical response is shown in the figure. The typical worst case hysteresis

was 360 ppm^ at 1 h and 130 ppm^ at 30 h.

The drift of each of the three sensors stored for six months at 10 000 ppm^

and at a constant temperature of 21.1 + ^°C was approximately 20 ppm^ downward (to a lower humidity reading). However, when the sensors were exposed

for 1 h to a humidity of 150 ppm^ and a temperature of lOO^C, the 150-ppm^

room temperature calibration of each unit shifted downward approximately 100

PPmv*

80

3.4 Moisture Standards and Sensors*

Charles G. Messenger

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss Air Force Base, NY 13441

Telephone: (315) 330-2946

The inclusion of the Internal Water-Vapor Content Test, Test Method 1018,

into MIL-STD-883B required the development of moisture standards for the

correlation and calibration of various laboratory mass spectrometry equipment

in use throughout the United States and for subsequent DESC certification.

The intention of standards is to provide a controlled and predictable moisture environment of three ranges of water vapor content inside a package.

The packages were to contain an internal moisture sensor to measure the moisture content before gas analysis and provide for a means of traceability to

an NHS standard measurement with a recalibration of the sensor after the

analysis was completed. Several problems were encountered in development of

the moisture standards. These problems along with the results of the three

Round Robins of standards sent to various gas analysis labs will be discussed

in this paper.

Processing

The development of a moisture standard called for changes in the normal processing steps used in the sealing of a package. The only component included

in the package was an aluminum oxide moisture sensor which was die attached

using a gold-tin preform at 280*C. The sensor was wire bonded using gold

wire and ultrasonic techniques. The packages with the sensors were then

vacuum baked at 125*>C for 16 to 24 h and then hermetically sealed in nitrogen

at a controlled level of water vapor.

Water Vapor Generation

Dry nitrogen gas is bubbled through a heated flask of DI water ('»80»C). The

saturated nitrogen is mixed with dry nitrogen to the desired level in a re- servoir whose pressure is 20 psi. The wet nitrogen gas is then introduced

into the Research Instrument Corporation (RICO) solder sealer.

The water vapor content introduced into the package is monitored using an aluminum oxide moisture sensor mounted internally to the sealing chamber of

the RICO. Figure 1 shows a graph of the sensor operation during the seal

cycle versus the heater teir^jerature monitored at the same time. The

operation of the sealer cycle is outlined in figure 2.

* The views and conclusions expressed are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense,

Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

t Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this paper in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no case does such identification inply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

82
Predictability

For the moisture standards sealed in Round Robin I, a moisture sensor was mounted in the package using the processing steps described earlier. The

packages were sealed in two moisture ranges of 5000 ppm and 10 000 ppm. The

predicted moisture in the package was based on the value read using the aluminum oxide moisture sensor mounted in the RICO seal chamber. The moisture

sensor in the seal chamber gives a reading of the sealing ambient water vapor

content. This was assumed to be the amount of water vapor introduced into

the package. The moisture sensors mounted internal to the standard package

in Round Robin I were monitored to provide a reading of the actual internal

standard package ambient. The readings recorded by these sensors showed that

the actual water vapor content is considerably lower than the predicted value

as shown in figure 3. This difference in water vapor content is attributed

to package wall adsorption effects and to shifts in the calibration of the sensor inside the standard package.

Adsorption of moisture onto the walls of the package appears to be the most

significant effect in developing a predictable moisture standard. Packages vacuum baked and subsequently sealed in a controlled wet environment of

10 000 ppm are found to contain 5000 to 6000 ppm when gas analyzed. The

effect occurs in packages in volume ranges of 0.05 cm-^ and 0.2 cm^. If

the packages are not vacuum baked, the effect is consxderably reduced.

Measurement of the internal moisture content of the standards was accom- plished in Round Robin I using an aluminum oxide moisture sensor. Work with

these sensors has indicated that the sensors exhibit a shift in calibration

due to various processing techniques. The original calibration curve was supplied by the manufacturer. The processing steps affecting the sensors and

the maximum shift due to these steps are shown in figure 4. It should be

noted that the effects of room air storage and die attach on the sensor can

be corrected by recalibrating the sensor before vacuum baking. This procedure would limit the worst case maximum shift to -4*0 dew point. The overall

effect of the adsorption of moisture on the package walls and the shift of

the sensor is shown in figure 5, where the first shift from the predicted

values of 10 000 ppm and 5000 ppm are due to the sensor shift and adsorption

phenomenon and the exponential decrease is due to adsorption.

The aluminum oxide moisture sensors are temperature dependent, displaying a negative temperature coefficient. As the sensors are cooled, the sensor reading increases. Figure 6 shows a graph of a sensor calibrated at three

different temperatures. Therefore, the sensor must be calibrated at use temperature.

Moisture Standards

In the three round robins completed for the correlation and calibration of

various gas analysis labs, only Round I had an internal moisture sensor en- closed in the standard package. In Rounds II and III, the moisture in the

package was predicted using the value recorded by the moisture sensor in the

seal chamber. The sensors used in Round I were calibrated after opening to

provide a more accurate reading of the standard package ambient seen before

gas analysis.

83
Figure 7 shows the results of Round I. Of the four analytical labs participating, only one observed a reading close to the internal moisture sensor

reading. The chart also shows the difference in the sensor readings after

one to two weeks. This downward trend in moisture content is due to adsorption on the package walls. There was also a difference in readings due to

the sensor shifting which was corrected for through sensor recalibration after opening the package. Applying the recalibration data to the last sensor reading gives a good indication of what the package ambient was at the time

of gas analysis. It is the last sensor reading value that correlates with

Lab C gas analysis.

The correction factors for the labs were based on the corrected moisture sensor readings and the moisture content the labs actually found. Since a moisture sensor was not mounted internal to the package in Rounds II and 111,

there is no cross check of the actual package ambient before analysis. The

predicted values in Rounds II and III agree closely with two analysis labs.

Labs C and D. The packages used in Round II were not vacuum baked out, thus

lowering the effect of package wall adsorption. Packages used in Round III were vacuiam baked and the effect of adsorption is seen in the difference in

readings. Applying the correction factors from Round I to the labs' readings, the correct range of moisture is established in the package. Rounds II

and III results are shown in figures 8 and 9, respectively.

From the experiments performed in the development of the moisture standards,

it was found that moisture can be introduced into packages at controlled levels. Monitoring of the package ambient during and after sealing shows that

two major factors are in play which affect the final moisture level in the

package, these being aluminum oxide sensor shifts and package wall adsorption. Correction of the sensor reading after recalibration and comparison to

gas analysis of the packages shows that a predictable moisture standard ceui

be developed for correlation and calibration of mass spectrometry gas analyzers.

84
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PACKAGE PREDICTED INTERNAL SENSOR

1 hr aftsr seal

1 0/UU ppm 4dUu ppm

2 conn 0^ nn

3

1 7r»n 1 /UU

4 10700 5400

5 11800 4600

6 11800 5100

7 11800 3800

8 11800 5100

9 11800 3800

10 10700 4000

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Figure 3, Moisture sensor reading versus predicted moisture content.

' 87
DRY STORAGE

ROOM AIR STORAGE

DIE ATTACH AT 280**C

VACUUM BAKE (3125°C 16-24 hr

SEALING AND GAS ANALYSIS

TCE WASH

NO CHANGE

-3°C SHIFT

-2°C SHIFT

-2°C SHIFT

-2°C SHIFT

TEMPORARY RECOVERY

Figure 4. Processing effects on sensor.

88
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1 1 1 1 f 1 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 +10

DEW/FROST POINT, IN DEGREES CELSIUS

Figure 6. Temperature effects on sensors.

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93
3.5 Assessment of the Use of Measurement of Surface Conductivity

as a Means of Determining Moisture Content of Hermetic

Semiconductor Encapsulations

Robert P. Merrett and Steven P. Sim

Post Office Research Centre

Martlesham Heath

Ipswich, England IPS 7RE

INTRODUCTION

The one failure mode which cannot be combatted by any means other than reducing the water content of the internal atmosphere is electrochemical corrosion

of aluminium metallization. As this depends on moisture-induced surface con- ductivity, a small sensor which would permit sensitive measurement of surface

conductivity could provide a useful means of monitoring, or approving, a sealing process. Two types of sensors which can be made using conventional

silicon technology are considered here. Their performance is gauged in terms

of the corrosion rate expected when packages have a water content on the

limit of detection using the sensor.

Surface Conductivity of Silicon Dioxide

Koelmans [1] used an interdigital structure to measure the surface conductivity of silicon dioxide as a function of the relative humidity and temperature. We have confirmed his results. The measured conductivity can be

described by the equation:

^=

^o {-^) '

where T is the temperature while, as figures 1 and 2 show, e and are parameters which depend on the relative humidity. Koelmans [1] noted that

the conductivity appeared to be consistent with the model used by Kawasaki

and Hackerman [2] to describe the conductivity of porous silicon. They

showed that a was a function of the amount, m, of water adsorbed:

a - m- exp(^- e^. — J

. (2)

At low relative humidities and 3 are constants. Equation (2) reduces to

eq ( 1 ) if m is expressed as a function of relative humidity. These two quantities are related by the adsorption isotherm which is likely to be described

by the BET equation:

m^' c* r " (1 - r)(1 + [c - 1]r)

where c = exp (<f>/R«T) , r is the relative humidity and mQ is a constant. <J> is the difference between the latent heat of evaporation of water and the

heat of adsorption of this vapour. If with hindsight c is assumed to be

approximately three, then the simple expression for m, which is given below,

is accurate to within 11 percent over the range 0.1 < r < 0.6:

94
m«m^*c«r. (4)

Over a range of temperature about a mean, T^, the value of m is given by

the equation:

m « m T I 1 + I . (5) o I T, m 2 R*T /

^

'

If this value of m is substituted into eq (2), it is found that:

/ eo d) <b + • 6'r«m .exo —

e = e .| 1 - 6-r-m • / 1 + \ .exp \ - <{) . (7) ° \ ° \ oj o/

Over the range 0.1 < r < 0.7 the results presented in figures 1 and 2 can be

described by the equations:

-3 -1 a = r'2 X 10 'exp (-ll.S-r) (fi/n) , and (8) o

e = 19-13.6 r kcals/gram.mole. (9)

Comparison of eqs (6) and (7) with (8) and (9) yields a value of 925

cals/mole for <l), a value near the 1.5 kcals/mole needed to account for the

adsorption isotherm measured by Kawasaki and Hackerman [2] . The value of 4> can be used to estimate the range of validity of the approximation on which

eq (5) is based. It can be shown that it is accurate to within 10 percent if

the temperature is within 70°C of the mean of the range of temperatures over which the conductivity was measured (30 to 100*C).

The values of derived from Koelmans' and Sim's results had the same dependence on relative humidity, but they differed by an order of magnitude.

The higher value (Koelmans) is used in the calculations presented here.

The dependence of the corrosion rate on current is complicated by two processes not yet mentioned. The current flowing between aluminium electrodes

was a decreasing function of time. Koelmans attributed this behaviour to interfacial polarisation of one or both of the electrodes. A field effect

structure, whioh formed the basis of the sensor to be discussed shortly, was used to monitor the voltage of the oxide adjacent to the anode. It showed

that the majority of the polarisation was due to the applied voltage being

dropped at the edge of the anode. As this voltage drop disappeared, immediately the current ceased to flow. The polarisation is likely to be due to

the formation of an insulating film on the anode. The film will reduce the

corrosion rate because it lowers the current, but the possibility of it

breaking down under certain conditions, such as C1 contamination [1], cannot

be ignored. Thus in calculating corrosion rates, we must use the current

which flows before there is a significant amount of polarisation. The other

con5>licating factor is localisation of corrosion. As some of the failures

95
observed during corrosion tests have occurred because of thinning at the

grain boundaries, there is no doubt that the corrosion can be localised.

Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to build this into the calculations of

corrosion rates; the error introduced will be at least partly offset by

ignoring the decrease in current due to polarisation.

In the worst case, the passage of one electron will result in the corrosion

of one aluminium atom. The time taken to consume half a lO-ym wide aluminium

track of thickness 1 ym, which is separated by 10 ym from another whose

potential is 10 V higher, is then:

1.35 X 10"^^

, t^ = hours . (10)

The value of tf can be deduced using eq (8) and (9). Figure 3 shows the

value of tf plotted against the relative humidity at 25**C. The high relative humidity end of this plot is in rough agreement with service experience.

MOS circuits, which were subsequently shown to be in packages having an internal atmosphere with a relative humidity of about 0.7, failed within sev- eral months of entering service. These calculations indicate that relative

humidities of less than 0.1 at 25"'C do not present a significant reliability

hazard. Such levels of moisture can be detected by measuring the surface

conductivity.

Measurement of Water Content Using an In-Package Sensor

The sensitivity of any in-package sensor will be affected by the amount of

water adsorbed by the walls of the package. The calculations presented here

are based on the assumption that the adsorption can be described by a BET

isotherm having <^ equal to 1.5 kcals/gram mole. The choice of a value of <(> is not very critical since it exerts little influence on the amount of water

adsorbed at the high relative humidities produced by lowering the temperature

of the package. Figure 4 shows the calculated relationship between the temperature and the relative hiimidities in two types of packages. (The surface

roughness of the metal TO-5 package was taken to be 3 and that of the ceramic

package 10.) The relative humidity in the packages never reached saturation,

but if there had been no adsorption, saturation would have occurred at the

temperatures defined by the crosses marked on the plots. Figure 4, in con- junction with the equations for surface conductivity, can be used to determine the temperature dependence of the conductivity of an encapsulated silicon element.

Figure 5 shows the temperature dependence of the calculated leakage current

of a large interdigital structure encapsulated in a ceramic dual-in-line

package. (This package is one of the worst cases to consider because its

large surface-area-to-volume ratio prevents high relative humidities from

being reached when the temperature is lowered. ) The leakage current goes

through a shallow maximum as the teitperature is reduced so the effect of the

increasing relative humidity on the surface conductivity more than compensates for the reduction in temperature, a result which will be familiar to

all users of the MIL SPEC dew point test.

96
Figure 5 shows that the leakage current is not very sensitive to tenperature

when the water content of a package is small so the operating ten^erature

would not appear to be critical. However, the validity of the conductivity

equations have not been proved for relative humidities below 0.1, so it is

desirable to raise the relative humidity by lowering the temperature. Measurements on interdigital structures encapsulated in TO-5 packages showed a sharp drop in conductivity when the temperature was less than about -20''C.

As this drop is not predicted by the conductivity equation, the sensor should

not be used below -20<»C.

As the bulk leakage current was always less than lO""^-^ A, the interdigital structure should be capable of detecting the presence of 3 x 10"'^

mbar. 1 of water in a CERDIP. Reference to figures 4 and 6 will show that

this amount of water would produce a relative humidity of 0.2 in the package

at 25 "C and that the corrosion time, tf, would be approximately 10 years.

Similar calculations can be performed to determine the sensitivity of a test

for moisture content which relies on naturally occurring surface leakage

paths on the interior of the package or on the semiconductor chip. Our ex- perience is that it is very rare to find that the sensitivity is comparable

with that of the interdigital structure. One of the exceptions is a microwave transistor whose base emitter fingers form an ideal structure.

The size of the interdigital structure limits its usefulness, its 40 500-ym

long fingers can only be accommodated on a chip about 1 mm square. Thus, it

is not practical to consider adding the sensor to a process validation

module. Fortunately a smaller and more sensitive sensor can be made using a field effect element to detect the charging of the surface of the oxide sur- rounding a biased electrode. The structure is similar to that used by

Schlegel et at. [3] in their studies of surface conductivity. The sensor and the time dependence of the potential of the oxide are illustrated in

figure 6. The time, t^, which elapses between the application of the bias

and the end of the field effect structure being turned on is a solution of eq

(3):

/ 2 r \

= V erfc I )

, (11)

t o X^'^Sj

where is the turn-on voltage (23 V), Vq is the bias voltage (90 V), x

is the distance between the electrode and the edge of the field effect structure (30 ym) , and C is the capacitance per unit area of the thermally grown

oxide (70 uF/m^ ) . The figures in brackets refer to a structure used in our experiments for which:

-4

2.4 X 10 , t, = seconds. (l^J

b a Figure 7 shows the calculated turn-on time of a sensor encapsulated in a CERDIP package containing various quantities of water. This type of graph

can be used to calculate the sensitivity of the sensor when encapsulated in

various types of packages. If the sensor does not turn on within 10^ s of

applying bias when the temperature is -10*»C, the water content will be less

than the figures given in the table. The water content is expressed in terms

of the relative humidity the water would produce at 25<»C and in terms of the

97
dew point (which cxjuld only be measured if the package had nonadsorbent

walls). Reference to figure 3 will show that the sensor should be able to

provide adequate protection against corrosion. It is also worth noting that

the sensitivity of the sensor will be increased if the surface conductivity,

and hence the corrosion rate, is enhanced by ionic contamination.

Amount of Water Which Can be Detected by the Field Effect Sensor.

Amount of Water

Type of

package mbar.

1

dew point relative humidity

at 25«C

TO5

1.3 X lo""* -19 2%

CERDIP 1 X lo"'* - 4 5%

Field effect sensors havina various geometries hav- been exposed to relative

humidities in the range 0.3 to 0.85 at 85*»C, and eq (11) has been shown to

provide an adequate description of their behaviour. In addition a small number of sensors have been encapsulated in TO- 5 packages and the teit^jerature

dependence of the turn-on time shown to be in reasonable agreement with the

model presented here.

Use of the Sensor

It is envisaged that the sensor could be used to detect a deterioration in a sealing process or to approve a sealing process. An exan¥>le of what happens

when a sealing process goes "out of tune" is illustrated by figure 8 which

shows the water content in low profile TO-5 packages produced by one manufacturer plotted against the date of sealing. Packages sealed during weeks 31

and 32 of 1972 had an abnormally high water content — it was high enough to cause rapid failure due to electrochemical corrosion of the aluminium metallisation. Had the field effect sensor been used to monitor the process at

least once a week, the deterioration would have been detected before the com- ponents entered service.

REFERENCES

1. Koelmans, H. , Metallization Corrosion in Silicon Devices by

Moisture-Induced Electrolysis, Pvooeedings, 12th Reliability Physias

Symposium 1974, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2-4, 1974, pp. 168-171.

98
2. Kawasaki, K. / and Hackerman, N. , On the Variation of Surface Conduction

Current of Porous Vycor Glass by the Adsorption of Water Vapor, iiuvfaae

Saienae j_0, 299-302 (1968).

3. Schlegel, E. S., Schnable, G. L. , Schwarz, R. R. , and Spratt, J. P.,

Behavior of Surface Ions on Semiconductor Devices, IEEE Trans* Eteatvon

Devices ED- 1 5 , (1968).

99
20

Activation energy,

kcals/mole

10 -

I

4

90% confidence limits of fit to

Koelraans ' results

Sim's results

0 0.2 OA 0.6 0.8

Relative humidity

1.0

Figure 1,

humidity

.

Dependence of the activation energy on the relative

100
10-2

(Ohms/Q )'

0 exp(-11,5 r) r .exp(-11 ,5 r)

1 .0

Relative humidity

Figure 2. Dependence of on the relative humidity.

101
10'

10 -

t f 10'

Time taken to

corrode half the

track, hours

10

10'

4 -

10

0

10 um wide aluminium track

1 um thick

10 um separation

10 Volts

25°C

0.2

100

l 10

years

I" 1

0,1

0,k 0.6 0.8 1 .0

Relative humidity

Figure 3. Time taken to corrode half an aliaminium track

102
103
Total water

content ,mbar.l

1000

Temperature, °K

Figure 5. Calculated surface leakage current of an interdigital structure in a CERDlP.

104
30 ]m

PLAN

A

L_.

SECTION ON AA

V

1 I

10 ym

10 ym

Potential of the

surface of the

oxide

Metal gate

Oxide

p fxnger

n substrate

Distance from the gate

Figure 6. The field effect sensor.

105
10

10

Turn- on time,

seconds

10

10

-1

/

/ /

/

^

r<0.1 >^

/

""^

r 2x10"

/

/

/ 3x10

z / \\

3x10"^

Total water

content, mbar.l

+ 10

-1 1 ^

-10°C

1 2.8 3.2 3

1000

.6

Temperature

Figure 7. Calculated turn-on time of a field effect sensor in a CERDIP.

106
A Corroded

2x10'^ A0 Not corroded

Volume 0.125 ml

Water content,

mbar.

A

A

. 10

Dew

point,

- 0

A

o

0

'

o

o

e

o o o o

o o &

o

0

® 4 ^

-10

1972 1973 197^

Date of manufacture

Figure 8. Water content of packages produced by the same manufacturer.

107
3.6 Moisture Sensing With the Charge-Flow Transistor*

Stephen D. Senturia, Michel G. Huberman/ Robert Van der Kloot

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA 02139

Telephone: (617) 253-6869

INTRODUCTION

The charge-flow transistor (CFT) was developed to provide an MOS-compatible

method for monitoring the sheet conductance of gas- or moisture-sensitive

thin films [1,2]. The principle of operation of the device is most easily

described with reference to a simpler structure, the "charge-flow capacitor"

(fig. 1). The substrate is conducting, and the two portions of the upper

electrode are presumed to be connected together. The thin film of resistive

material (called the polymer in fig. 1) is located within the gap in the

upper electrode. When a voltage is suddenly applied between the electrode

and substrate, the capacitor charges in two steps. First, the electrodes

charge very quickly to the applied voltage, yielding the situation depicted

in figure 1(b). Second, charge gradually flows through the resistive polymer

film (fig. 1(c)) until, finally, a state is reached (fig. 1(d)) where the

polymer-film portion of the capacitor is uniformly charged to the applied

voltage. The dynamics of the charging process resemble the dynamics of an RC

transmission line, with the resistive portion being the sheet resistance of

the polymer film, and the capacitive portion being the polymer-insulatorsubstrate capacitance.

The charge-flow transistor (shown in cross section in fig. 2) incorporates a charge-flow capacitor into the gate structure of a MOSFET. For an enhancement-mode device, the dynamics of turn-on lead to a time delay between

the application of a gate-to-source voltage and the appearance of a complete

conducting channel between drain and source. Because this time delay depends

on the sheet resistance of the polymer film, the turn-on delay serves to sense any variable that causes a variation in that sheet resistance. This

paper presents some turn-on delay and static-characteristic measurements for

CFTs that incorporate the moisture-sensitive polymer poly (p-aminophenylacetylene), abbreviated PAPA.

We have fabricated p-channel aluminum-gate enhancement-mode CFTs with a variety of gate-oxide thicknesses and substrate dopings [2,3,4]. Typical

device dimensions are a channel width of 10 mils, a total channel length L of

2 mils, and gate gap widths W that vary from 0.25 mils to 1.5 mils. Once

fabricated, the devices are spin coated with a thin-film of PAPA (thickness

'^100 nm). Independent measurements of the variation of sheet conductance of

PAPA films with moisture show a very strong dependence, nearly exponential.

It was expected, therefore, that CFTs coated with PAPA would exhibit turn-on

delays that also depended strongly on exposure to moisture. This paper

reports some preliminary results of our experiments.

* Work supported by the Office of Naval Research under Contract

N00014-77-C-0361.

108
static Characteristics

A very interesting result was obtained when we examined the static characteristics ot the CFTs, that is, the current-ver'swe-voltage characteristics

of the device after the completion of the transient. These results are sum- marized in figure 3. When operated in the saturated or pinched-off region, a normal MOSFET exhibits a quadratic dependence of drain current on gate voltage. This dependence is usually demonstrated in graphs of the square root of

drain current versus gate voltage. The typical plot is linfear, and extrapolates to a threshold voltage. Figure 3 shows a comparison of the behavior of

a normal MOSFET with six CFTs, with gap widths that increase from 0.25 mil

(device 1) to 1.5 mils (device 6) in quarter-mil steps. The data for the

metal gate MOSFET extrapolate to a threshold voltage of aOsout -9 V. For the

CFTs well above threshold, an approximately linear behavior of on V is

also observed, but the CFT threshold voltage increases with increasing gap

width to a maximum value of about -16 V (extrapolated threshold voltage for

devices 5 and 6). This increase in threshold voltage with gap width is

believed to arise from the perturbation of the energy levels within the

polymer by the metal-polymer contact. At gap widths above about 1 mil, the

threshold voltage is determined by the polymer-semiconductor work-function

difference, but at smaller gap widths, the presence of the aluminum gate causes a shift in the effective work function of the polymer. These results

represent an unusual way to examine the effect of contacts between metals and

near-insulators. This technique may also turn out to be useful for examining

the effect of metal-surface contacts, as in the oxide-only MOSFET moisturesensing devices described by Merrett and Sim [5] . The startling result of our data on PAPA is that contact effects seem to propagate 0.5 mil, or 12 jjm,

into the polymer, a surprisingly large distance.

Moisture Dependence of Turn-On

We examine now some turn-on data typical of CFTs coated with PAPA. Figure 4

shows turn-on delay times at room temperature for four different moisture

levels. Although the data are sparse, the apparent exponential dependence of

turn-on delay time versus relative humidity is typical of our CFTs. This

device, however, is the first one on which we have observed delay-time variations over five orders of magnitude.

As the data suggest, the CFT is a very sensitive device. It remains to be seen whether further experiments will demonstrate sufficient long-term stability and reproducibility to make this a genuinely useful moisture-measuring

technique. Nevertheless, these preliminary results are very promising, and

point a clear direction for future efforts.

ACKNOWLEDQIENT

The devices reported on here were fabricated in the Microelectronics Facility

of the MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering. This Facility is

supervised by Professor Clifton Fonstad, who supplied many suggestions and

criticisms. Masks for the devices were made with the kind assistance of Dr.

Dan Smythe of the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The polymer material was supplied

by NASA/Lewis Research Center, under grant NSG-3061.

109
REFERENCES

1. Senturia, S. D. , Sechen, C. M. , and Wishneusky, J. A., The Charge-Flow

Transistor: A New MOS Device, Appl. Phys. Lett. 30, 106-108 (1977).

2. Senturia, S. D. , Sechen, C. M. , and Wishneusky, J. A., Solid State

Devices — Novel Devices and Techniques, Pvoe* lEDM, supplement to late

news, Washington, DC, December 6-8, 1976, Paper 12.8, pp. 9-10.

3. Sechen, C. M. , S.M. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1976.

4. Huberman, M. G. , S.M. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1977.

5. Merrett, R. P., and Sim, S. P., paper 3.5, this report.

110
.IVletai Eiectrodes

a)

^ ^Polymer

V///'

• /\ • A <%>^7a

\\ \ \ \ ^, \ n\\\\\ '\ \ \^

\ \ \ \

\ \ \ \ \ nV

insulator (oxide)

b) b

A V / //// \ -r -h + -t- I ~ -h -f -^ -f + 4- -f- + -^

1 + ±Jrj-7

d)

Figure 1. The charge- flow capacitor.

Ill
Source Gate Drain

Figure 2. The charge-flow transistor.

112
113
I \ \URN-0N UELAY .Smil^^Uih

o \ \ See B:ricJ

i4 ! o

5 k

o:

Q

>\

1

\

\

.01'

i \

001"

^

0 30 HO 60 80 100

RH

Figure 4. CFT turn-on delay versus relative humidity at room temperature.

114
3.7 A Surface Conductance Technique for the Evaluation of

Internal' Package Environments*

Colin W. T. Knight, Abe Korgav, and Emil Pierron

Advanced Micro Devices

27267 Deer Springs Way

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Telephone: (408) 732-2400

We report some results of a study of moisture monitors as a check on their

application in packages for device reliability. We wanted a sensitive method

that could be used by technical personnel for moisture determination, but as we got into the study, other advantages of the surface conductance sensor

appeared that might be more relevant to reliability.

Before going into detail, we note the correlation of dew point to the specification Method 1018 of MIL-STD-883B, which places a limit of moisture con- tent at 5000 parts per million by volume (ppm^), namely, that the dew point

will vary with different packages as based upon the seal temperature because

of the final total pressure. Table 1 lists such data. Sources of moisture

are the furnace ambient, reaction products, and desorption. For reliability

purposes, the dew point is a more relevant measure than the relative concen- tration of moisture since the dew point relates to surface current which cor- relates to corrosion, to charge spreading instability (in MOS structures),

and to modification of transistor gain. Whether the dew point or frost point

is obtained does not appear to be a factor, as we have not seen a change in

conductivity to indicate a change in phase.

The surface conductance sensor is an interdigitated aliiminum pattern on a thermally oxidized silicon chip 0.095 in. on a side. The die were attached

by eutectic means in a variety of LSI packages.

Surface conductance is monitored over a temperature range of 'C to -70'C

and displays the following:

1 . Increasing surface current with decreasing temperature as the relative humidity inside the package rises and modifies the surface con- ductance of the silica.

2. A region in which the surface current increases and then peaks as additional water trapped in the package condenses on the sensor surface.

3. A region of declining surface current with temperature as no significant further condensation takes place and decreasing specific conductance of the surface layer with temperature becomes the predominant

effect.

The absolute current observed depends on water content of the package and

temperature and may be substantially increased by the presence of mobile ions

This paper was originally given in the Panel Meeting on Moisture Sensors

but is incorporated here for continuity.

115
on the surface of the die. This renders the system particularly effective in

evaluating new package materials and the potential reliability of devices.

We have done some modeling to anticipate the surface current as a function of

temperature for a given package ambient. Figure 1 represents the surface

sheet resistivity of silicon dioxide as a function of relative humidity.

Figure 2 indicates the calculated film thickness of water as condensed within

a 22-pin DIP for several initial concentrations of moisture. Figure 3/ then,

is the expected surface current as a function of temperature for the three

cases under a 50-V bias, where the characteristic is affected by the surface

conductance of the silica and the conductivity of the water film. Derived

results depend upon the assumed value for the conductivity of water and the

temperature dependence. We could only use approximate values since little

data exist for temperatures lower than CC.

Figure 4 displays results with real packages. Two types of sealing glass

were involved. Glass #6 is, presumably, a replacement for glass #2 by some vendors, but note that the sensor current peaked at a higher temperature for

#6 which indicates a higher water content, and the current amplitude is

greater which indicates greater contamination. The two curves in each case represent extremes in data. Although the position (and amplitude) of the

peak is not that of the dew point, it is a sensitive correlation to surface

behavior.

116
SURFACE SHEET RESISTIVITY

of Si02 VS. RH at 25*C

(after SNOW et at. )

1 ^ I 1 1 \

I I ! 20 40 60 80

RELATIVE HUMIDITY .h

100

Figure 1. Surface sheet resistivity of SiO^ as a function of relative

humidity at 25°C (after STO-7 et al.) .

117
MEAN THICKNESS Or A CONDENSED WATER INSIDE A PACKAGE

VS. TEMPERATURE

Package Data

22 Pin D.I.P.

Volume 5.54 x 10

Surface 0.S05 on^

cc

-3, VO

15

10

40 20 ) -20

Temperature 0°C

40 60

Figure 2. The calculated film thickness of water condensed within a 22-pin

DIP for several initial concentrations of. moisture

.

118
T

10 I f I I I I i I I ?

I 'I »I 20 10 0 -10 -20 -50 -40 -oO

Temperature °C

Figure 3. Expected surface current as a function of temperature for the

three cases indicated in figure 2 with a 50-V bias or affected by surface

conductance of SiO^ and the conductivity of the water film.

119
SENSOR CURRENT VS. TEMPER.\TURE 2 TYPES OF GLASS SEAL

Figure 4. Experimental values of sensor current as a function of temperature for two types of sealing glass

.

120
Table 1. The Correlation of Indicated Dew Point to a Package Moisture Content

of 5000 ppm for Packages Sealed off at Various Temperatures.

D3\7FR0ST POINT VS. SEAL TB?ER^JR£ (5000 ppm H2O)

Seal Teniperature 2S°C 300°C 400°C 500°C

Cavity Pressure 7 6 0 mm 595mm 336mm 29 3rim

Dew/Frost Point -5.2°C -11.3°C -13.5°C -14.9°C

Typical Seal

Process

Weld Solder Vitreous

Glass

Eevitrifying

Glass

121
4. PANEL MEETINGS

4.1 Discussion Group Summary of Mass Spectrometer Measurements

Robert W. Thomas

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

Telephone: (315) 330-4632

The discussion on mass spectrometry started with the techniques used to

calibrate a flow system, for example, the advantages and disadvantages of

circulating a gas bottle full of moisture. It was felt that the gas bottle

is most reproducible at 100 ppm. There are problems if you try to contain

1000 or 5000 ppm moisture for a long period of time. Another commoner calibration technique is, of course, the dilution flow technique, which a number

of people are u ±ng. One other calibration technique was brought up that I was not familiar with. That is, the gravometric technique where you flow the

moist gas over phosphorus pentoxide, and you weigh it before and afterwards.

This discussion was prompted by the need for a method of accurate calibration

at the high ppm level, 5000 to 10 000 ppm. It was suggested that the gravometric technique could be used very effectively, but I do not think anybody

has evaluated the absolute accuracy and the tolerances one might expect using

the phosphorous pentoxide system on 0.01 cm^ gas volumes.

A good portion of the discussion centered around the problems that one gets

into when you calibrate with a constant flow of gas, and then puncture a package, and have a small volume burst of gas. I think the most important

thing that we learned at the conference was that there is a lot more work

that has to be done like Bob Merrett reported from England. This is really

the type of work we need to determine the moisture loss to surfaces in the

measuring system and how it does vary as a function of temperature. A discussion followed on surface preparation of the stainless-steel systems and

whether there are other materials which might be used. One technique suggested was to anneal stainless at a high ten^erature in oxygen. Chrome in

the stainless diffuses to the surface, where it is oxidized giving a rather

inert surface. But it then becomes hygroscopic so you solve one problem and

generate a new one. Bob Merrett mentioned another technique that they used

in England, which they came upon rather serendipitous ly. They found that

nickel packages wor"" i transmit hydrogen through the package wall at a very

constant and reproiu able rate. In fact, you can take a nickel can, insert

it into an oven with a high temperature hydrogen environment, and quite ac- curately predict that water will be generated on the inside of the package.

Hydrogen reacts with the nickel oxide on the inside of the package and con- verts it catalytically to moisture. Mr. Merrett said he could get upwards to

3-percent water inside the package if he "aited long enough. In an actual

failure analysis, they discovered packages that became wet after exposure to

a hydrogen environment for an extended per'od of time. This might solve the

problem of sealing standards in wet enviroi .lents. Most sealing apparati

don't like to be operated in 10 000 ppm moisture, preforms oxidize, and the

gold actually forms nonwetting surface layers. When sealing in moist am- bients, you are contaminating the clean surfaces that you want to mate with

either the solder or the welder, so Mr. Merrett was suggesting that this

might be a technique for filling a package that was already sealed. The

122
J

technique would generate moisture inside the package after it has been

sealed, and, therefore, you eliminate the problems of contaminating the surface. It is an intriguing technique, and I would be glad to offer moisture

analysis services to anybody that wants to seal up some nickel caps using

this technique. There still is the problem determining how much water is in

the package after hydrogen treatment. Since only one in every 10 atoms of

hydrogen that get inside of the package produces water, there are questions

on how reproducible is this ratio and what is the effect of wall thickness

and ten^jerature? These all have to be worked out, but it is a rather intriguing physical-chemical process that might be useful in developing standards.

We discussed the round robin for the better part of an hour. The purpose was to explain some of the differences of the technique involved in measuring.

The data presented were uncorrected, but if you look down each column for

each analytical lab, you could start seeing the thing that we are calling the

transfer function appearing: one analytical lab having a lower sensitivity

to a small volume of moisture than another. It certainly pointed out that

our statistics are poor, and that you cannot make conclusions on results that

differ as much as we had on the round robins. In preparing the standards, I pointed out that we were under the assumption that to start with a clean

package was the best case and as Chuck Messenger mentioned yesterday, half of

the moisture disappears within the first couple of hours, so you are not in

equilibrium, if you dry out your package. You are better off to seal it wet

and then try to backfill it. Less moisture is needed from your backfill to

bring the package ambient into equilibrium and it looks like the uniformity

is better when you use a package that has not been baked out, as in Round II.

The elimination of the vacuum bake-out process is one of the few things that

makes it easier to assemble the standards. Some of the problems in making

the standards were the calibration shifts that are observed in mounting the sensors used inside the packages. We now know a little bit more why we are getting the shifts and the in^jortance of calibrating the sensors after the mass spectrometry correlations. In succeeding round robins we would hope to

bring all of the package sensors that are used in the standards back to the

Bureau of Standards and have them recalibrated, since this is a prime source

for calibration. At RADC, we have a group of sensors which we use as a voting scheme. The unknown and five sensors are in the same chamber, emd we assume that none of those have drifted the same amount, but that by no means

is a prime calibration source. We will also probably in the next few months

purchase an optical dew point measurement system so that we will have another

independent method of determining moisture content.

123
4.2 Coniments on Round-Robin Results

Robert W. Thomas

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

Telephone: (315) 330-4632

Test packages for Round I were gold-plated, all-metal, solder-sealed packages

with a volume of approximately 0.07 cm^. The packages were baked out for

89 h at 125'>C before backfilling. Two sensors were used to measure the moist

backfilling gas. One is denoted the sealer sensor and is located within the

inner seal chamber of the RICO sealer. The other, the package sensor, is

mounted inside the sample package. The sealer sensor is monitored during

seal. Since the backfilling gas is at 5 psig, this reading has been cor- rected to 3 psig for comparison with the package sensor which has a 3 psig

ambient pressure after cooling to room temperature. Since the package sensor

indicated a decrease in moisture over a period of several weeks, a precise

correlation of the package moisture at the time of opening and the mass spectrometer analysis cannot be performed. Since all packages were returned

to RADC, it was possible to measure the package sensor after opening and

check its calibration. The correction factors for the sensors appear in

Column 9. Using these factors, combined with the sensor reading nearest the

analysis data, yields the best measure of content inside the packages at the

time of opening. An additional correction may be necessary since the package

moisture measurement is made at 25'C and the mass spectrometer measurement is

performed according to Method 1018 at 100**C. This correction is not expected

to be more than 20 percent. It will be determined experimentally on the RADC

Rapid Cycle system which has the capability of making mass spectrometer

readings at a package temperature of 25«»C.

Data from the four analytical labs were then compared with the corrected sensor reading. The ratio was used to confute the correction factor for each

laboratory. Lab B had only one package in Round I with gas remaining after

evacuation; therefore, as noted, the correction factor could not be computed.

A value of five was assumed for Lab B in Rounds II and III since it brought

Lab B's readings into agreement. Lab D made some changes in technique which

improved the accuracy of the measurements at 5000 ppm; therefore, no correction factors were applied for Rounds II and III. This should not be interpreted as indicating that Lab D readings are the correct ones, since calibrated sensor standards were not used to compute an accurate correction

factor, as was done in Round I.

Round II packages were not baked so, therefore, much less moisture was adsorbed onto the walls after seal. In fact, the seal sensor readings are very close to the corrected mass spectrometer readings indicating that a vacuum bake is not desirable in the preparation of moisture standards. This

is important if one is trying to fill the standard to a specific value.

One other change was necessary between Rounds I and II. Because of poor

sealing yield, the sample package was changed from an all-metal to a metalceramic side-brazed package which worked better in the RICO sealer under wet

seal conditions.

124
Round III was vacuum baked in hopes of improving uniformity. The large difference in seal sensor and mass spectrometer readings again demonstrates the

loss in moisture from the ambient to the dry package walls after seal.

The results of the round robins indicated the need for moisture standards and

validated the concept of using a moisture sensor within a semiconductor package. Rounds II and III demonstrated the predicted precision by the analytical labs since a common correction factor for each one could be assigned

which would correct for system moisture losses. The results of Round II indicate that with properly prepared samples, the labs were within +27 percent

of a median value.

With this experience behind us, RADC will prepare additional standards with

and without sensors with the goal of demonstrating less than 20-percent error

before full cert;if ication of the analytical labs is granted on June 5, 1978.

In addition, standards will be prepared with volumes of 0.1 and 1 cm^ with

moisture contents of 5000, 1000 and 500 ppm to insure accuracy for larger

packages with high and low moisture content.

These samples will be sent to two additional labs which have requested certification. Results of the above experiments will be presented to JEDEC Core

14 as they become available.

125
4.3 Moisture Sensors

Saburo Hasegawa

Center for Mechanical Engineering and Process Technology

Thermal Processes Division

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 20234

Telephone: (301) 921-2794

The miniature humidity sensors which are to be enclosed in hermetic semiconductor devices are still in the beginning stages of development. However, a great deal of effort is being expended to rapidly advance the state of the

art for measurement of humidity and/or the total moisture content of hermetic

semiconductor packages.

Except for the requirement of small physical dimensions, the sensor specifications for the operating characteristics is generally similar to those in

other fields of humidity measurements. To make meaningful measurement of the

water vapor content of the sealed atmosphere using the electric hygrometer

sensor, the following are some of the operating parameters which must be determined.

Stability ; The stability of the sensor must be measured after exposure to

various ambient conditions to which the sensors will be exposed during the

packaging process as well as during actual usage.

Hysteresis ; The absolute quantity of water in the package should be either

fixed or increasing with time. The relative humidity in the package can in- crease or decrease as the ambient temperature decreases or increases.

Range ; The ambient humidity and temperature range of the sensor.

Temperature Coefficient ; The effect of ambient temperature on the calibration of the sensor.

Pressure Coefficient ; The effect of ambient pressure on the calibration of

the sensor.

Repeatability

Sensitivity ; The characteristics outlined above can be determined with the

calibration of the sensors in humidity-producing equipment with known

accuracy. However, for the calibration to be meaningful, the reproducibility

of the sensor characteristics must not only be from within one manufactured

lot but also be reproducible from different manufactured lots produced at

different periods of time. The sensors should be tested to determine the

effects of exposure to high temperature, of bonding of electrical leads to

the sensor's electrodes, contamination effects, etc. The same electrical

parameters such as voltage and frequency used for in-situ measurements

should also be used during calibration.

126
At surface temperatures warmer than the dew point temperature, the amount of

water film adhering to the surface can be made thicker or thinner by cooling

or heating the sensor surface. This change in film thickness, which produces

a corresponding change in surface conductivity, can be related to ambient humidity by calibration and testing procedures outlined for the electric hygrometer sensors. The degree of surface conductivity will depend not only on the thickness of water film but also on the amount of contaminants on the

surface. Therefore, this method would provide an assessment of the reliability of the semiconductor device operating at low temperatures due to the

presence of both water and contaminants, i.e., the stability of a MOS or linear devices due to the effects of spreading surface charges.

Correlation Between Humidity Sensors and Mass Spectrometry Measurements

The mass spectrometer measures either the total or some fraction of the total

water in the package while the humidity sensor measures the equilibrium water

vapor content in the package. The total water content will depend on such

factors as internal volume, cleanliness, and the amount as well as the hygroscopicity of the material inside the package. The total water which can be

driven out of the hygroscopic material will be a function of pressure, temperature, and time. (The details of the precautions necessary to ensure no addition or subtraction of water molecules between the sampling system from

the package to and through the mass spectrometer are described in the Mass

Spectrometer Section of this report. ) The equilibrium water vapor pressure

in the package is a function of ambient temperature.

The tests to determine the feasibility of correlating the humidity sensor and

mass spectrometer measurements should be made with calibrated humidity sensors and tested for specific size and material of package, as well as the

components inside the package. Tests should also be made to determine the

effects of different test conditions, i.e., temperature, pressure and duration of test, on the correlation of the two types of measurements.

The consensus was that there should be a similar workshop next year. Another

suggestion was that a panel of interested parties from industry, government,

users, and vendors be organized to interchange information and to edit and

disseminate such information to interested parties.

127
5. SESSION III PACKAGE ANALYSIS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

5.1 Parts-Per-Million Water-Vapor Generating System Used to

Simulate Moisture in Small Integrated Circuit Packages*

Johnny L. Hartley

Sandia Laboratories

Measurements Standards Laboratory Division

Albuquerque, NM 87185

Telephones (505) 264-3160

INTRODUCTION

The object of this project was to develop a device which could be used to

simulate the gas contents of hermetically sealed packages. Essential in such

simulation are three important variables: package gas pressures, package gas

mixtures of known moisture content, and package volumes. Previous generating

systems have provided the required gases of known moisture content [1-3].

However, no known system has heretofore simulated a variety of package volumes and package pressures. The device described below provides independent

control of all three essential variables. A final variable, package internal

adsorbing materials is not simulated in this system.

DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows the unit that was constructed and tested. During operation,

pressurized gas flows through the package simulator - starting at valve VI

through V2, through humidifier Hi or H2, through V3, through gas-flow regulator R, through a variety of sample loop tubes attached to valve V6, and finally venting through an adjustable orifice of valve V4. Flow regulator R can be set to gas-flow rates ranging from 5 to 200 cm-^ per minute. Humidifier Hi is chosen to provide a calibrating gas with a moisture content ranging from 3000 to 20 000 ppm. Hvimidifier H2 is used to provide a calibrating

gas from 250 to 3000 ppm moisture.

The free volume of a package is simulated by changing the length of tubing in

the sample loop, SL, attached to valve V6. In the "loop load" position, gas

of known moisture content is pumped through this loop continuously; this

purging is essential to minimize wall adsorption. Then, to simulate package

puncture in the inlet vacuum system of a mass spectrometer, the six-port

valve is moved to the "loop inject" position. The simulated package sample

of gas is introduced into the mass spectrometer immediately.

The moisture content of the flowing gas is calculated by taking the ratio of

the vapor pressure of the water, P^, for that humidifier to the total pressure of the flowing gas, P^:

.6

ppm = — X 10 . ^t

Distilled water was used in humidifier Hi during these tests. From the

* This work was supported by the U. S. Department of Energy.

128
measured temperatures of HI, values of were obtained using standard

water-vapor pressure tables [4] . A saturated solution of water and lithium

chloride 'was used in humidifier H2. From the measured temperatures of H2,

values of were obtained from tests reported by Wexler and Hasegawa [5].

For a constant temperature, the ppm moisture content of the flowing gas was

set by adjusting the total gas pressure, P^.

Direct proof of performance was obtained by comparing the ppm moisture generator with Sandia Laboratories' Transfer Humidity Standard. In table 1 it can be seen that agreement between the humidity standard and the generator is

typically within 15 percent.

CONCLUSION

This water-vapor-generating system can simulate three important variables in

hermetically sealed packages:

* package gas mixtures including water content

* package free volume

* package gas pressure.

The generator has been useful as a fundamental tool in calibrating mass spectrometers for use in gas analysis of hermetically sealed packages.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Without the design modification contributed by Dr. F. B. Burns, this package

simulator would not have been equipped with the variable volume feature used

in the final model. Also, his continued interest in the project prompted nu- merous discussions during which he gave valuable advice on data acquisition

and interpretation.

Special thanks are also due Mr. F. Koletar for his work on design and con- struction of the generating system.

REFERENCES

1. Thomas, R. W. , Moisture Myths and Microcircuits , IEEE Tvans* Parts,

Hybrids, and Packaging 167-171 (1976).

2. Wexler, A., and Hyland, R. W. , The NBS Standard Hygrometer, 1963 Int»

Symp. on Humidity and Moisture, Washington, DC, May 20-23, 1963,

A. Wexler and W. A. Wildhack, Eds., Vol. 3, pp. 389-432 (Reinhold

Publishing Corp., New York, 1965).

3. Ibid., Amdur, E. J., and White, R. W. , Two-Pressure Relative Humidity

Standards, pp. 445-454.

4. Weast, R. c. , CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 58th Ed., R. c. Weast, Ed. (CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio, 1977).

129
Wexler, A., and Hasegawa, S., Relative Hximidity - Temperature

Relationships of Some Saturated Salt Solutions in the Temperature Range Qo to 50«»C, c7. Res, NBS 53, 19-26 (1954).

130
Loop -T/y'ecf

Post Hon

Figure 1. Hermetically sealed package simulator. GS - dry gas source; VI, V2,

and V3 - gas control valves; V4 - sample loop pressure adjust and vent valve;

R - gas flow regulator; V6 - six-port loop load and inject valve; SL - sample loop

used to simulate package volumes; MS - mass spectrometer connection; P - total gas

pressure (gage) ; - water vapor pressure; T - humidifier temperature; TSB - temperature stabilizing box; Hi - liquid water humidifier (1 L) ; H2 - lithium chloride

saturated j^ater solution hxamidifier (3 L) ,

131
Table 1. Generator Compared with Transfer Humidity Standard.

Stabilizing

(min)

Generator

(cm^/min)

Generator

Setting

(ppia)

Transfer Std.

Reading

(ppm)

LithiiHQ chloride saturated water solution humidifier, H2

25 50 372 1|27 12

80 173 372 k20 11

17 190 7hl 7hl 0

25 70 7hl 7h3 0

16 no 1U68 1^35 - 2

7 7k 2798 23^*5 - 16

h3 32 2798 2633 - 6

Distilled water hiunidifier, HI

ll^O 11 2968 3267 10

23 28 58U0 5227 - 11

960 10 5828 5655 - 3

30 50 11 h80 9770 - 15

132
5.2 A Total Moisture Analyzer for Hermetic Devices

Steven R. Loucks and Arthur W. Burnham

Medtronic Inc.

3055 Old Highway #8

Minneapolis, MN 55418

Telephone: (612) 574-3167

Most of the commercially available instrumentation for total moisture analysis of hermetic packages is based on the expensive and relatively complex

mass spectrometer. This paper describes an inexpensive, easy-to-operate

moisture analysis system using an aluminum-oxide-type moisture sensor as the

detector element. Moisture is transferred from the package to the detector

using either carrier gas or vacuum techniques. The instrument was originally

designed to analyze heart pacemakers, but with slight modifications it can also be used to make moisture determinations on hybrid packages.

Instrument Description

A block diagram of the instr\iment is shown in figure 1. Note the similarities to a conventional gas chromatograph. The aluminum-oxide moisture-sensor

output is monitored with a hygrometer, and a permanent record of the analysis

is made with an x-y plotter and digital integrator. A port for injecting

water via microliter syringe is located between the chamber 0-ring seal and

the detector. This allows direct calibration of the instrument without the

need for packaged moisture standards.

Instrument Operation - Carrier Gas Flow

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the instrument with the carrier gas plumbing

shown as solid, dark lines. The instrxament is first calibrated via moisture

injections bracketing the expected moisture levels to be found in the sample

packages. Calibration is repeated following analysis of samples to verify

that detector sensitivity has not changed due to contamination or some other

variable. If necessary, the second calibration series can cover a slightly

different moisture concentration range to allow for unexpectedly dry or moist

san^les.

To analyze a package, it is held at 100*C for 24 h, then rapidly transferred

to the heat and sample chamber. A hole is then made in the package with the

outlet-side puncture device, then an inlet hole is made with the second device. If necessary, flow rate is adjusted to the value used during calibration. Data are recorded and integrated until the original baseline response

is reached. The integral under the peak is in units of micrograms per cubic

centimeter per second. Since flow rate is a constant, multiplying by sec- onds per centimeter gives an integral value expressed in micrograms directly.

If required, free volume of the package can be measured and moisture content

calculated as parts per million by volume (ppm^)

Figure 3 shows typical calibration injections in the 10- to 80-yg range.

Figure 4 is a complete calibration curve for the range 10 to 10 000 yg.

Figure 5 shows actual analysis results for four packages built at the same

time under similar conditions. Total moisture content of these packages was

133
expected, based on previous mass spectrometer studies, to be somewhere near

50 yg.

Figure 6 shows the variation in detector response to repeated 100-yg injections at various flow rates. These data are plotted in figure 7. As ex- pected, instrument sensitivity increases as flow rate is decreased. However,

analysis times lengthen considerably at flow rates much below 2 cm^ per

minute. Since a longer analysis time results in increased background from

moisture residual in the carrier gas, analytical error increases with analysis time at low moisture concentrations. The resulting practical detection

limit is about 5 yg, obtained at a 1 or 2 cm-^ per minute flow rate.

Instrument Operation - Vacuum-Sampling System

The vacuum-sampling system was intended for use with packages where it would

be difficult to make two puncture holes, such as hybrids, or where more absolute sensitivity is required. To analyze a package with this system, the

package is first heated to 100*»C and held for 24 h. The package is then

transferred to the sample chamber. A vacuum pump evacuates the plumbing

shown in heavy dark lines in figure 8. When the vacuum reaches 10 ym, the

valve between the pump and system is closed and a single hole is made in the

package. Initial and final hygrometer readings are recorded, the differencebeing proportional to the moisture content of the package. Calibration of

this system requires packages containing known quantities of moisture. Since

such standards are currently unavailable to this laboratory, little work has

been done so far with this sampling system.

SUMMARY

The instrument satisfies the need for a total moisture-analysis system which

is inexpensive and easy to operate. As many as 30 packages containing 100-yg

moisture or less can be analyzed in an 8-h period. Calibration is simple and

repeatable. No standard moisture packages are required for its operation in

the carrier-gas mode. The system as described meets the requirements for a carrier-gas-flow type moisture analyzer as described in the Internal

Water-Vapor Content Test, Test Method 1018 of MIL-STD-883B.

134
135

J -J i \ ' i 50 ICO 150

Time (seconds)

Figure 3. Detector response of the moisture analyzer to calibra

tion injections of 10 to 80 yg of water into the sample chamber.

137
11

10* b

10 102

Micrograms Water (log scale)

10*

Figure 4. A typical calibration result for the moisture analyzer

for an injection range of 10 to 10 000 yg of water.

138
50 100 150 200

Time (seconds)

Figure 5. Response of the analyzer for four packages. The base for each

trace is shifted for clarity.

139
I J I I I I I 1 0 50 100 150

Time (seconds)

Figure 6. Variation in detector response to carrier gas flow

rate for 100- yg water injection.

140
r

Flow Rate, cm per minute (log scale)

Figure 7. Integrated output as a function of carrier gas flov/

rate for constant for 100-yg water injection.

141
o

JZ o a ^ O 5 O o "S u. s

Hygrometer X-Y Plotter

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142
5.3 Analysis of Water Vapor in Purified Gas Systems

Haiping Dun, Brenton L. Mattes,* and David A. Stevenson

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305

Telephone: (415) 497-4251

In many scientific and technical activities, there is need for purified gases

which have low concentrations of water vapor and other oxygen containing

gaseous species. Atmospheres such as hydrogen and argon are used to reduce

oxygen species or to establish an inert environment. Although there are many

accepted practices for gas purification, there is considerable controversy

concerning the accurate and reliable analysis of the minor impurity species

in the gas at levels in the ppm range or below. Concentrations at these

levels, however, are significant in materials processing activities, particularly of semiconductors. We discuss two methods of gas analysis that are appropriate analytical techniques under specific conditions — molecular beam

mass spectroscopy (MBMS) and solid state electrochemistry. In describing each of these methods, we will indicate the conditions under which they

are appropriate, briefly describe the method, indicate problems of calibration and correction factors, and present typical results.

Molecular Beam Mass Spectroscopy

The Molecular Beam Mass Spectroscopy Method (MBMS) is suitable for analyzing

steady-state gas flow systems with flow rates >1 liter per minute, pressures

'^10 to 1000 Torr and gas temperatures from room temperature to '\^1000*>C. The

main features of the sampling system, shown in figures 1 and 2, are: a source region (i.e., the gas to be sampled); a sampling orifice (0.08-mm

diameter-conical nozzle); first stage chamber at a pressure of '\>10~^ Torr;

skimmer orifice (0.12 mm) and second state chamber at a pressure of 'X/IO"^

Torr; detector slit (13 mm); and detector chamber (10~^ Torr) with mass analyzer. The source gas expands through the sampling orifice into the first

stage where the skimmer transfers the center of the free jet into the second

stage to form a molecular beam. After mechanical chopping of the beam in the

second stage, it passes into the third stage where it is phaselock-detected

by a quadrupole analyzer.

We consider three important aspects of the san^ling process: influence of a skimmer location on the beam density, the signal- to- background ratio, and the

change in coit^josition upon sampling.

Beam Density

A movable skimmer orifice is valuable for characterizing the dynamics of the

sampling process. For a conical nozzle the variation of the gas density

* Present Address: University of Michigan, Department of Electrical and

Conputer Engineering,

t General references, describing the techniques, are given in the

Bibliography at the end of this paper.

143
along the beam axis, p ^.-q was found to be a simple function of the

skimmer-sampling orifice distance (fig. 3) and may be represented as:

p = B/(e - e )^ , c where e = z/d* is the reduced skimmer position (where z is the skimmer

location, d* is the sampling orifice diameter) , £^ is the intercept in

figure 3 and B is a constant which depends on the source gas properties. To

obtain the same beam density for different source gases, the skimmer must be

located at different positions along the beam axis, and this location may be

predicted from a single experimentally determined parameter for each source

gas condition.

Background and Accuracy

There may be significant differences between the composition of the beam and

the background in the detector chamber under steady-state sampling conditions. This may result from differences in the pumping speeds, leak rates,

and adsorption and desorption kinetics for the species in the detector chamber. These differences are illustrated by comparing the unchopped (dc) and

the chopped (ac) signals as is shown in figure 4 and table 1 for the mass spectrum of air. The dc signal corresponds to a lower oxygen and a higher

argon concentration than for the air composition due principally to the different pumping speeds for the two species; however, the ac signal gives a faithful representation of the expected air composition. In addition, it is

noted that some species, such as water vapor clusters (masses 55, 73), are detected only in the ac mode since these species decompose upon collision

with the walls of the chamber.

Con5)osition Change Upon Sampling

Composition changes upon Scimpling may arise for the following reasons: pressure diffusion separation, skimmer interference, background penetration, and

molecular diffusion from the beam. The latter three are most important in

the present sampling procedure. Of particular interest is the sampling of

minor gaseous species in a gas of significantly different mass, for example,

heavier gas molecules in hydrogen or helium. Figure 5 shows the enhanced

composition for a source gas of hydrogen containing 1 -percent nitrogen or

1 -percent argon and compares the observed enhancement with predictions based

on molecular diffusion. For smaller skimmer-nozzle separation distances,

there is evidence of skimmer interference, and for larger distances there is

evidence of background penetration. At intermediate distances the mass en- richment is close to that predicted for molecular diffusion. The lighter hydrogen molecules with higher thermal velocity diffuse more rapidly from the

center of the beam causing relative enhancement of the heavier species.

Typical Results of Palladium-Diffused Hydrogen

We have measured the purity of palladium-diffused hydrogen and have evaluated

the interaction of this gas with a quartz chamber at temperatures from room

ten^erature to 900*C. Typical spectra are shown in figure 6 with a summary

of results given in table 2. The minimxim level of water vapor detected is a few ppm, with substantial increases when hydrogen interacts with quartz at an

144
elevated temperature. The latter is due to the reduction of silicon dioxide

(and the concurrent appearance of silicon oxide gas) as well as outgassing of

the quartz.

An increased sensitivity for the detection of polar gaseous species has been

achieved by the use of a trapping-desorption technique. The purified gas was

flowed for 26 h over a molecular sieve trap cooled in liquid nitrogen, and

then the trap was desorbed over a 4-h period by heating to 450*C. The re- sulting spectrum shown in figure 7 allows semiquantitative detection in the

ppb level.

Solid-state Electrochemical Cells

Solid-state electrochemical determination of water vapor in hydrogen provides

a valuable check for the MBMS techniques. Solid-state electrochemical cells

are extremely sensitive for the detection of the oxygen chemical potential,

but they do not detect individual molecular species. The gas sample must be

introduced into a cell at a temperature of 600 to 1200°C. Relatively small

samples may be used ('^^1 cm-^) or flow systems may be analyzed with a response

time of a few seconds for hydrogen-water gas mixtures.

Basic Cell and Electrolyte Considerations

There are a number of solids that exhibit high ionic conduction, exclusive of

electronic conduction, over a wide range of temperature and con^osition.

Such solids form the basis of a powerful technique for the selective detection of a specific chemical potential by the selective transport of one ionic

species. For example, certain solid oxides such as zirconia, Zr02/ or thoria,

Th02/ with additions of heterovalent oxides, such as calcia, CaO, and yttria,

Y2O3, show high selectivity for the conduction of oxide ions eind form the

basis for oxygen solid-state electrochemical cells. Such a cell is illustrated in figure 8 with the relevant electrode reactions which involve oxygen

gas, oxide ions, and electrons at the electrolyte gas interface. Porous

platinum electrodes at this interface catalyze the chemical and the electrode

reaction. When the conduction in the electrolyte is exclusively ionic, the

Nernst equation and Faraday's law may be applied to the cell:

e = RT/4 F In (P "/P '): The Nernst Equation

2 2 (oxygen sensor)

dn^

I _ 2 : Faraday's Law , 4F dt (oxygen pump)

where e is the open circuit EMF, F the Faraday, n the moles of oxygen, and

2 P ' and P " the oxygen pressure at the respective electrode interfaces.

°2 °2

If the oxygen pressure at one of the electrodes is known, the measurement of

e of the cell will determine the unknown pressure using the Nernst equation.

If an EMF is imposed on the cell and the electron current in the external

circuit is measured, then the number of moles of oxygen "pumped" from one compartment to the other may be obtained from Faraday's law. Thus, such a

145
cell can act as a sensor or as an oxygen pump. (It is worth noting that the

current of 0.1 mA for 4 s corresponds to the transfer of 'V/10~^ moles of

oxygeni ) These two relations, however, are valid only for pure ionic conductivity; any electronic conduction leads to an internal electron leakage cur- rent which tends to short out some of the open circuit EMF of the Nernst

equation as well as invalidating Faraday's law. As a consequence, there is a vital interest in the range of temperature and oxygen pressure over which the

conduction is essentially coitpletely ionic. This range is referred to as an electrolytic domain. At very low and at very high oxygen pressures, slight

deviations from a perfect stoichiometric coit5)ound introduce electrons or electron holes in sufficient quantity to invalidate the use of the above

equations. Thus, one should determine that a particular electrolyte is being

used within its established electrolytic domain.

The detection of ppm of water vapor in purified hydrogen corresponds to very

low oxygen potentials. Referring to the literature for the equilibria con- stants for the reaction.

1 P 1/2 + -r 0^ = H^O; K = H O/P P

' 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

for temperatures from 600 to SOO^C, one establishes that ppm levels of water

correspond to oxygen pressures of 10"^^ to 10"^^ atm. At these temperatures

in the presence of the catalytic porous platinum, one expects equilibrium to

be attained. These pressures are outside to the electrolytic domain for zirconia base electrolytes but within the domain for thoria base electrolytes

which extend to ppb range for water in hydrogen. The results for measurements made for palladium-diffused hydrogen are shown in table 3 and indicate

a few ppm water vapor. Of particular significance is the fact that the ratio

of water to hydrogen is, within experimental error, independent of temperature and this result indicates that there is no significant outgassing of the

electrolyte tube. These levels of water vapor are in good agreement with the

MBMS results.

SUMMARY

' For a conical nozzle-beam-sampling system, the gas density depends upon

the skimmer-nozzle distance and this dependence may be expressed with a single characteristic parameter for each source gas condition.

*» For different source gas conditions, the skimmer must be located at different positions in order to achieve identical beam pressures.

•» Molecular beam chopping is necessary to obtain accurate analysis since

the background is not representative of the source gas conposition.

» Mass enhancement may be predicted from molecular diffusion for specific

locations of the skimmer position.

*» MBMS measurements indicate that palladi\im-diffused hydrogen contains a few

ppm of water and, upon interaction with quartz at elevated temperatures,

outgassing and reduction leads to higher water levels.

146
• These levels of water vapor in palladium-diffused hydrogen were also

detected using a solid-state electrochemical technique.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We wish to acknowledge support from the Office of Naval Research under

contract NOOO 14-75C-0887.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry:

Anderson, J. B., Molecular Beams from Nozzle Sources, Molecular Beams and Low

Density Gasdynamics, Chap. 1, pp. 1-91, P. P. Wegener, Ed. (M. Dekker, New

York, 1974).

Milne, T. A., and Green, F. T. , Mass Spectrometric Studies of Reactions in

Flames. II. Quantitative Sampling of Free Radicals from One-Atmosphere

Flames, J* Chem. Phys. 44, 2444-2449 (1966).

Thomas, R. W. , Rome Air Development Center, Final Report 01746902, Mass

Spectrometry Technique and Their Application to Integrated Circuits (1971).

Lin, S. S., Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer for Direct Sampling of Atmospheric

Gases and Condensation Product, AMMRC TR 73-9, Army Materials and Mechanics

Research Center, Watertown, Massachusetts (1973).

Solid State Electrochemistry:

Kiukkola K. , and Wagner, C. , Measurements on Galvanic Cells Involving Solid

Electrolytes, J* Eleatvoohem^ Soa* 104 , 379-387 (1957).

Etsell, T. H. , and Flengas, S. N. , The Electrical Properties of Solid Oxide

Electrolytes, Chem. Rev. 70.' 339-376 (1970).

Weissbart, J., and Ruka, R. , A Solid Electrolyte Final Cell, J. Eteotvoohem.

Soa. 723-726 (1962).

Klinedienst, K. A., and Stevenson, D. A., A Solid Electrolyte, Oxygen Gauge

for Monitoring Trace Quantities of Water Vapor in Hydrogen Gas, Rev» Soi*

Inetvwn. 43, 417-419 (1972).

147
OUAORAPOLE

ANALYZER

lO'^Torr

GROWTH SYSTEM

760 Torr (FUSED QUARTZ GRAPHITE HYDROGEN)

(500 - 900 'O

25 h/3 FORE1 PUMP

Figure 1. A schematic representation of the

molecular beam-mass spectrometry system.

f = 33 3 Hj

Figure 2. The interior structure of the mo- lecular beam-mass spectrometry system.

148
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 f(zAJ*)

Figure 3 . Dependence of gas density on the skimmer-orifice distance.

4

a

wit

Figure 4. Air composition

spectra measured by chopped

and unchopped modes of detection.

149
• 1°/oNj*99% H2 THEORETICAL PREDICTION

nl I I L 1 1 0 50 100 150 200 250

(Nozzl«-Skimm«r Stparation)^ (z/d*)

Figure 5. The mass enhancement factor, a, represented as a function of nozzle-skimmer separation.

PALLADIUM CELL DIFFUSED HYDROGEN QUARTZ FURNACE {GE 204) at 25°C

Figure 6. Comparison of the mass spectrum of palladium cell- diffused hydrogen plus quartz system

at 25°C and 890°C.

150
NAJOS DESORPTED SPECIES FROM MOLECULAR SIEVE AT aSO'C X

o

MOLECULAR SIEVE ACTIVATED AT 450°C FOR 6 HOUR'i. THEN

LN TRAPPED FOR 26 HOURS UNDER PALLADIUM DIFFUSED HYDROGEN FLOW.

N O

X o

ml 1^X10 —

Oi o

.1 o

05

i

Figure 7. The desorption spectrum of molecular sieve trapped hydrogen.

THE NERNST EQUATION: " |f (Pg 'Pq '

(OXYGEN SENSOR)

""o FARADAY'S LAW: |p

(OXYGEN PUMP)

Figure 8. A schematic representation

of a solid oxide electrolytic cell.

151
Table 1. Comparison of the Chopped and the

Non-Chopped Mode of Detection for an Air Sample.

STANDARD CHOPPED NON-CHOPPED

N, 1 1 1

©2 26.8^ 12.7J5

Ar 1.255 1.5^

COg 0.042^ 0. 049^5 0,26%

Hg 0.6^ppfn 13.5%

H2O 2,5fo

(H20)^H'*" - 40ppm.

(HgOj^H* - 35ppm

e 2. Major Vapor Species in PalladixamDiffused Hydrogen in Contact with

Quartz

.

T(°C) 25 400 600 890

H20(pp.Ti) 3 7 13

N ( nnm \ P ~ c ~ c

CO(ppm) ~1 ~1 -v 1 -

1

CH^(ppm) 2 2 2 2

Ar(ppm) 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

HgSCppb) -50

K(ppm) 15

C^+Ci^(pp.n)- -0.1 ~2

SiO(ppm) - -0.3

Table 3. Measured Values of the Cell EMF and Corresponding

values of log^^P^ and P ^ and P^ /P . 2 2 2 2

TCC) *.KV) i^iX (1^^

600 0.5295 -34.72 3.7

700 0.6175 -31.80 3.2

aX) 0.6860 -29.08 4.4

900 0.7605 -26.90 5.0

AV. 4.1

152
5.4 Mass Spectrometric Moisture Analysis of Hermetic Semiconductor

Devices by Acetylene Conversion*'*'

William M. Hickam and William R. Morgan

Westinghouse Research & Development Center

1310 Beulah Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15235

Telephone: (412) 256-3284

Quantitative mass spectrometric gas analysis was developed during and following the second world war with the introduction of commercial gas mass spec--

trometers by Consolidated Electrodynamics Corporation and by Westinghouse

Electric Corporation. The early instruments were limited to the analysis of

low molecular weight gases. The technique was rapidly advanced to perform

quantitative analysis of high molecular weight gases. Early users of the

instruments recognized the limitations of the mass spectrometer in analyzing

some of the low molecular weight gases. In general, efforts to mass spectrometrically analyze for moisture and the halogen acids were unsuccessful.

Many of the speakers at this workshop have addressed the problems of mass

spectrometric moisture analysis and reported means for alleviating or minimizing factors which can influence moisture determinations.

In the determination of the moisture content of hermetically sealed electronic packages, the problem is twofold: (1) acquiring the moisture sample

for analysis, and (2) analysis of the moisture sample. The approach used in

this paper minimizes the risks in acquiring the sample and allows the mass spectrometric analysis to be performed by conventional mass spectrometric gas

analysis methods.

The method of moisture analysis employed is that reported by Carlson and

Morgan [1]. A variety of chemical reagents are known to react quantitatively

with moisture and generate simple gaseous products. These reagents include:

sodium or calcium hydride giving hydrogen, magnesium nitride or sodium amide

giving ammonia, and calcium carbide giving acetylene. In this work, the

calcium carbide-acetylene conversion was selected. The most intense mass spectrum peak of acetylene falls at mass 26. This region of the mass spectrum is usually free from background and other gas interferences. In addition, the physical and chemical properties of acetylene make it a muchpreferred gas over moisture for quantitative mass spectrometric analysis.

The essential features of the system used for moisture and total gas analysis

of hermetic electronic devices are shown in figure 1. The device is held in

* The views and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not

necessarily represent the official policies of the Department of Defense,

Department of Commerce, or the United States Government.

t Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in

this paper in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the material or equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

153
a mechanical stainless steel housing equipped with temperature monitoring and

heating. The device is punctured by means of a needle attached to a valve

stem. Calcium carbide is enclosed in a stainless steel tube which has provisions for both heating and cooling. Valves provide the various required

pumping options. The system is miniaturized to facilitate the transfer of

moisture from the device to the trap. The system is attached directly to the

inlet system of the 21-104 Dupont mass spectrometer and its associated inlet

pun5)ing system is used to evacuate the drive and trap.

Preconditioning of the system for device analysis includes pumping and baking

at 125'C for 1/2 to 1 h, based on background monitoring. Prior to puncture

of the package/ the calcium carbide trap is cooled with liquid nitrogen. The

device is punctured and the gas partitioned as to condensables at liquid nitrogen temperature. The condensables are retained in the trap and the non- condensables are measured as to quantity, are mass spectrometrically analyzed, and are pumped away. The trap is then warmed to 100*»C for release of

the gases and conversion of the moisture to acetylene. This fraction is measured, analyzed, and combined with the results of the noncondensable fraction

to provide a total analysis. The calculations for water determinations allow

for its conversion to acetylene, wherein one mole of water reacts to form 0.5

mole of acetylene.

The accuracy of the method was evaluated by analyzing 300 cm-^ atm gas sam- ples of known moisture content as determined with an Alnor Dew Point Meter

(see table 1). The decon5)osition of the hydrated salts of known water con- tent (see table 2) was also used to test the accuracy.

Typical results obtained for four devices are given in tables 3 and 4.

In conclusion a method for the moisture analysis of hermetically sealed electronic packages has been described. The moisture is collected, reacted with

calcium carbide to form acetylene, and then analyzed mass spectrometrically

as acetylene. The approach minimizes or eliminates many of the problems en- countered in direct mass spectrometric analysis of moisture. A complete

analysis of all gases is made and the total gas quantity is determined. The

method allows for calculation of device fill pressure and measurement of device leak rate.

154
^Mi^ed

Vacuum

Valve

T.C. WellDevice

1

LJ

TMT

'i i! ij

Heater Plate

, To Vacuum and Mass Spec Inlet

Refrigerant

Flask

Figure 1. Trapping system for concentration and conversion of water to

acetylene

155
Table 1. Determination of Moisture in Gases.

Vol (ppm)

Gas Alnor Method Mass Spec. Method

Nitrogen 2(c)

Nitrogen 28 25

Nitrogen 90 92

Dry Air 655 655

Ambient Air 8600 7950

Ambient Air 15,000^^^ 13,700

(a) Liquid N2 boil off - moisture content below Alnor.

(b) Moisture content above Alnor - determined by hygrometry.

(c) Sensitivity of mass spectrometric method approximates

1 yg of water.

Table 2. Determination of Moisture in Hydrated Salts.

wt % H^O

Salt mg Found Theoretical

BaCl2-2H20 53.18 14.35 14.74

K^Fe(CN),'3H^0 155.15 12.46 12.78

156
Table 3. Typical Results of Mass Spectrometri

Analysis With Acetylene Conversion of

Water. (Total gas quantity of approximately 0.5 cm^« atm)

Mole %

He CH^ Ar

12.92 0.05 87.02 0.01

ppm

Ethane Acetone Benzene

58 88 350 25

3 Total gas = 0.50 cm •atm

Device iH Analysis

Mole %

He CH, Ar

A 2

10.23 0.07 87.69 0.01

ppm

Acetone Benzene

2220 125 45

3'

Total gas «= 0.52 cm 'atm'

157
Table 4. Typical Results of Mass Spectrometric Analysis With Acetylene Conversion of Water. (Total gas quantity of approximately 0.02 cm^-atm)

TABLE IV

Device //3 Analysis

Mole %

3.74 0.33 95.13

2"4

0.09

ppm

"2° CO2 Propane Acetone Benzene

^00 2400 3600 40O

Total gas = 0.022 cm^-atm

Device //4 Analysis

Device leaked.

Leak rate = 7.7 x lO"^ cm^'atm

158
5.5 Moisture in Packages — A User's Viewpoint

Aaron Der Marderosiem

Raytheon Con5>any

Sudbury, MA 01776

Telephone: (614) 443-9521 x2791

INTRODUCTION

Moisture-related problems in semiconductor packages persist in spite of the

many documented accounts describing such experiences. This is a rather disturbing situation but to a certain degree is understandable. To some, the

literature describing these problems was enough to convince them that measures should be taken to eliminate moisture from their product, yet others

have been reluctant to do so. The reasons for this reluctance, in the

writer's opinion, are varied and range from simple disbelief ("we're making

too much of this" ) to those who raise honest questions concerning threshold

levels of moisture, the validity of moisture measurement techniques, the role

of polymeric materials in packages, the effects of contamination, hermeticity, etc. With these considerations in mind, the following paper discusses

the histories of two moisture-related problems in semiconductor devices with

the purpose of detailing some of the many factors involved in corrosion phenomena and, in particular, the threshold for such reactions and how subtle

differences in "identical" parts can in^ly to some that moisture is not a serious problem.

Moistxire in Integrated Circuits

In the early 1970s corrosion problems were noted with thin-film nichrome re- sistors used in some integrated circuits [1-3]. Extensive analysis by this

author and several groups of other investigators from various agencies con- cluded that the problem was related to moisture trapped within the packages.

This failure mode escaped detection at the manufacturing plant, incoming inspection, extensive burn-in tests, and several electrical tests. The reason

for the escape, in retrospect, was simple: none of the tests energized the

devices at room temperature or below for periods of time of more than a few

seconds ... one of the "advantages" of high-speed test equipment. Unfortunately, the failures were not detected until system operational temperaturecycling tests were performed or in a few cases in the field. The impact on the program was enormous and was a key factor in the decision to pursue the

failure mechanism in as much detail as possible. This eind other related test

results are summarized in the following paragraphs.

Construction Details

The problem devices were triple three-input NAND gates utilizing thin-film

stabilized nickel chromium resistors 20 nm thick. A protective coating of

evaporated silicon monoxide was used as an overglaze for scratch and particle

protection. The parts dissipated only a few milliwatts and were encased in a 1/4- by 1/4-in. ceramic package which utilized a high-lead content, low temperature glass for sealing purposes (typical trade name "Cerpak"). The free

air internal volume varied considerably (0.005 cm^ to 0.015 cm-^) because

of the glass application method (sprayed). Sealing was accoit5>lished by

159
using a conventional belt furnace. The ambient gas in the oven was principally nitrogen or nitrogen and oxygen (50/50). The temperature/time profile

was adjusted to devitrify the low temperature glass (peak temperature was

'v500*C)/ a process which reportedly protects the seal area from possible

dcunage due to subsequent thermal shock tests.

Failure Mode

The failures were noted in operational system tests at ambient temperatures

ranging from -10*C to '^'30«C. The devices which failed did so in a time frcune

of from a few minutes to several hours. Very few lasted beyond '^100 h. Conversely, high-temperature burn-in at 125*»C for several hundred hours did not

produce any failures related to this phenomenon. Visual examination of

failed resistors by optical means indicated a circular void formation ranging

from '\.0. 000 1 in. to several thousandths of an inch (fig. 1).

Failure Mechanism

In the early portions of the investigation, several mechanisms were pursued

(diffusion, chemical, electromigration, etc.) to no avail. None of these

could ejcplain the dependence of these phenomena on the inverse relationship

with temperature and the fact that only sealed packages had resistor failures. It was felt that the mechanism was probably associated with internal

materials and that the most likely one would be the gaseous environment.

This preliminary conclusion prompted several gas analysis tests involving the

package ambient. The initial results from various testing laboratories were

perplexing to say the least. The differences between the normally expected

gases were slight yet the difference in moisture content varied by orders of

magnitude. Only one of the laboratories performed water analysis as a separate test and could also make these measurements at elevated temperatures.

The elevated (100*C) temperature measurements produced the highest levels and

much controversy since previous room temperature measurements had indicated

no moisture at all. This controversy continued for some time and subsided

somewhat through the use of a miniature surface conductivity sensor. The

sensors indicated a dew point for these parts at or near room teitperature

which correlated closely with the failure history of these devices. Several

ensuing experiments confirmed that the "disappearance" of the ni chrome was indeed related to moisture, applied power and minute cracks, and/or pin holes

in the silicon monoxide glassivation at or near the nichrome in aliiminum step

(fig. 2).

As a result of these findings, changes in the manufacturing process and electrical test procedures were instituted. They are summarized as follows; (1)

providing a crack and pin-hole-free two-layer glassivation system of silicon

dioxide over silicon oxide; (2) sealing in a dry package, referred to as a "hot cap" seal process; and (3) powered temperature-cycling screen tests at

the con5>onent level (-20'C to +70«C).

Discussion and Conclusions

The extent and details of the entire investigation encompassed a two- to

three-year time frame and involved as many as six large semiconductor

companies and most of the government agencies at one time or another. The

160
key points uncovered in the study were as follows: (1) moisture could be

generated and trapped within a sealed package which had been processed by

"acceptable" practices; (2) it was difficult to subsequently detect and

quantify the levels of moisture by conventional methods (mass spectroscopy

and gas chromatography); and (3) miniature surface conductivity sensors were useful in dew point analysis for these and other small volume packages, helpful in defining the failure mechanism (see figs. 3 through 5 for a pictorial

summary) and, finally, used to determine the source of moisture [4].

Although the mechanism of "disappearing" nichrome was defined during this

investigation, a controversy remained over the use of the mass spectrometer

for the measurement of moisture within small volume devices. That controversy is apparently still with us and, in the author's opinion, will persist

because of the coitplexities associated with measurement techniques and the

interpretation of the data obtained from such methods. These issues and

others will be addressed in more detail later in this paper.

Moisture in Hybrid Devices

More recently, problems involving moisture entrapment in hybrid devices have

been detailed which address various thresholds for gold migration (fig. 6) as

a function of relative humidity, type and quantity of contaminant, and voltage [5]. This study was initiated because of (1) poor correlation between

package moisture content and gold dendrite growth, (2) poor correlation between moisture measuring agencies, and (3) a definite correlation between

metallization failures (shorts for dendrite growth) and an electrical "dew

point" noted during temperature tests.

The highlights of this study are discussed in the following paragraphs with

emphasis on the effects of the variables on the migration rate and how they

alter the threshold for such reactions.

Experimental Studies

Initial experiments were performed on "as-processed" alumina substrates with

an unknown degree of contamination. A small drop of distilled water was placed between two parallel metallization runs while they were biased from

2 to 8 VDC. Gold migration was noted in this case, while none was noted on substrates which had been rigorously cleaned. Scanning electron microscope

and E.D.A.X. analysis revealed active salts in the first substrate, namely,

sodium and potassium chloride. In subsequent experiments, the substrates

were intentionally contaminated with known quantities of sodium and potassium

chloride and potassi\iiri iodide (an etchant used for gold metallization).

These contaminated specimens were then exposed to various saturated salt constant humidity environments ranging from 10- to 98-percent RH at 23'C. Leakage currents and dendrite growth rates were monitored as a function of relative humidity and quantity of conteuninant. The results are shown in figures

7 through 10 and establish a threshold for migration which ranges from 44- .to 98-percent RH at 23*0 depending on the type and quantity of contaminant. No

migration has been detected to date ('^^4000 h) below the relative hximidity as noted by the dotted lines on each of the curves. Additional experiments

involving the threshold voltage under worst case (crystal bridging the

0.005-in. gap between the runs) conditions indicate a value of 'v.o.S VDC

161
(98-percent RH at 23*C) while mildly contaminated parts in lower relative

humidities ( 70 percent at 23*C) indicate values as high as 50 to 100 VDC.

In all of these cases, the key factor is simply the presence or absence of

ionic mobility, suggesting that all of these variables must be above a given

value at the same time in order to initiate migration or other types of

corrosion phenomena.

Discussion

It became apparent early in this study that there are many other factors

which could have a significant effect on migration or corrosion phenomena

besides moisture, contaminants, and voltage. These include such considerations as spacing between runs; steady-state operating temperature (is it high

enough to preclude migration by virtue of lowering the relative humidity?);

thermal cycling or occasional low-temperature operation (thereby increasing

the relative humidity); package volume and its effect on the total quantity

of moisture available for condensation; and substrate materials which can affect the surface leakage characteristics as a function of relative humidity

and, hence, corrosion or migration thresholds [6-8] . Considering the effects

of these and other parameters, it is no wonder that various users of "identical" parts are distraught over differences in device performance; e.g., run- ning parts a few degrees warmer can be the difference between success and

failure or siitply being above or below the threshold for moisture, voltage,

contamination, etc.

General Discussion

We have in this paper attempted to illustrate part of the complex nature of

corrosion phenomena associated with two common semiconductor device types: a small flatpak and a larger hybrid package. In addition to this, the literature [9-16] over the past several years has been conspicuously filled with

similar accounts encompassing many military, medical, and aerospace programs.

It should be noted, at this point, that corrosion is not the only problem

posed by the presence of moisture in packages (e.g., inversion, surface leakage, etc). These have been intentionally omitted frpm this discussion, yet

are mentioned at this time to provide additional impetus for (1) "drying out"

semiconductor packages, and (2) aggressively pursuing cost-effective manufacturing methods which will, by design, accomplish this task. Without a con- scientious effort on the part of the supplier, we, the users of such goods,

will be doomed to live through these problems time and again. It is, therefore, incumbent upon those of us in the reliability community to provide

well-documented, detailed data on moisture-related phenomena, how it is introduced into a package, what the acceptable levels are, and precisely what

is necessary to remove it. Although much of this information has been available for some time, certain aspects remain to be detailed while others are open to interpretation. Some of these areas are discussed in the following.

Moisture Measurement Techniques

The principle techniques used today for the measurement of moisture are ( 1

)

mass spectroscopy at 100*»C, (2) electrolytic hygrometry at 100*C, (3) alumi- num oxide sensors, and (4) surface conductivity devices. Each of these

methods have its place in moisture measurement. None is completely

162
fcxjl-proof, however; yet when judiciously used in combination, they can be

effective in detecting and measuring moisture in packages in a cost-effective

meuiner*

The mass spectrometer , when set up according to Thomas of RADC, can be useful

in determining total water content in packages, other gas species, and desorption and absorption properties of various materials. The disadvantages

are mainly its setup and test cost and its inability to distinguish between

water which is absorbed and that which is in the vapor phase. In addition,

the test is also destructive, making it more cumbersome to track parts

through a process.

The electrolytic hygrometer measures total water only and is not useful for

other gases. It also suffers from the same disadvantage as the mass spectrometer.

The alximinum oxide transducer is a nondestructive method for determining the

i.n-8-itu moisture content of a sealed package [17]. The device typically

is mounted in the package, sealed along with the rest of the circuitry, and

may be monitored for moisture content as a function of each of the processing

steps and periodically during use in the field. The device has excellent

sensitivity and is typically monitored at room temperature. Its disadvantage

to date has been its high cost (for engineering evaluations, however, its

cost is not considered to be a factor) and its relatively low highten5)erature limit.

The surface conductivity sensor is by far the oldest method used to detect

moisture on surfaces. Its main feature is its direct readout of surface

leakage, and hence, corrosion current, which we are trying to control and

understand! The device, if properly instrumented, can be very useful since

it also is a simple in-situ device, is inexpensive, can withstand high

temperature-sealing operations, and hence can be placed in production quantity parts in a cost-effective manner. The main disadvantage is its lack of

repeatability and poor sensitivity to low moisture levels. It is also some- what more tedious to operate than the aluminum-oxide sensor due to the need

for multiple-point temperature measurement requirements (needed usually for

"dew point" measurements).

If we consider each of these methods for what they can do best, then it be- comes apparent that when used in combination they enable the designer to ( 1

choose materials with desirable properties (low outgassing, stable temperature properties ) through the use of mass spectroscopy and electrolytic hygrometry; (2) evaluate each of these materials with and without process contaminants for surface conductivity as a function of relative humidity (surface

conductivity sensor approach); and (3) determine the internal moisture con- tent of the sealed parts as they are processed and as a function of system

usage (aluminum-oxide sensor or surface-conductivity sensor). Only in performing these types of detailed tests and other related tasks will we be able

to authoritatively specify, to the user and manufacturer, which methods,

materials, cleanliness levels, and ambient moisture levels are acceptable for

long-term reliable device operation.

163
Hermeticity

The discussion to this point has been limited to moisture and contaminants

which have been inadvertently sealed into packages. ThiS/ however, is only

part of the problem since failure analyses of many devices over the past

several years have indicated that faulty seals have also allowed corrosive

materials to come in contact with the contents of these parts. Consequently,

this raises serious questions as to the structural integrity of these enclo- sures and/or the validity of hermeticity test procedures eind practices. Controversies surrounding these topics have periodically surfaced over the past

twenty years or more and, until recently, very little has been accon5)lished

to help alleviate them. Most of this current activity has centered around

leak test correlation studies [18], moisture ingress rates as a function of

air leak rates [19-21], and some iir^jrovements in the test procedures [22].

More must be done, however, in these and other related areas if we are to intelligently address the subject of hermetically sealed devices.

Until the hermeticity problems are resolved, I am afraid we will continue to

have moisture-related (from in-leakage) problems in so-called hermetic devices. It certainly seems fruitless to vacuum bake parts for hours, seal

them in super dry atmospheres, involving inexpensive time-consuming equipment, when on the other hand, we specify maximum leak rates for such parts

that are too lenient, to say nothing of the general apathy of the leak

testing community and their lack of understanding in this area*

CONCLUSIONS

1. Corrosion phenomena in semiconductor packages is very complex. The

threshold for these reactions depend on such things as the quantity of

moisture; the location, type, and quantity of ionic contaminants; the

applied potential; conductor spacing; electrode materials; surface

resistivity of insulators; device operating temperature; chemical

reactions; and the internal free volume of the package, to name a few.

2. Moisture measurement techniques, at present, are probably sufficient to

detect minute quantities of moisture present in small volxime devices.

The problem remaining is a matter of interpretation of such levels and

how they affect device reliability when all of the variables are con- sidered (e.g., end use environment, conductor spacing, voltages applied,

absorption into materials, etc.).

3. Contamination specifications need to be defined as to what is and what is

not acceptable. The use of surface conductivity sensors in combination

with test coupons may go a long way towards defining these levels. In

addition, more needs to be understood about the role of polymers in

* E.g., a package with an internal volume of ^^0.2 cm-^ has a maximum allowable leak rate of 1 x 10"^ atm cm-^ s [22] . According to ref . [20]

(see fig. 11), it would take only MOO days for the dew point in the package to exceed 0°C when exposed to an ambient condition of 80-percent RH at

23"»C.

164
packages and how they react in regards to introducing water and other

contaminants into such devices.

4. Hermeticity specifications leave much to be desired in terms of adequacy/

maximum allowable leak rates, and how they relate to device reliability*

Without answers to these questions, I am afraid we will do little to

eliminate the confusion and apathy which exists among those involved in

leak testing activities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In view of the complex nature of the problems discussed in this paper, it

would seem prudent, for those involved in high reliability programs, to

specify for use only those semiconductor products which have undergone the

rigors of manufacture which would assure them to be as clean, dry, and

hermetic as possible.

REFERENCES

1. Der Marderosian, A., Nichrome Resistor Investigation, Raytheon Report

IS:72:6 (January 26, 1972).

2. Kapfer, V., and Bart, J., Thin-Film Nickel-Chromium Resistor Failures in

Integrated Circuits, 10th Annual Pvoaeedings, Reliability Phyeiae

1972, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 5-7, 1972, pp. 175-182.

3. Keenan, W. F., and Runyan, W. R. , Nickel Chromium Resistor Failure Modes

and Their Identification, Miavoeleatvonias and Reliability _12, 134-137

(1973).

4. Der Marderosian, A. , and Murphy, C. , Humidity Threshold Variations for

Dendrite Growth on Hybrid Substrates, ISth Annual Proceedings,

Reliability Physios 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-14, 1977, pp.

92-100.

5. Der Marderosian, A., A Source of Moisture in Integrated Circuit Packages

Utilizing High Lead Content Devitrifiable Sealing Glasses, unpublished

Raytheon Report, 1972.

6. Koelman, G. T. , Hermance, H. W. , and Downes, G. H. , Silver Migration in

Electrical Insulation, Bell Sys, Tech, J. 34, 1115-1147 (1955).

7. Chaiken, S. W. , Janney, J., Church, F. M. , and McCleland, C. W. , Silver

Migration and Printed Wiring, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

299-304 (1959).

8. Sandstrom, J. P., How to Live With Silver Tarnishing/Silver Migration,

Circuits Manufacturing ^6 (10), 56-62 (October 1976).

9. Kolesar, S., Principles of Corrosion, 12th Annual Proceedings,

Reliability Physics 1974, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2-4, 1974, pp.

155-167.

165
10. Koelmans, H. , Metallization Corrosion in Silicon Devices by Moisture

Induced Electrolysis, 12th Annual Pvooeed-ings, Reliability Physics1974, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2-4, 1974, pp. 168-171.

11. Paulson, W. , and Kirk, L. W. , The Effects of Phosphorous -Doped

Passivation Glass on the Corrosion of Aluminum, 12th Annual PvoaeedingSj

Reliability Physics 1974, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2-4, 1974, pp.

172-179.

12. Peck, D. S. , and Zierdt, C. H., Jr., Temperature Humidity Acceleration

of Metal-Electrolysis Failure in Semiconductor Devices, 11th Annual

Proceedings, Reliability Physics 1973, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 3-5,

1973, pp. 146-152.

13. Ebel, G. H. , Failure Analysis Techniques Applied in Resolving Hybrid

Microcircuit Reliability Problems, 15th Annual Proceedings, Reliability

Physics 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-17, 1977, pp. 70-81.

14. Shumka, A. , and Piety, R. , Migrated-Gold Resistive Shorts in

Microcircuits, 13th Annual Proceedings, Reliability Physics 1975, Las

Vegas, Nevada, April 1-3, 1975, pp. 93-98.

15. Paulson, W. , Further Studies on the Reliability of Thin-Film

Nickel-Chromium Resistors, 11th Annual Proceedings, Reliability Physics

1973, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 3-5, 1973, pp. 61-68.

16. Schafft, H. A., Ed., Semiconductor Measurement Technology: nbs/pda

Workshop, Reliability Technology for Cardiac Pacemakers, NBS Spec. Publ.

400-28 (June 1976).

17. Kovac, M. G. , Chlech, D. and Goodman, P., A New Moisture Sensor for "In

Situ" Monitoring of Sealed Packages, 15th Annual Proceedings,

Reliability Physics 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-17, 1977, pp.

85-91.

18. Banks, S., McCullough, R. , and Roberts, E., Investigation of

Microcircuit Seal Testing, RADC-TR-75-89 (April 1975).

19. Stroehle, D. , On the Penetration of Gases and Water Vapor Into Packages

with Cavities and on Maximum Allowable Leak Rates, 15th Annual

Proceedings, Reliability Physics 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 12-14,

1977, pp. 101-111.

20. Der Marderosian, A., An Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of the

Rate of Water Vapor Penetration into Non-Hermetic Enclosures,

Semiconductor Measurement Technology : Reliability Technology for

Cardiac Pacemakers III, A Workshop Report, NBS Spec. Publ. 400-50, pp.

56-60 (June 3979).

21. Sulouff, R. E., The Relationship Between Moisture, Reliability, and Leak

Rate — A Status Report, Semiconductor Measurement Technology

166
Relialibility Technology for Cardiac Pacemakers III/ A Workshop Report,

NBS Spec. Publ. 400-50, p. 55 (June 1979).

22. MIL-STD-883B, Test Methods and Procedures for Microelectronics,

August 31 , 1977. ,^

167
Figure 1. Photographs of 1509 NAND Gates depicting typical

voids in resistors after failure at ambient temperatures

ranging from -ICC to '^30°C within times from a few minutes

to several hours. Voids are indicated by locating arrows.

168
1650X

6500X

Figure 2. Scanning electron microscope photographs of cracks

and holes in the silicon monoxide passivation coat near the

nicrome in aluminum step of the 1509 Gate devices.

169
OF GAS

ESCAPES

SEALING

GLASS

GASES ARE BY PRODUCTS OF

SEALING GLASS BINDERS AND

DESORPTION

DEVICE AT SEALING TEMPERATURE

BUT NOT SEALED ^5000C)

SEALING

GLASS

GASES ARE NOW TRAPPED.

SOME REACT CHEMICALLY

WITH VARIOUS PARTS, SUCH

AS ALUMINUM WIRE, ETC.

DEVICE AT -500 C AND SEALED

LID =rr~*—T"

\HXO + CO9 +

CHIP 1

BASE

GASES REMAINING WHICH

HAVE NOT REACTED OUT

.CHEMICALLY ARE ADSORBED

OR REMAIN IN A GASEOUS

STATE AT~0.5 ATMOSPHERE

DEVICE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Figure 3. Model of the failure mechanism of the nicrome resistors in 1509

Gates: internal gas composition before and after seal.

170
PARTIAL VIEW OF 1509 GATE

AFTER SEALING OPERATION

Figure 4. Model of the failure mechanism in 1509 Gates: moisture and carbon

dioxide distribution after sealing operation.

171
FRONT VIEW

ALUMINUM

+3VDC

PASSIVATION

PIN HOLE (ANODE)

AREA "A" ALUMINUM

+5VDC

NICHROME

CONDENSED H O + CO (ELECTROLYTE) IN HOLE ^VERY HYGROSCOPIC AREA)

^ CONNECTS TO THIN FILM OF IDENTICAL ELECTROLYTE

AREA "A" DETAIL

ON SURFACE. —-7 m/M'/^pas'sivat'ion//

^ OXIDIZED NICHROME

WATER COMBINES WITH THE CfOs TO FORM H2Cr04

THEREBY INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE IONS AND INCREASING SURFACE LEAKAGE.

Figure 5. Model of the failure mechanism in 1509 Gates: details of

anodic corrosion associated with visible voids in nichrome resistors.

172
Figure 6. Gold dendrite formation noted in hybrid

package between closely- spaced conductors. Alximina

substrate was found to be contaminated with traces

of sodium and potassium chloride while package am- bient was found to contain a relatively high percentage of moisture.

173
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE CONTAMINATION

WORST CASE

% R.H. @ 23 °C

Figure 7 . Leakage current and time to circuit failure

as a function of relative hximidity parallel gold metallization runs at 8 VDC bias with potassium chloride contamination.

174
SODIUM CHLORIDE CONTAMINATION

WORST CASE

-

V 1

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

10

COQ^"O

10 - w

w

,0*

3 10

2 K)

0

w

oiD

J

l-H <

o

10 g

Eh Q

-1000

•100

'10

1

<

a

% R.H. @ 23°C

Figure 8. Leakage current and time to circuit failure

as a function of relative humidity parallel gold metalli

zation runs at 8 VDC bias with sodium chloride contamina

tion

175
POTASSIUM IODIDE CONTAMINATION

WORST CASE

1

I I i I.

I I I I 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

% R.H. @ 23 °C

Figure 9. Leakage current and time to circuit failure

as a function of relative humidity parallel gold metallization runs at 8 VDC bias with potassiiim iodide contamination.

176
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE CONTAMINATION

O

Q

>

1000-00

73<

100 —

10 -

COQ

55OO

w

OSJ

<

O

H

w

< w

c DPST

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1

1

1

1

I \

1

1

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10 20 30 4050 60 70 80 90

% R.H. @ 23 °C

Figure 10. Leakage current and time to circuit failure

as a function of relative humidity parallel gold metallization runs at 8 VDC bias with potassium chloride contamination.

177
TIME IN SECONDS

Figure 11. Change in dew point to TO-5 package

vei'sus time as a function of standard air leak

rate in an ambient environment of 80-percent

RH at 22°C.

178
5.6 Problems in Specifying and Measuring Moisture Content Within

Electronic Devices

Robert W. Thomas

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

Telephone: (315) 330-4632

To put the military specification requirement on moisture content into focus,

I would like to discuss the philosophy, including intent of the specification

and the inclusive nature of the MIL-STD-883 Test Method 1018 on internal

water-vapor content for microelectronic devices.

The specification was prepared based on a large volume of published data re- lating corrosion failures to the presence of moisture within a hermetically

sealed package. These data clearly showed the necessary but not always sufficient condition that moisture plays in corrosion failures. Moisture measurements indicate that the first order failure threshold for corrosion failures occurs when liquid water forms on the surface of the device, or the interconnection pattern in the case of hybrids. For packages at 1 atm the

lowest (liquid) dew point occurs at 0*»C. Under these conditions, the moisture content is 6025 parts per million by volume (ppm^). If a package

contains at least this amount of moisture or more, liquid water will be

present within the cavity at some temperature above freezing. If the

pressure is less than 1 atm, then greater amounts of moisture in ppm^ are required to produce condensation at any given tenperature. Since many

CERDIPs have 0.5 atm, there is a safety factor built into any 1 atm moisture

specification.

To visually illustrate the relationship between moisture content, dew point,

relative humidity, failure threshold, specification limit, and measurement

capability, a moisture spectrum has been assembled in figure 1. Several

precautions are in order before using the chart. It has been assumed that

the moisture is present in a gas at 1 atm. To convert to relative humidity,

one must assume a fixed temperature, in this case 20**C. A hermetic package

containing 23 039 ppm^ at 1 atm and at 20*C would be completely saturated

and therefore have a relative humidity of 100 percent. It would also have a dew point of 20°C. A package containing 9883 ppm^ at 1 atm pressure would

have a relative humidity of 43 percent at 20*C and would reach a dew point if

cooled to 7°C.

It is obvious that the inside of the package reaches a dew point if it con- tains more than 6025 ppm^ and a frost point if less than 6025 ppm^. MOS

instability has been observed for devices containing 2000 ppm^ moisture,

corrosion may occur if the moisture content is greater than 6025 ppm^ and

gold dendrites have been shown to form quickly if the moisture content is

greater than 15 000 ppm^. For less than 500 ppm^ moisture in a small IC

package, the absolute quantity of moisture is less 5 ng, and it can be argued

that the quantity of moisture is insufficient to complete a corrosion process

even if located at a single point on the IC surface. The surface ionic mobility at less than 500 ppm^ is also likely to be too small to induce oxide

threshold instability. Measurement apparatus does exist to make moisture

measurements of small IC volumes. The aluminum oxide sensor has a useful

179
range from 100 pfxn^ to slightly less than saturation. The mass spectrometer is capable of detecting 10 ppttiy. moisture in 0.01 cm^ of nitrogen;

however, it is currently considered accurate only over a range of 500 to

21 000 ppm^.

Part of our inhouse research program has been a program to evaluate on a ran- dom basis JAN parts procured for use in military systems. As part of this

program, each of the ten devices purchased per slash sheet were gas analyzed.

The results are shown in figures 2 and 3. Before discussing the data, it

should be made very clear that the majority of these parts would have operated reliably in military equipment. Moisture alone, as mentioned previously, is not a sufficient condition for failure in most cases. However, the

presence of moisture in most of these parts indicates that for highreliability military parts, some control must be exercised over the moisture

sealed within the part if the lowest possible failure rate is to be attained.

It should be noted that all of the devices are CERDIPs and that, at the time

of manufacture, most manufacturers' packages contained enough moisture to

saturate the package at some temperature above 0*»C. The monitoring program

will continue with the hope that, with improved processing and assembly

techniques, the moisture content in all military IC packages can be reduced

to less than 500 ppm^.

Turning now to the problem of writing a specification, let me begin by noting

that the test method was written with the objective of determining whether

the package passes or fails the specified moisture limit of 5000 ppm^ for

IC, 6000 ppm^ for hybrids, and 1000 ppm^ for desiccated parts. The initial draft was prepared jointly with Mr. C. Zierdt of Bell Telephone Laboratories. The intent was to make the options all-inclusive so that all techniques which were available at that time could be used to ascertain the moisture content of the package. Comments were solicited at the time the test

method was coordinated and are welcome at any time. It is hoped that with

full cooperation from government and industry, it will evolve into a clear,

concise, and accurate test method for measuring moisture content within

microelectronic packages. With that goal in mind, I would like to discuss

some proposed changes which have been incorporated into the draft of a re- vised Method 1018, dated March 20, 1978. Since this summary is being written

after the NBS meeting, I have taken the liberty to include other changes suggested by attendees during and since the meeting on March 20. A summary and

rationale for the major changes follows by paragraph:

Para 2.1. a - This paragraph was extensively changed to improve the calibration procedures for small volume packages. The sensitivity factor is defined under flow conditions. The transfer function is more specifically defined for three volume ranges and three moisture limits.

Para 2.1.b - The temperature of the passage is specified as 125**C to in- sure uniformity from lab to lab. Higher temperatures can cause secondary re- actions which would make the transfer function highly variable. Likewise,

lower temperature would result in unpredictable losses of moisture during

analysis. A statement is also added to ensure that the entire package

reaches 100*C and is maintained at that temperature for 10 min, sufficient

time for the physically adsorbed moisture on the package walls to enter the

vapor state. Longer bake-out times will add a small amount of more deeply

l80
absorbed moisture; however, for eutectically mounted ICs, this effect is

minimal. The increased vapor pressure of moisture in the cavity brings the

net desorption rate to zero in a short period of time. Studies were reported

by Mr. Moore earlier at this conference indicating that, even for packages

containing epoxy die attach material, the equilibrium time is very short.

Para 2. 2. a - The sensitivity factor definition based on 0.01 cm-^ package volume was too restrictive for this procedure which is partially intended

for larger packages. The definition is replaced by an absolute definition

involving micrograms of water and the weight of the gas in the package.

Para 2. 3. a - The minimum moisture sensor sensitivity was raised to 300

ppm to allow the use of conductivity type sensors in addition to the aluminum

oxide sensors.

Para 3.1 - A requirement was added that the devices be verified as hermetic prior to testing per Method 1018. This will prevent samples from being

sent to the analytical labs which cannot be analyzed. The cleaning requirement was clarified to indicate that only those substances such as varnish

epoxies or silicones need be removed from the external surface and only if

they interfere with the water vapor measurement. The maximum bake-out

temperature is limited to 125"'C. This reduces the reaction of moisture metal

surfaces and gives a more accurate determination of moisture sealed into the

cavity.

Para 3.1. a - A more precise statement of abnormal pressure rise replaces

an eunbiguous guideline.

Para 3.1.b - A statement concerning the desirability of reporting other

gases contained in the cavity has been added. While reporting is not mandatory, the presence and relative amount of helium, argon, oxygen, and fluorocarbons may indicate the source of moisture or other seal problems.

Para 3.1.C - A statement was added defining data reduction procedures in

the case of desiccants or organics in order to limit the inclusion of moisture desorbing from the material after the package has been opened. This

would unduly penalize manufacturers using these materials and would not

simulate a use condition.

Para 3.2 - A modification was made to allow for a newly developed technique utilizing a holding chamber, a moisture sensor, and a pressure sensor.

Para 3.3 - A change was made in measurement temperature which would permit the use of a conductivity type sensor, in this procedure, and a requirement for mass spectrometer correlation was added.

This concludes the changes proposed for Method 1018. An addition to Method

5008 for hybrids will correct an omission from the published version which

will allow the 100-percent use of moisture sensors in lieu of fine and gross

leak testing. As the sensors become more widespread in usage and the price

comes down, the potential for true moisture leak measurements by a more costeffective technique will be realized.

181
A point should be made about calibration accuracy for any of the analytical

techniques described previously. The accuracy of the instrument does not

appear in the test method. Instead, it will appear in a checklist being made

up by RADC and used by DESC in surveying laboratories wishing to become certified. It is proposed that, before complete certification is granted, the

laboratory must be able to measure standards to within +20 percent of the

absolute value.

Revisions as outlined in the March 20 draft will be sent out for coordination

before the June JC-13 meeting. A notice to MIL-STD-883B should follow within

60 days.

Future limits for moisture in microelectronic packages will await the results

of current government- and industry-sponsored research to determine moisture

failure thresholds for a number of devices and technologies and the development of more sensitive measurement techniques.

182
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183
H20 CONTENT

(0.01%=100ppm. 0.1%=1000ppm) m MANUFACTURER DEVICE # DATE CODE AVG LOW HIGH

21 SIGNETICS JM38510/00101BCB 7415 & 7340

1.75 0 3.4

22 SIGNETICS JM38510/02304BCB 7346 1.8 0.6 2.9

23 TEXAS INST 38510B T7537 0.70 0.3 1.4

3H MOTOROLA JM38510/00202BAC 7516 0.5

35 SIGNETICS JM38510/00202BDB 7549 & 7543

0.2

36 SIGNETICS JM38510/0230i|BDB 7542 0.7

50 MOTOROLA JM38510/00303BCB 7541 2.4 1.5 3.8

51 I.T.T. JM38510/00502BAB 7540 0.1 0.02 0.2

52 SIGNETICS JM38510/00502BCB 7437 0.4 0.04 0.7

53 NATIONAL JM38510/00502BDB 7543 1.2 0.7 2.0

5^1 FAIRCHILD JM38510/101BCB 7540 1.9 0.7 4.0

55 FAIRCHILD JM38510/10101B6B 7640 0.2 0.1 0.3

E'lgure 2. Moisture content of some sampled JAN parts . Ten specimens per slash sheet

184
6. Group Encounters

Speaker Pairs:

1. 2.

3.

Robert W. Thomas, Aaron Der Marderosian

Johnny L. Hartley, Steven R. Loucks

David A. Stevenson, William M. Hickam

Moderators:

Saburo Hasegawa (NBS)

Ernest E. Hughes (NBS)

Stanley Ruthberg (NBS)

SUMMARY

Moisture Sensors - What are the practical considerations for calibration,

when should calibration be done, and how can one take into account the shifts

in calibration that occur? What is the uniformity in response for sensors obtained from the Scune wafer? When are they stable and uniform enough for

use?

An example of sensor precision and stability under benign conditions is found

in the analyzer of Loucks and Burnham (Session III). Calibration is obtained

by direct injection of water into the courier gas stream by microsyringe

transfer with 10-yg to 10-mg san5)les. Calibration is performed on a day-today basis, and a precision of '\'^0 percent at 50 yg can be obtained daily,

though sensitivity shifts from day to day. The smallest package volume that can be accommodated is '^^0.5 cm^. The minimum detectable quantity of water

is '\^3 yg in a 6-cm^ package. Package bakeout to lOO'C can be made. They

have not had to replace the original sensor.

Evidence appears to indicate that sensor response will not change drastically

even under thermal treatment to ISO'C, provided thermal shock is absent. Alternatively, thermal shocks such as obtained with gold-tin solder or eutectic

die attach will cause a large calibration shift. Calibration should then be

obtained following such a process; however, successive thermal shock will

again alter the calibration characteristic. Uniformity of sensors from the

seime wafer appears to be fair.

Mass Spectrometers - What is the relative merit of one type of instrument

over another; why is the limit of 500 parts per million by volume (ppm^) of

water being established; are organics allowed within the package; what is the

potential of the acetylene conversion scheme; are any people having difficulty in analyzing oxygen; what about ion abundances of M/e 17 and 18?

With appropriate procedure, there should not be any difference in measurements made with one type of instrument Versus another, say the quadrupole

versus the sector. The 500 ppm^ as stated in MIL-STD-1018 is, for the

present, a condition on the minimum detectable capability of the analyzers

rather than as a limit on packages. However, corrosion effects do occur at

concentrations of 'v^4000 ppm^ and oxide effects are seen to occur at %1000

ppm^. We need more definitive studies on these thresholds, which studies

should better be in5>lemented as the measurements precision increases. As

instrument capability increases, we will ejcpect the lower limit to be

185
applied. Organics within the package will not prohibit measurements, though

the kinetics of moisture emission may be affected. Organics on the outside

of the package are not desirable. The acetylene conversion method (Hickam

and Morgan, Session III) has a potential conversion efficiency of 90 percent.

The smallest volume analyzed to date is 0.02 cm-^, and analysis usually

takes 25 min. There should not be any difficulty in analyzing oxygen, but

the abundance of M/e 17 vevsus 18 shall remain a question.

Failure Mechanisms - There is a need for more fundamental studies on thresholds for corrosion, dendritic growth, oxide effects, etc. The consensus is

that packages should be as dry as possible; water is a catalyst; removing

contaminants pev se is not a complete answer.

Other Procedures - These would be acceptable if qualified against the mass

spectrometer, at least for the present, e.g., acetylene conversion and sur- face conductivity cells.

The 125'C limit set forth in MIL-STD-1018 is really for the mass spectrometer

and is a conpromise value on getting enough ambient water into the machine

vevsus chemical reactions which could occur at greater temperatures. The

100*>C to 125*C is to protect the devices from the operating environment.

Vacuvim-sealed devices can be analyzed, but the moisture content would have to

be given in appropriate units, i.e. , not ppm^.

Many lengthy discussions were directed to moisture generators, materials,

arrangements, valves, capability, needs. The cost of a generator such as described by Hartley (Session III) would be from $2,000 to $3,000, but could

be reduced. Sampling times are important to avoid desorption. Both twotemperature and two-pressure systems were considered.

186
6.1 List of Attendees

MOISTURE MEASUREMENT WORKSHOP March 22-23, 1978, NBS, Gaithersburg,

Kenneth Anderson

Medtronic Inc.

6970 Central Ave. , NE

Minneapolis, MN 55418

(612) 574-4544

William H. Hardens

Beckman Instruments, Inc.

2500 Harbor Blvd.

Fullerton, CA 92634

(714) 871-4848

L. Barnes

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 221, Room A-25

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-3674

Charles W. H. Barnett

Harry Diamond Lab.

2800 Powder Mill Rd.

Adelphi, MD 20783

(202) 394-3190

Jean Behrens-Tepper

University of Wisconsin

1500 Johnson Dr.

Madison, WI 53706

(608) 263-7799

Jeff L. Bennewitz

Thunder Scientific Corp.

623 Wyoming St., SE

Albuquerque, NM 87123

(505) 265-8701

Paul F. Bennewitz*

Thunder Scientific Corp.

623 Wyoming St. , SE

Albuquerque, NM 87123

(505) 265-8701

Clark Bergman

Control Data Corp.

P.O. Box 1249

Bloomington, MN 55420

(612) 853-3621

* Session Chairman

Sid Bhatt

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

4100 North Hamline Ave.

P.O. Box 43079

St. Paul, MN 55164

(612) 631-3000

Jeff B. Bindell

Bell Labs

555 Union Blvd.

Allentown, PA 18104

(215) 439-6827

Leo J . Blumle

Varian/Lexington Vacuum Div.

121 Hartwell Ave.

Lexington, MA 02173

(617) 861-7200

Donald E. Bracken

General Electric Co.

Electronics Lab

M/S EP3-15

Electronics Park

Syracuse, NY 13221

(315) 456-2732

Thomas F. Brennen

Sperry Flight Systems

P.O. Box 21111

Phoenix, AZ 85036

(602) 942-2311 x1889

H. L. Brown

United Technologies, Inc.

325 N. Mathilda Ave.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 738-3301

T. Brown

National Security Agency

Open Bldg. #3

9800 Savage Rd.

Ft. George G. Meade, MD 20755

(301) 688-7195

187
Bob Burke

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 222, Room B-222

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-2141

Bill Burns

Ford Motor Co.

26855 Trolley Dr.

Taylor, MI 48180

(313) 322-3644

Sherwood G. Burnett

Varian/Lexington Vacuum Div.

121 Hartwell Ave.

Lexington, MA 02173

(617) 861-7200

Salvatore Carbone

IBM

Route 52, M/S D/365, B/300-071

Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

(914) 897-1695

Richard O. Carlson

General Electric Co.

P.O. Box 43

Schenectady, NY 12301

(518) 385-8361

Stephen P. Carve lias

Gollob Analytical Service

47 Industrial Rd.

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

(201) 464-3331

Soo-Kong Chang

Medtronic of Canada

6733 Kitimat Rd.

Mississauga, Ontario L5N 1W3

(416) 826-6020

Harry K. Charles, Jr.

Johns Hopkins Univ.

Johns Hopkins Rd.

Laurel, MD 20810

(301) 953-7100

Alex Chen-Ok, Jr.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

901 Thompson Pi.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 732-2400

Martin J. Cohen

PCP, Inc.

2155 Indian Rd.

West Palm Beach, FL 33409

(305) 683-0507

Russ Cook

Mostek Corp.

P.O. Box 169

Carrollton, TX 75006

(214) 242-0444

Norman Cooper

Newmarket Transistors Ltd.

Exning Rd.

Newmarket, Suffolk, England CBS OAU

0638 3381

Edwin A. Corel

IBM

Poughkeepsie, NY 12602

(914) 463-3855

Alan Davis

Cordis Corp.

P.O. Box 370428

Miami, FL 33137

(305) 578-2220

J. Gordon Davy

Westinghouse

P.O. Box 746, M/S Ml

3

Baltimore, MD 21203

(301) 765-3619

it Aaron Der Marderosian

Raytheon Co.

528 Boston Post Rd.

Sudbury, MA 01776

(617) 443-9521

*Session Chairman

188
Richard K. Dinsmore

Beckman Instruments/ Inc.

2500 Harbor Blvd.

Fullerton, CA 92634

(714) 871-4848

William J. Dobbin

IBM

Route 1 7C

Owego, NY 13827

(607) 687-2121

Frank Donovan

Raytheon Co.

465 Centre St.

Quincy, MA 02169

(617) 479-5300

John W. Dzimianski

Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Systems Dev. Div.

P.O. Box 1521, M/S 3525

Baltimore, MD 21203

(301) 765-7545

Kevin M. Eastman

Raytheon Co.

528 Boston Post Rd.

Sudbury, MA 01776

(617) 443-9521

John Englund

Motorola

8201 E. McDowell Rd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85257

(602) 949-2528

Richard C. Evans

Johns Hopkins Univ.

Johns Hopkins Rd.

Laurel, MD 20810

(301) 953-7100

V. Feingold

Telectronics

296 Burns Bay Rd.

Lane Cove, NSW

AUSTRALIA 2066

John B. Finn

Mostek Corp.

1210 W. Crosby Rd.

Carrollton, TX 75006

(214) 242-0444 x2570

H. Dwight Fischer

West Coast Technical Service Inc.

17605 Fabrica Way

Suite D

Cerritos, CA 90701

(213) 921-9831 or

(714) 523-9200

William M. Fischer

Defense Electronics Supply Center

1507 Wilmington Pike

Dayton, OH 45444

(513) 296-6355

William T. Fitch

Motorola Inc.

P.O. Box 20906

Phoenix, AZ 85036

T. W. Fitzgerald

GTE Labs

100 Sylvan Rd.

Waltham, MA 02154

(617) 890-8460

Victor Fong*

Panametrics, Inc.

221 Crescent St.

Waltham, MA 02154

(617) 899-2719

Brian J. Ford

FDA

Room 900, U.S. Customhouse

2nd and Chestnut Sts.

Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 597-9146

Lloyd M. Fuke

Signetics Corp.

811 E. Arques Ave.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 739-7700 x2206

*Session Chairman

189
James R. Gibson

Trio Tech Int'l.

167 Worcester St.

Wellesley, MA 02181

(617) 237-3911

Bruce J. Gollob

137 Cubley Rd.

Clarkson College of Technology

Potsdam, NY 13676

(315) 268-2348 or 4234

Fred Gollob

Gollob Analytical Service

47 Industrial Rd.

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

(201) 464-3331

Phillip Goodman

Panametrics, Inc.

221 Crescent St.

Waltham, fiA 02173

(617) 899-2719

Carl Grilletto

RCA

Route 202

Somerville, NJ 08876

(201) 685-7052

Ray Grillmeier

Defense Electronics Supply Center

1507 Wilmington Pike

Dayton, OH 45444

(513) 296-6355

Tom Gukelberger

IBM

Rt. 52, Bldg. 300-71

E. Fishkill, NY 12533

(914) 897-1411

Ray F. Haack*

Jet Propulsion Lab

4800 Oak Grove Dr.

Pasadena, CA 91103

(213) 354-6568

*Session Chairman

Johnny L. Hartley*

Sandia Labs

P.O. Box 5800

Albuquerque, NM 87185

(505) 264-3160

Saburo Hasegawa*

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 221, Room A-105

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-2794

George H. Harman

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 225, Room B-310

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-3621

S. B. Hayes

EG&G

151 Bear Holl Rd.

Waltham, MA 02154

(617) 890-3710

William M. Hickam

Westinghouse R&D Ctr.

1310 Beulah Rd.

Pittsburgh, PA 15235

(412) 256-3284

Thomas E. Higbie

NAC

Indianapolis, IN 46218

(317) 353-3950

Richard Holtz

GULL Airborne Instruments Inc.

55 Engineers Rd.

Smithtown, NY 11787

(516) 234-8733

Jimmy W. Hosch

Texas Instruments, Inc.

P.O. Box 225012, M/S 46

Dallas, TX 75248

(201) 238-4473

190
Robert T. Howard

IBM Corp.

Essex Junction, VT 05452

(802) 769-5666

Ernie Hughes

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 222, Room B-322

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-2886

Chester Isaakson

Medtronic, Inc.

6970 Central Ave.

Minneapolis, MN 55432

(612) 574-4210

R. Jackowicz

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 221, Room B- 132

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-2753

James Jeffrey

ILC Data Device Corp.

105 Wilbur Place

Bohemia, NY 11716

(516) 567-5600

Vidya S. Kale

Teledyne Microelectronics

12964 Panama St.

Los Angeles, CA 90066

(213) 822-8229

John M. Kendall

Medtronic Inc.

3055 Old Hwy. #8

Minneapolis, MN 55418

(612) 574-3051

Colin W. T. Knight

Advanced Micro Devices

27267 Deer Springs Way

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

(415) 941-6136

Henry Kohoutek

Hewlett-Packard

P.O. Box 301

Loveland, CO 80537

(303) 667-5000 x2080

I. Korgav

Advanced Micro Devices

901 Thompson Pi.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 732-2400

Michael G. Kovac

Univ. of South Florida

Dept. of E. E.

Tampa, FL 33617

(813) 974-2581

Edward J. Kuntze

FDA

8757 Georgia Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20729

(301) 427-7218

John C. Laberge

RCA

Fostoria Rd.

Findlay, OH 45840

(419) 423-0321

Elliott Lasky

E. L. Associates

6 Mele Ave.

Colmar, PA 18915

(215) 822-2510

Stanley B. Levine

Naval Ship Engineering Ctr.

SEC 6153 C

Washington, DC 20362

(202) 692-0367

Erie A. Lewis, Jr.

Digital Equipment Corp.

115 Northeast Cutoff

Worcester, MA 01606

(617) 853-5610 x323

191
Frank Lindberg

Westinghouse

Box 746, M/S 465

Baltimore, MD 21203

(301) 765-3346

Steven R. Loucks*

Medtronic Inc.

3055 Old Highway #8

Minneapolis, MN 55418

(612) 574-3167

Robert K. Lowry

Harris Semiconductor

Box 883, M/S 52-07

Melbourne, FL 32901

(305) 724-7566

James R. Mariani

Telectronics, Ltd.

301 West Vogel Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53207

(414) 481-5400

Robert H. Mason

Solid State Equip. Corp.

1015 Virginia Dr.

Fort Washington, PA 19034

(215) 643-7900

Owen McAteer

Westinghouse

P.O. Box 1521, M/S 3531

Baltimore, MD 21203

(301) 765-7259

George Meares

Motorola, Inc.

1301 E. Algonquin Rd.

Schaumburg, IL 60916

(312) 576-5968

Robert P. Merrett*

Post Office Research Centre

Martlesham Heath

Ipswich, Suffolk, England IPS 7RE

Charles G. Messenger*

Rome Air Development Center

Griff iss AFB, NY 13441

(315) 330-4632

*Session Chairman

Benjamin A. Moore*

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

(315) 330-4055

Kenneth L. Perkins*

Rockwell Int'l Corp.

3370 Miraloma Ave.

P.O. Box 4192

Anaheim, CA 92803

(714) 632-3316

It John C. Pernicka

Pernicka Corp.

1026 W. Maude Ave.

Suite #301

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 735-0220

Will Perry

CTS Microelectronics, Inc.

1201 Cumberland Ave.

Lafayette, IN 47906

(317) 463-2565

David R. Peterson

Signetics

811 E. Arques Ave.

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

(408) 739-7700

Boris M. Plesinger

Honeywell Info. Systems, Inc.

13430 N. Black Canyon Hwy.

Phoenix, AZ 85029

(602) 993-2312

Raymond Pong

Burroughs Corp.

16701 West Bernardo Dr.

San Diego, CA 92127

(714) 487-3000

F. C. Quinn

American Instrument Co.

8030 Georgia Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20910

(301) 589-1727

192
Thomas A. Ream

Magnavox

4624 Executive Blvd.

Ft. Wayne, IN 46808

(219) 482-4111 x5775

T. F. Redmond

IBM

M/S D/804, B/330-146

Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

(914) 897-1272

John T. Rice

Jet Propulsion Lab

4800 Oak Grove Dr.

Pasadena, CA 91103

(213) 354-4029

James H. Richardson

Aerospace Corp.

P.O. Box 92957

Los Angeles, CA 90009

(213) 648-5439

Giorgio Riga

Fairchild Camera

464 Ellis St.

Mountain View, CA 94042

(415) 962-2046

L . J . Ri gby

STL

London Rd.

Harlow, Essex

United Kingdom CM17 9NA

E. J. Rosa

On dyne Inc.

P.O. Box 6302

Concord, CA 94524

(415) 825-8282

Stanley Ruthberg*

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 225, Room B-310

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-3621

*Session Chairman

Bob Sauvagiot

Westinghouse

Adv. Tech. Labs

P.O. Box 1521

Baltimore, MD 21203

(301) 765-7308

Harry A. Schafft

National Bureau of Standards

Bldg. 225, Room B-310

Washington, DC 20234

(301) 921-3621

Paul G. Schneider

Union Carbide Corp.

Bldg. 9203, P.O. Box Y

Oak Ridge, TN 37830

(615) 483-8611

Stanley Schroter

Raytheon Company

465 Centre St.

Quincy, MA 02369

(617) 479-5300 x601

Robert R. Seller

Medcor, Inc.

5920 Rodman St.

Hollywood, FL 33023

(305) 966-5900

Bernard Seliksen

Boeing

P.O. Box 3999

M/S 88-43

Seattle, WA 98124

(206) 773-1074

Stephen D. Senturia

Massachusetts Institute of Tech.

Room 13-3010

77 Massachusetts Ave.

Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 253-6869

Ronald R. Shields

IBM Corp.

Route 52, B/330-145 D/365

Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

(914) 897-9498

193
Seymour Silverstein

RCA

Route 202, M/S 25

Somerville, NJ 08876

(201) 685-6168

Harry J. Skruch

Naval Ship R&D Center

Annapolis, MD 21402

(301) 267-4303

Hal Skurnick

Micrel Assoc. Inc.

14 LeRoy Place

Chappaqua, NY 10514

(914) 238-4961

Craig H. Sloneker

Medtronic Inc.

M/S B411

6972 Central Ave. , NE

Minneapolis, MN 55432

(612) 574-4233

Gary Smith

Cordis Corp.

14420 N.W. 60th Ave.

Plant 7

Miami Lakes, FL 33014

(305) 557-4500

Ronald Jay Solar

ARCO Medical Products Co.

P.O. Box 546

Leechburg, PA 15656

(412) 568-3663

J. Sosniak

Bell Labs

600 Mountain Ave.

Murray Hill, NJ 07974

(201) 582-6885

Robert Sotkiewich

CTS Microelectronics, Inc.

1201 Cumberland Ave.

Lafayette, IN 47906

(317) 463-2565

*Session Chairman

Maurice R. Stabler

General Electric Co.

P.O. Box 8555

Philadelphia, PA 19101

(215) 962-2885

David Stevenson*

Stanford University

Dept. of Materials Science

Stanford, CA 94305

(415) 497-4251

Milton Stoll

(ISHM & SEMI) Res. Inst. Co.

36 Mascolo Rd.

S. Windsor, CT 06074

(203) 528-9625

Robert E. Sulouff

Martin Marietta

P.O. Box 5837

Orlando, FL 32855

(305) 352-4261

Albert V. Suppinger

Hermaseal Co.

1101 Lafayette St.

Elkhart, IN 46515

(219) 264-1116

Mr. Susko

IBM

Rt. 52

East Fishkill, NY 12533

Thomas A. Telfer

General Electric Co.

French Rd.

Utica, NY 13503

(315) 797-1000

Ron Thomas

Motorola, Inc.

5005 E. McDowell Rd.

Phoenix, AZ 85282

(602) 244-4069

Robert W. Thomas*

Rome Air Development Center

Griffiss AFB, NY 13441

(315) 330-4632

194
E. Lorain Tinnes

Control Data Corp.

2800 E. Old Shakopee Rd.

HOM Bldg.

Bloomington, MN 55420

(612) 853-4721

0. D. Trapp

Technology Associates

51 Hillbrook Dr.

Portola Valley, CA 94025

(415) 941-8272

James T. Turner

Applied Physics Lab

Johns Hopkins Univ.

Johns Hopkins Rd.

Laurel, MD 20810

v301) 953-7100

Burt Unger

Bell Labs

60 0 Mountain Ave.

M\irray Hill, NJ 07974

(201) 582-2555

Leopoldo Valero

National Semiconductor

2900 Semiconductor Dr.

Santa Clara, CA 95051

(408) 737-6774

Albert F. Walcheski

Bell Labs

555 Union Blvd.

Al lentown, PA 18103

(215) 439-6177

Daniel R. Walsh, Sr.

Motorola, Inc.

1301 E. Algonquin Rd.

Schaumburg, FL 60196

(312) 576-2468

Herbert L. Webster*

Sandia Labs

\lbuquerque, NM 87185

(505) 264-6042

Steve Weisskoff

Phys-Chemical Research

36 West 20th St.

New York, NY 10011

(212) 924-2070

Cliff G. Welles

Intel

3065 Bowers Ave.

Santa Clara, CA 95051

(408) 987-7561

John White

Watkins Johnson Co.

700 Quince Orchard Rd.

Gaithersburg, MD 20760

(301) 948-7550

Malcom L. White

Bell Labs

555 Union Blvd.

Allentown, PA 18103

(215) 439-7457

Frank Whitelam

AEL

Richardson Rd.

Colmar, PA 18954

(215) 822-2929

Phillip C. Wildhagen

Aerospace Corp.

P.O. Box 92957

Los Angeles, CA 90009

(213) 648-5638

Kent Williamson

Medtronic Inc.

6970 Central Ave., N.E.

Minneapolis, MN 55432

(612) 574-4697

Jeffrey I. Winston

Rockwell Int'l.

3370 Miraloma Ave.

M/C DF03

Anaheim, CA 92803

(714) 632-2529

*Session Chairman

195
Edward D. Withers

Cordis Corp.

14420 NW 50th Ave.

Plant 7

Miami Lakes, FL 33014

(305) 557-4500

David R. Wonsidler

Bell Labs

555 Union Blvd.

Allentown, PA 18103

(215) 439-7237

Donald L. Young

NASA Johnson Space Center

NASA JSC Mail Code ED6

Houston, TX 77058

(713) 483-4061

Connie H. Zierdt, Jr.

Bell Labs

555 Union Blvd.

Allentown, PA 18103

(215) 439-7500

Anthony Zukas

Sperry Rand/Sperry Support Services

Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, MD 20771

(301) 982-6484

195
NBS-114A iREv. 2-8C1 U.S. DEPT. OF COMM. 1. PUBLICATION OR 2. Performing Organ. Report No. 3. Publication Date BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

REPORT NO. SHEET (See instructions) SP 400-69 May 1981

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Semiconductor Measurement Technology:

ARPA/NBS Workshop V

Moisture Measurement Technology for Hermetic Semiconductor Devices

Harry A. Schafft, Stanley Ruthberg, and Elaine C. Cohen, Editors

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (If joint or other than NBS. see instructions)

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMIWERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

7. Contract/Grant No. ARPA Order No. 2397

Program Code 8Y10

S. Type of Report & Period Covered

Final

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street, City. State, ZIP)

Defense Advanced Research

Projects Agency

1400 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22209

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 20234

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 81-600034

I I Document describes a computer program; SF-185, FlPS Software Summary, is attached.

11. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or /ess factual summary of most significant information, /f document includes a sigr)ificant

bi bliography or literature survey, mention it here)

The workshop, fifth in a series concerned with measurement problems in integrated

circuit processing and assembly, served as a forum to examine present problems

with the measurement of moisture in hermetic semiconductor devices. While

moisture-induced failure modes and mechanisms had received considerable attention

in the published literature and in meetings, the accurate and reliable measurement

of the moisture content had not; yet, this lack of measurement of moisture

reliability is a major obstacle to meaningful efforts to limit and control this

pervasize contaminant. Manuscripts and summaries are provided of 19 talks, panel

meetings, and group encounters on three major topics: mass spectrometer measurements of internal package moisture, moisture sensors, and package analysis and

quality assurance.

12. KEY WORDS fS/x to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only proper names; and separate key words by semicolons)

Analysis of moisture content; mass spectrometer measurement; moisture; moisture

generators; moisture sensors; quality control; reliability of semiconductor devices;

semiconductor devices.

13. AVAILABILITY

^ Unlimited

1 For Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS

Order From Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

20402.

[33] Order From National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA. 22161

14. NO. OF

PRINTED PAGES

202

15. Price

$6.00

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