Abstract
Reliability assessment of microelectronic printed circuit board assemblies has been routinely achieved using physics of failure based CAD software packages that feature closed-form mathematical models for relevant degradation and failure processes. With the current trend toward development of hybrid electronic products that feature optoelectronic components along side microelectronic circuitry, reliability assessment techniques that build upon previously established CAD methodologies are attractive. Development of failure models for optoelectronic components is currently hampered due to the relative immaturity of the optoelectronic market. This has limited useful field data which can help to identify areas of priority, and also provide data leading to physics of failure degradation models. However, incorporation of optical components into CAD reliability software using currently available models is achievable today. This paper reports a CAD reliability assessment of a laser transmitter module which features a fiber pigtailed diode laser bonded to a printed circuit board assembly containing the laser driver and logic circuitry. The assessment has been carried out using existing CAD software developed at the University of Maryland Computer Aided Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) Electronics Packaging Research Center. A brief review of the CAD resuit is followed by an overview of major failure mechanisms for diode lasers (LDs), light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a few comments on optical fiber interconnect reliability issues. This approach for implementing virtual product verification through CAD assessment of optoelectronic product reliability is suggested, and is particularly useful for product designers and engineers responsible for reliability engineering of hybrid microelectronic/optoelectronic products.
