Failure rate estimation in the case of zero failures

David J. Meade

doi:10.1117/12.284700

11 September 1997 Failure rate estimation in the case of zero failures

David J. Meade

Proceedings Volume 3216, Microelectronic Manufacturing Yield, Reliability, and Failure Analysis III; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.284700
Event: Microelectronic Manufacturing, 1997, Austin, TX, United States

Abstract

When a reliability test ends in zero units having failed, traditional reliability calculations suggest that the estimated failure rate is also zero, assuming an exponential distribution. However, this is not a realistic estimate of the failure rate, as it does not take into account the number of units on test. In such cases, a reasonable approach is to select a failure rate that makes the likelihood of observing zero failures equal to 50%. In other words, we select a failure rate that carries with it a high probability of observing zero failures for a given reliability test'. In this paper we review this methodology and demonstrate how it has been implemented at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) through a user friendly EXCEL based software application. Customized software tools such as this have led to increased awareness, productivity, and accuracy in reliability calculations at AMD.

Citation Download Citation

David J. Meade "Failure rate estimation in the case of zero failures", Proc. SPIE 3216, Microelectronic Manufacturing Yield, Reliability, and Failure Analysis III, (11 September 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.284700

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