Defects in electronics and their significance for structural integrity

With Electronics likely to become a major area of interest to structural integrity practitioners, the paper aims to introduce the field from a structural integrity perspective. The Industry is presently facing two major challenges: continued miniaturisation and the implementation of lead-free technology associated with interconnections. Following a consideration of the background of both aspects, a brief outline of typical components and production processes is presented. Attention is then focussed upon possible defects that may arise during manufacture, and under the, often, complex conditions of service. Comparisons are drawn with more traditional applications of structural integrity, and the fresh challenges associated with the utilisation of a new generation of solder alloys, and with micro and near-nano dimensions, are introduced