Polyimide Fatigue Induced Chip Surface

in DRAM'S Lead-On-Chip (LOC) Packages

Masazumi Amagai

Package Development
Texas Instruments Japan

4260 Aza Takao, Oaza Kawasaki, Hiji-machi,

Hayami-gun, Oita, 879-15 Japan
Phone; 81-977-73-1547, Fax; 81-977-73-1582

potentially causes a heavily damaged polyimide surface. This damage

Abstract - The effect of mechanical fatigue on reliability failure
was studied, based on plastic fracture mechanics including stress
intensity factor, stress singularity, micro-plastic deformation
behavior, and stress-strain characteristics. The fatigue has made
the mechanical stability of novel lead-on-chip (LOG) packaging
technologies a grave concern. The dominant issue is device
failure related to fracture in the passivation layers and AI-Si-Cu
metal due to polyimide cracking caused by fatigue in
temperature cycles. To investigate the effect of polyimide fatigue
on chip surface damage, devices were fabricated with different
types of polyimides. A fatigue model obtained from the
experiment and the simulated results of plastic deformation
behavior were discussed. The validity of the proposed fatigue
model was verified by experiments on different types of epoxy
molding compounds. The results of these characterizations and
an explanation of the primary factors affecting polyimide fatigue
are presented in this paper.
I. INTRODUCTION
The dramatic increase in the number of devices and
functionality of the latest ultra large scale integration (ULSI) designs
have resulted in increasing chip size. Concurrently, to achieve higher
circuit board component densities, package dimensions have been
shrinking. These two competing trends are leading to ever more
rigorous requirements on the thermal and mechanical characteristics
of the packaging technology. Furthermore, the demand for increased
device functionally naturally leads to smaller feature sizes which are
often more sensitive to package-induced stress. As a result of these
demands, the LOC package [l-61 (shown in figure 1) has begun to
replace conventional package designs since it offers more margin
from the chip or die pad edge to the package outline. In the LOC
packaging technology, the lead fingers are attached directly to the
surface of polyimide deposited on the chip using a double-side
adhesive tape. Polyimide films [7-111 are currently being used as
stress buffers and adhesion promoters, to protect circuit elements
from package-induced stress damage and to avoid catastrophic
corrosion-related failures. After a high temperature chip mounting
process, the adhesive tape shrinks during cool down to room
temperature and subsequent to temperature cycling tests. This stress
in turn leads to crack Eonnation in the polyimide, and eventually to
fracture in conjunction with the passivation layers and AI-Si-Cu
metal. An example of the polyirmde cracking mduced by merfacia1
delamination between the epoxy molding compound and the tape is
illustrated in figure 2. This result is typical of the loss of polyimide
fatigue strength during temperature cycles. The effect of material
composition on chip surface damage and its temperature cycle
performance have been previously considered [9-11]. The effect of
assembly process parameters relevant to the damage has also been
studied [12-141. These methods have demonstrated vastly improved
polyimide cracking resistance but contained no explanation of
polyimide fatigue caused by interfacial delamination between the
polyimide and the epoxy molding resin.
This paper describes a fatigue model to predict the useful life
of polyimides associated with the accumulated damage during
temperature cycles. The model showing polyimide fatigue was
obtained from the stress intensity factor, stress singularity, polyimide
stress-strain characteristics and plastic deformation behavior. The
magnitudes of stress obtained by finite element method (FEM)
analysis were used to calculate the stress intensity factor in resolving
a stress singularity and subsequently to define the values of polyimide
plastic strains. A tensile test was carried out to determine polyimide
stress-strain characteristics. The validity of the proposed model was
verified by experiments on seven types of molding compounds
affecting different magnitudes of polyimide strains.
Figure 1 Small-outline-J-lead (SOJ)package with LOC design.

0~7803-2031-X/951$4.00 1995 IEEE 97

 9 Polyimide deposite 0 Patterning &clean

Epoxy molding compound

b Softbake 6 Polyimide Cure

Crack
I
6 exposure b Plasmaetch

Figure 3 Polyimide process flow.

TABLE I
MATRIXFOR POLYIMIDE
EXPERIMENTAL
....

Figure 2 Polyimide cracking induced by the accumulated fatigue Cure condition

No. i polyirrdde;.--.-.-..
^......-.,-.. .-.--,.----.-..-..--...-.
Iplasma treatmnt
during temperature cycles.
i Temperature -me iAtmosphere i i
.-... -2.--..--...-.i:.-..- (.C ....... *.......-.._-.______:
.....).............;(Hour)i __._____. ............-..
11. EXPERIMENTAL
PROCEDURE 1 j
--...--..-^.-...A j
-..-..- 3W
-...-._ ^.4i..--.....,1.5 i .......- N2
.---....-.-
)
i.............No
........... .
2 : A i 400 !2.0i
.-.. .+ -..-....- +. ..-.-..-..- L.-......... :.-....-.--..--... N2 No
8 ...........-.-....-..-..
Three types of photosensitive polyimides were used for the
experiments, A, B and C, respectively. Figure 3 depicts polyimide
process flow. One of the wafer samples (silicon wafers with a thin-
-
3 i
.
A
..-...
. L
i 400
. 2.0
-: ..-........-. - ..............................
^
.
N2 i Yes
:....-.._...-..^.--I..

fiim siiicon nitride surface) was coated with polyimide (A) while the -...4 f -..-...B
4 -..--..--.-
d
400 i
+. .
1 . 0 i N2
..-..............-.---. I-.-.-...-.-......--.. No

others were coated with respective polyimides, (A) and (B). 5

.^_.. -c
i B i
.......:................400 1
......... ....-.......... 1.0 i .......N2 .......... i:...........Yes ...-.... .........
Polyimide (A) was deposited by spin coating, followed by softbake,
6 f C
.-.... -.......-... t-...---..----.- 350 4.
1.0 Air No
........... ........................ ..........._. ..-..-...
ultraviolet (UV) exposure and development. The polyimide samples f ^ ^

were subsequently divided into two different cure temperatures (390, 7

........ f
i C
.I....._.--...-,-i ............ ....-..&....1.0
350 i .........i...........Air
g .....-_.. i
.1-'.^._
Yes
......-.............
400 "C) and times (1.5,2.0 hours), as illustrated in table I. Several of 8 C i 350 i 1.0 f N2 i No
the polyimide (A) samples received a CF4/02 reactive ion etch (NE)
surface treatment. Polyimide (B) was deposited by spin coating, 9 i C f 350 ! 1.0 ! IQ ! Yes I
followed by softbake, UV exposure and development. The polyimide
samples subsequently proceeded to the cure process (400 "C, 1 hour,
nitrogen gas ambient). As with the polyimide (A) samples, several of (w) : 3.00 mm). Tensile tests were carried out on a mechanical
the polyimide (B) samples received a CF4/02 RIE plasma treatment. testing machine at a velocity rate (40.00 "/min.) of an applied
Process steps used for the polyimide (C) samples were identical to the tensile force to obtain data on the fracture elongation, elastic modulus
steps for respective polyimides (A) and (B) samples except that the and tensile strength for respective polyimide samples (5 pieces).
polyirnide (C) samples had different cure conditions. Half of the The values of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and
polyimide (C) samples were cured at 350 "C (1 hour) in a nitrogen flexible elastic modulus for seven different molding compounds were
g a s ambient while the other hall were cured at 350 "C (1 hour) in an characterized with thermal material analyzing (TMA) and three-point
air ambient. Several of the polyimide (C) samples received a CF4/02 bending techniques. Three-point bending specimens (length : 100
RIE plasma treatment. AU of the wafers were subsequently rmn, thickness : 10 mm, width : 4 mm) made of different molding
processed into chip samples, which were encapsulated in small outline compounds were individually molded and subsequently tested (5
J-lead (SOJ) packages. A thermosetting epoxy molding compound units) as illustrated in figure 5.
was used for the encapsulation. After encapsulation, all the packages
underwent temperature cycling tests (-65 - 150 "C). After several
leading points of temperature cycles, the encapsulated samples ( 5 111. RESULTSAND DISCUSSION
units) were chemically [9-111 decapped to observe polyimide
cracking and chip surface damage by a scanning electron microscope A . POLYIMIDE
CHARACTERISTICS
(SEM).
Tensile specimens were prepared and left at room temperature Figure 6 illustrates an example of the polyimide force-
for 240 hours. Figure 4 illustrates a shape and size of the tensile deformation characteristics during tensile tests. The linear elastic
specimen ( length (1) : 50.00 mm , thickness (t) : 0.01 1 mm, width region for a
98
 F4

F3
F2

r F1

Figure 4 Shape und size of the tensile specimen.

h IF Figure 6 Force-deformation characteristics.

I
= O3k3 -a3 O
2
(E-&3)
2

Figure 5 Outlined view of three-bending test.

force-deformation curve extents to (F3, L3) with a slope equal to the

elastic modulus. Larger values of the applied force cause plastic
deformation of the polyiinides which become unstable above a yield
point (F3, L3) and fracture at (F4, U). Figure 7 represents an E l E 2 E3
example of the stress-strain characteristics. The stress which a0 a 1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 a8 a9 a10
estimates the applied force per a cross-sectional area for a polyimide
sample is given by (1). Figure 7 Stress-struin Characteristics.

F
wxt L4
E4 = log- (4)
Where F is the applied force, w is the width and t is the thickness of
I
the polyimide specimens. The elastic modulus is defined by (2). Where L4 is maximum deformation during the tensile tests.

(F2 - Fl)/(t x W )
(L2 - Ll)/1
Where F1 and F2 are respective applied forces. L1 and L2 are
respective polyimide deformations during the tensile tests. 1 is the
length of the polyimide specimens.
The yield point (03) of the polyimide which represents the
change from the region of the elastic to plastic deformation is written
as (3)
The polyimide mechanical potential energy which is the area
under the stress-strain curves is determined primarily by a yield point,
elastic modulus and break point of polyimide. The mechanical
potential energy which is an important factor in determining the
fatigue life can be written as (5).
el €3 el
o d & = j o d E + j @CdE (5)
Where G and E are the polyimide stress and strain. ~3 and ~4 are the
polyimide strain at a yield point and break point, respectively. The
polyimide mechanical potential energy ranging from 0 to ~3 can be
approximated by (6).

F3 6 B
0 3 =-
txw
(3) I CdE 5 { ~ 3 / ~ 3 ~ ( ~ - - ~ 3de
) ~ -(6)0 3 }
Maximum strain ( ~ 4is) taken from (4). ~ 3 / & 3 ' ( & - - ~ 3 ) ~is - a~ 3secondary curve which is similarly the
99
stress-strain curve ranging from 0 to E3. The polyimide mechanical B. STRESSSINGULARITY
potential energy ranging from e3 to ~4 can be approximated by (7),
based on a Simpson's rule [15]. In order to obtain the stress distribution in a complex model
such as IC packages, finite element analysis (FEA) is believed to be
el
J E1/3~(~4-~3)/10~{~3+
the best available tool [17]. Models of cross sections of SOJ
~ 4
packages with the LOC design were built using higher order (8
nodes) plane strain elements [18]. A plane strain element formulation
+4(al+a3+a5+a7+a9) was used because it includes the effect of Poion's ratio and has shown
+2 (a 2+a 4+a 6+a8)} (7) a reasonably good approximation of the 3-D stress state within plastic
package. These models included a chip, lead frame, LOC tape, mold
Where a0 - a10 corresponding to the polyimide stresses ranging from compound and polyimide as shown in figure 8. Due to symmetry
BO - b10 (03 to 04) are the polyimide strains (E3 to s4) divided only half of the package was modeled. Models also included a
equally by 10. delamination between the epoxy molding compound and the LOC

TABLE 11
POLYIMIDE
CHARACTERISTICS

Material Property
No. ?--- .-..- .........................................
~

I
i Elongation Tensile strength Elastic modulus Potential energy

.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
I
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
(%)
.
j (Kg/Inm2) j cKglmm2) .-+I ...-..---..- @gld)
1 i 16 ! 14.8
--.+ ...-...-.. +..-..-...-... !..I.._
340
.._
1.8712
---+...-..-..-..
2 !
-..+... 33 i ..-..-...-...
15.1 4.- ..-..-. 340 -... 1 3.9708
.+ .--..-..-..

-I ...-..--..2.9188
I..._.. ~

3 1
-..+ 27
...-...-..-..- 13.3
~ .-...-... 1
.-..-..-...
+-
340

Figure 8 Typical model of SOJpackage with LOC design.

Results of calculations using (1) - (7) on respective polyimide

characteristics, the elongation, elastic modulus, tensile strength and
mechanical potential energy, are presented in table 11. The sample of
polyimide (A) cured at 400 "C in a nitrogen gas ambient for 2 hours
prior to a plasma etch exhibits an elongation of 33 % and a
mechanical potential energy of 3.9708 kg/mnm2 while the polyimide
cured at 390 "C exhibits an elongation of 16 % and a mechanical
potential energy of 1.8712 kg/mm2. It is believed that the poor
density of a molecular chain due to insufficient cure conditions readily
causes the polyimide fracture [16]. Use of the CF4/02 plasma etch
causes the surface damage of polyimide [7] since the sample of
polyimide (A) with the plasma etch exhibits lower mechanical
potential energy than without the plasma etch. The sample of'
polyimide (B) without a plasma etch exhibits an elongation of 57 %
and a mechanical potential energy of 7.4035 kg/mmZ while the Figure 9 Nodes at lower corner of tape side.
polyimide sample with the plasma etch exhibits an elongation of 52 %
and a mechanical potential energy of 6.3971 kg/mm2. As with the
polyimide (A) sample, it is believed that micro-cracking (30 - 60 nm)
171 near the polyimide (Bj surface induced by the plasma etch causes tape. The load applied to the models was cooling down from a zero
the lack of elongation and mechanical potential energy. The sample stress state at 175 "C (molding compound) and 400 "C (LOCtape) to
of polyimide ( C ) cured in a nitrogen gas ambient exhibits a -65 "C which is the lowest temperature reached during qualification
mechanical potential energy of 3.2445 kg/rnm2 while the polyimide testing.
cured in an air ambient depicts a mechanical potential energy of Figure 9 illustrates an example of elements called " crack tip
2.2383 kg/mm2 . It is believed that the lack of energy has been element" based on the fortnulation by Barsoum (19). The way to
attributed to insufficient imide formation caused by hydrolysis during introduce a stress singularity into a finite element is to manipulate the
the air cure 171. As with polyimide (A) and (B), polyimide (C) with mid-side node position of an 8 node isoparamenic element. The best
the plasma etch represents a decrease in the values of the mechanical way is to shift the mid-side nodes to quarter position at a tip of
potential energy. interfacial delamination. These nodes were extended downward at 0,
100
 45, 90, -45, -90" angles from the tip of interfacial delamination am azxy am
---+- amy
between the epoxy molding resin and the LOC tape to the polyimide =O,--+-- -0 (11)
inside. ax ay ax ay
Figure 10 depicts an example of oy and zxy distributions for a
polyimide intemal stress at the direction of 0" angle near the tip of
interfacial delamination as a function of distance (r). It is evident that
stress singularity for oy and ~ x yappeared near r = 0 in the Where A is an Airey stress function.
distributions. Therefore, these stress distributions can be described as
(8) and (9) [20].

Where oy and zxy are the values of polyimide intemal stress in the x
and xy directions.

Figure 11 Crack tip coordinates.

The stresses near the tip of a crack or delamination can be

:f :
defined by using a suitable hiharmonic function for A(x,y) which
can be represented by functions of complex variable (13), (14).

e 3e
oy=- Ki (1+ sin-sin-)cos- e
2/27tT 2 2 2
-144 Kii 0 38 8
-- cos -cos -sin - (13)
Figure 10 Stress singularity field as function of distance.
J Z i - 2 2 2
Ki
zxy = -.cos
e 30
-cos -sin -
e
C. STRESSINTENSITYFACTOR e 2 2 2
It was proposed that the stress singularity fields associated
with infinity, complicated stress and displacement distribution were
e sin -)3e cos -e
-- ai (1 - sin -
(14)
characterized with the stress intensity factor [21-221. The primary 2 2 2
stress components in the tip region of crack (figure 11)
corresponding to the three modes (IQ Kiii) can be expressed by
Kii, , Where r and 0 are polar coordinates. ay and zxy are the normal
(10) ~ 3 1 . stresses in y and xy directions, respectively.

The component stresses (oy,zxy) obtained by finite element

analysis were used to determine the stress intensity factors g0,a).
The stress intensity factor around the tip of delamination are assumed
to be a Ki and Kii mixed mode, since it is obvious that the stresses
due to thermal expansion mismatch cause the opening and shearing
deformations around the tip of delamination, which can be expressed
There are basically three modes of failure in fracture theory and all as (15) [25].
cracks can be classified as one or a combination of these modes [24].
The parameters, Ki, Kii and Kiii are defied as stress intensity factors
corresponding to the three modes, an opening model, shearing mode
and tearing model, respectively. The way to introduce a I/,&
stress singularity into a finite element is to determine the stress
intensity factor. In 2-D plane strain analyses, it is necessary to
satisfy the equlilibrium and compatibility equations which can be Where Ki and Kii are the stress intensity factors corresponding to an
written as (1I), (12). opening and a shearing mode, respectively.

101
 Figure 12 reveals an example of the stress intensity factor (K) TABLE 111
as a function of distance (r) at the direction of 0" angle from the tip of MATERIALPROPERTY
delamination between the epoxy molding resin and the LOC tape.
The value of stress intensity factor (K) at r=O point can be easily CTE Elastic modulus
found by means of an extrapolated method in the graph. The stress Material
intensity (K) which was defied by the extrapolated method is an
(PPm) (Kg/"2)
extraordinary factor in resolving a stress singularity. Mold compound 10 1900
.-_I--...-.. .-...-.- --.
LOC tape 42 300
-.-.. --....-....-..-...-_-. ^____I-

Polyimide 15 380
0.90
p.-.-.- .... ---.-.-.-t
........ -t---------------
Lead Frame
---. 4.3 .---.--.
.....--..----.-. 15000
Chip 3.O 21220
0.70

?L
0.50

0.30 -1- r-o

0 2 4 6 8 10
Distance (r) ( )

Figure 12 An extrapolated method.

D.STRESSINTENSITYANALYSIS
Based on the previously mentioned mid-side node position of
an isoparametric element, two dimensional plane strain analysis was
executed for a 600 x 875 x 108 m i l s (width x length x height) SOJ
package with the LOC design. Only one half of the cross-section was
modeled as there is symmetry about the center h e . The specified
elastic modulus and coefficient thermal expansion (CTE) for the
model material is given in table 111. Steady-state stress analyses were
subsequently performed for the models which were cooling down
from a zero stress state at 175 "C (the curing temperature of molding
compound) and 400 "C (the attached temperature of LOC tape) to -
65 "C.
The stress singularity typically appeared at a sharp comer, tips
of a crack and delamination, and interface between dissimilar
materials. It could be seen that the highest polyimide seess
concentration affecting the stress singularity occurred at the tip of
delamination between the epoxy molding compound and the LOC
tape side. As mentioned earlier, a I/& singularity behaviour was
subsequently introduced to define stress intensity factors (Ki, Kii)
around the tip of delamination. The stress intensity factors obtained
by the finite element analysis were then used to calculate a Ki and Kii
mixed stress intensity factor (r=O) by means of the extrapolated
method.
Figure 13 indicates the stress intensity factor (IC) for the
extended downward at directions of 0, 45, 90, -45, -90" angles from
the tip of interfacial delamination between the epoxy molding
compound and the LOC tape to the polyimide inside [26]. The
maximum value of stress intensity factor (K) for the polyimide was
confinned at the direction of -45" angles, except for the interface (at -
90" angles), which predicts that polyimide cracking could be directly
propagated to -45" angles. Polyimide cracking actually was extended
downward at the direction of approximate -45" angles during
Figure 13 Stress intensiryfactor distribution at several directions.
temperature cycles.
E FATIGUE
E. POLYIMID
The failure mechanism is loss of system performance due to
mechanical fatigue of a ductile component under cyclic loads. Cyclic
mechanical deformations (strains) and loads (stresses) in the
polyimide can eventually cause a cracking failure even though the
peak strains never exceed the ultimate ductility (strain at a break
point) of the polyimide [27]. It is expected that the observed
polyimide cracking during temperature cycles is due to the
accumulation of incremental damage with each load cycle. Figure 14
illustrates a value of the cyclic range of the stress intensity factor, AK.
AK can be written as (16).
Where Kmax and Kmin are the stress intensity factors (a Ki and Kii
mixed mode) at r = 0 from the tip of delamination between the epoxy
molding resin and the LOC tape in the direction of -45 degrees.
Kmax and Kmin were obtained from finite element models and the
extrapolated method, which were applied by the loads in the ranges
from zero stress state to -65, and 150°C, respectively. 0.4951 was
determined as the value of AK.

102

1 Cycle
Figure 14 Cyclic amplitude of stress intensity factor.
M i c r o plastic d e f o r m a t i o n
04
(r3
02
/I I I
01
E l E 2 E3 E4
Figure 15 Stress-strain curve with cyclic strain hysteresis loop.
Figure 15 represents the cyclic hysteresis diagram for the
polyimide. Shearing, opening and closing deformations around the
tip of delamination between the epoxy molding resin and the LOC
tape accumulates the polyimide damage while the stress intensity
factors are varied from Kmax to Kmin. The polyimide damage is due
to micro-plastic deformations in the polyimide 1241. Concurrently,
micro-plastic deformation causes micro-crack followed by crack
propagation while it makes unstable around the tip of delamination
under cyclic load [24].
The radius, rp(n), of plastic region due to micro-plastic
deformation in the polyimide from the tip of delamination in the
number of cycles is obtained by (17) [25]. The radius of plastic
region is the most important factor in estimating a crack propagation
ratio and fatigue life.
Where AK(n) is the stress intensity factor in the number of cycles. 03
is a yield point obtained from a stress-strain curve. 0 is a polar
coordinate.
103
A opening deformation at interfacial delamination between the epoxy
molding compound and the LOC tape in the number of cycles is
written by (18) [25].
Where a(n), oeqv(n) are the length of delamination and the equivalent
stress in the number of cycles. E is the elastic modulus. The
equivalent stress is given by (19).
Where ol(n), &(n) and 03(n) are the principle stresses in the number
of cycles.
Figure1 6 Crack propagation mechanism around the tip of
delamination.
Figure 16 shows the crack propagation mechanism at the tip of
delamination between the epoxy molding compound and the LOC
tape. The microstractural damage due to the change of polyimide
characteristics from elastic to plastic strain can be a fatigue crack
while the severity of stress field concentrates at the tip of
delamination. One step of a striation (illustrated in Figure 16)
indicates a radius of plastic region, rp(l), during one cycle and
subsequent steps of striations, radiuses of plastic regions, rp(2)
...,rp( n), during cyclic loads. Concurrently, one step of opening
deformation exhibits a magnitude of deformation, $(1), during one
cycle and the magnitudes subsequently becomes larger, $(a) ...,I$(n),
as propagating cracks.
rp(n) and oeqv(n) are written as (20). A growth rate (A) is
powerfully proportional to rp.
Where A is the constants dependent upon the material.
An area under a curve of K / 2 71: r f (8) can be approximated by (21)
~41.
 -2.0 I I
-5.0 1
.
6.0
,
. 7.0 8.0 9.0
log N
Figure I 7 Fatigue polyimide cracking as a function of mechanical
potential energy during temperature cyclic loads.
r
K / 2 n; r f (e) dr 2 rp Oeqv (21)
Therefore, following equation can be written as (22).
Figure 17 depicts polyimide cracking induced by fatigue life as
functions of polyimide mechanical potential energy (G) and number
of cyclic loads for 9 types of polyimides on a log-log scale. It is
obvious that polyimides having higher mechanical potential energy
lead to longer fatigue life during temperature cyclic loads.
Based on the results of the experiment and simulation, the
relationship between the polyimide mechanical potential energy and
the number of temperature cyclic loads can be expressed as (23).
Where t is the material thickness (polyimide film 10 um) and G is the
polyimide mechanical potential energy which can be given by (24).
Where and E are stress and strain obtained from a stress-strain
curve.
F . FATIGUEMODEL
The experimental and simulated results suggest a fatigue
model to predict the number of temperature cyclic loads to the
failures. The proposed model can be expressed as (25).
104
Where:
A ( t 1) and B = constants dependent upon the material.
rp = radius of plastic region at the tip of delamination (or crack).
oeqv = equivalent stress at the tip of delamination (or crack).
t = material thickness.
o = stress from stress-strain curve.
E = strain from stress-strain curve.
G. EFFECTOF M O D COMPOUND
The validity of the proposed model was verified by
experiments on seven types of the epoxy molding compounds
affecting different magnitudes of polyimide strains at the tip of
delamination between the molding compound and the LOC tape.
Three-point bending and thermal material analyzing (TMA) tests
were executed to determine the values of coefficient thermal
expansion (CTE) and flexible elastic modulus.
The CTE (aconst : constant CTE) and elastic modulus (Econst :
constant tensile elastic modulus) used in finite element analyses ( E A )
are approximated by (26) and (27), respectively.
Where Tg is a transition of glass and T is temperature. c1 and E are
the values of the CTE and elastic modulus dependent upon
temperatures. The tensile elastic modulus can be obtained from (28)
Wl.
Where EB is the flexible modulus obtained by three-bending tests. ET
and Ec are the tensile elastic modulus and compressive elastic
modulus, respectively (ET/Ec < 1). EnEc is assumed to be
approximately a 1/3 [28].
Figure 18, 19 reveal examples of the CTE and elastic modulus
properties as a function of temperatures. The properties of molding
compound can be classified into a glass region (below Tg) and
rubber-like region (above Tg). Examples of aconst, Econst used in
finite element analysis are plotted in the graphs (figure 18 ,19).
A simple way to verify the model used to solve the fatigue life
is to compare its numberical cycles with the results obtained by the
experiments. In the experiments, polyimide (10um thickness) having
an mechanical potential energy of 1.8712 kg/mm2 was used, and the
encapsulated samples with different molding compounds were
chemically decapped to observe chip surface damage at the leading
points of 0,250,500,750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750,2000,2500 and
3000, respectively. The CTE and elastic modulus properties obtained
by (26)-(28) equations and tests are shown in table IV. The way to
introduce these properties into finite element analyses was to
determine the radius of plastic region and the equivalent stress around
the tip of delamination between the LOC tape and the epoxy molding
compound. The number of temperature cyclic loads to failure was
subsequently calculated by using the fatigue model. Table IV also
represents a comparison between fatigue model and experimental
results. The predicted cycles from the fatigue model are correlated
to be within 20 % of the experimental results. This error is due to the
fact that the stress relax induced by the viscoelastic behavior of
molding compound was ignored in finite element models. The
 IV. CONCLUSIONS
The results of these experiments and analyses suggest the chip
surface damage and polyimide cracking in LOC packages are
determined primarily by the polyimide mechanical potential energy.
The improved mechanical potential energy reduce the probability of
! / : a2 polyimide cracking and chip surface damage during temperature
cyclic loads. The Ki and Kii mixed stress intensity obtained by the
extrapolated method is very important factor in resolving the stress
singularity field. The stress intensity factor determines the radius of
plastic region around the tip of delamination between the epoxy
molding compound and the LOC tape. A fatigue model, which was
obtained from the radius of plastic region, the equivalent stress
Tg 175 around the tip of delamination, and the mechanical potential energy,
25 Temperature ( 0 C) was proposed to predict the number of cyclic loads to the failure.
The model was correlated to be within 20 % of experimental results.
Figure I 8 An example of CTE used in FEA. Development of appropriate model for predicting numberical cycles is
useful to aid in formulating design criteria for the advanced packages,

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to thank Akira Karashima and technical
staff of Texas Instruments Japan for their support and technical
advice. Additionally, the contributions of technical staff of Texas
Instruments Dallas, Houston and Singapore are gratefully
acknowledged.

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