TEXAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE , AUSTIN, INC. — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: MDA14-T003

Description

The objective of the proposed effort is to identify and develop expedient, efficient and cost-effective defect screening methods and manufacturing process controls to reduce or eliminate reliability-impairing defects in base metal electrode(BME) multilayered ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). To accomplish this efficiently, Texas Research Institute Austin has assembled an alliance of ceramicists, metallurgists, manufacturing engineers, reliability engineers and modelers to support the effort from Purdue Universitys School of Materials Engineering and other local small businesses. In Phase I we will develop suitable test vehicles, accelerated aging protocols, and defect diagnostic methods to rapidly assess lot reliability based on the physics of failure. Simultaneously, the team will investigate manufacturing schema and practices, therein identify frailties susceptible to defect nascency, and develop suitable ameliorative measures to improve process robustness and suppress reliability impairing defects. In Phase II our team will implement and verify the methods and process modifications in an government approved manufacturing facility. Based on results of these efforts, the team will develop screening guidelines, test methods, and process controls in full-scale production within the facility, but maintain sufficient generality for industry wide application. Approved for Public Release 15-MDA-8161 (11 March 15)