Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!oliveb!pyramid!hplabs!hpfcdc!hpldola!hp-lsd!craig
From: craig@hp-lsd.HP.COM (Craig McCluskey)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: old EPROMs (was Re: Long-Life battery and clock)
Message-ID: <7600015@hp-lsd.HP.COM>
Date: 14 Dec 88 21:17:32 GMT
References: <1310017@hpcilzb.HP.COM>
Organization: HP Logic Systems Division - ColoSpgs, CO
Lines: 12

>         There are various types of failure modes in solid-state circuits
> which would manifest themselves over this period of time; such failure
> modes include, but are not limited to: (1) undesireable migration and
> diffusion effects; (2) corrosion effects; and (3) growth of micro-fine
> metallic "whiskers".  Present reliability design and testing methods
> for semiconductors do not cover the eventualities of a 100-year service
> life.

I recall discussions at college that a manned stellar probe would have to
have an IC fab facility on board so they could build new ICs to replace
the ones that failed because of diffusion.

Craig McCluskey