Your contribution to something big:
- Project Background:
- Conductive particles pose a significant short-circuit risk in electronic assemblies. While initial studies have compared "new" and "aged" particle conditions, the time-dependent evolution of particle surface properties and their influence on electrical contact probability remain largely unexplored. Current risk assessments often assume a worst-case scenario with unaged particles. This project aims to provide a more nuanced understanding by investigating how various materials age over extended periods, how their surface chemistry changes, and consequently, how their ability to cause electrical breakdown evolves.
- Research Objectives:
- Characterize the long-term aging kinetics of selected conductive particle materials under defined environmental conditions. This involves tracking changes in surface chemistry and morphology over extended periods;
- Quantify the impact of long-term aging on the electrical contact probability and breakdown voltage of these particles. This will involve repeating and extending the experimental methodology outlined in the literature;
- Develop a semi-empirical model or framework to predict the aging-induced change in contact probability for different particle materials over time. This will allow for more dynamic and realistic risk assessments.
- Proposed Study Plan:
- Literature Review;
- Experimental Setup Familiarization;
- Particle Material Selection, Preparation & Initial Characterization;
- Accelerated Aging Experiments (Design of Aging Regimes) & Intermediate Electrical Testing;
- Detailed Characterization of Aged Particles & Data Analysis;
- Model Development (Propose a semi-empirical model that describes the time-dependent evolution of contact probability based on aging conditions and material properties);
- Discussion & Thesis Writing.