This paper describes work sponsored by the Naval Air Systems Command through the Pennsylvania State University Electro-Optics Center to develop photonics component failure rate models. Two model forms were developed as part of this effort. The first is compatible with, and being incorporated into, MIL-HDBK-217G. The second is compatible with, and being incorporated into, the Reliability Information Analysis Center (RIAC) 217 Plus system reliability assessment methodology.
MIL-HDBK-217 is being revised. It is the most widely known and used reliability prediction tool in the reliability engineering community and the current revision is outdated. A plan has been created to refresh the handbook and to look at adding a new approach to better reflect reliability of electronic equipment. This paper will discuss the work being performed and a roadmap of where MIL-HDBK-217 is headed.
Traditional reliability prediction methods are being confounded by current and near future semiconductor technologies, as gate feature sizes shrink below 100 nanometers causing the emergence of atomic level failure mechanisms and early wearout. The Physics of Failure (PoF) approach to reliability has advantages for assessing these technologies. Industry collaborative research in AVSI and VITA is being used to develop new reliability prediction approaches to meet future industry challenges.
The U.S. Defense Standardization Program Office (DSPO) has initiated a multi phase effort to update MIL-HDBK-217, the military’s often imitated reliability prediction bible for electronics equipment that has not been updated since 1995. This paper discusses a potential enhancement to 217 using physics of failure (PoF) methods.