Boltzmann-Arrhenius-Zhurkov Equation and Its Application in Aerospace Electronicsand-Photonics Reliability Physics Problems: Review

Application of Boltzmann-Arrhenius-Zhurkov (BAZ) equation in electronics-and-photonics (E&P) reliability-physics (RP) problems enables quantifying, on the probabilistic basis, the performance (actually, the never-zero probability of failure under the anticipated loading conditions and after the given time in operation) of an E&P material, thereby making a viable device into a reliable product, with the predicted, adequate and, when necessary and appropriate, even specified probability of failure in the field. The following E&P RP problems are addressed with an objective to show the significance and attributes of the approach based on the BAZ equation: 1) an EP package subjected to the combined action of two or more stressors (such as, say, elevated humidity and voltage); 2) three-step concept (TSC) in modeling reliability, when the RPbased BAZ equation is sandwiched between two well-known statistical models - Bayes formula (BF) and beta-distribution (BD); 3) static fatigue of an optical silica fiber intended for high-temperature applications; 4) low-cycle fatigue life-time of solder joint interconnections; 5) life-time of electron devices predicted from the yield information and 6) some important aspects of burn-in testing (BIT) of manufactured E&P products comprised of many mass-produced components. The general concepts and analyses are illustrated by practical numerical examples.