Testing Capabilities
Virtium has in-depth test capacity and a broad array of standard and enhanced test capabilities. Our extensive testing experience allows us to prevent manufacturing and component defects to ensure the highest level of product quality to our customers. In addition to our extensive standard processes outlined below, Virtium has the capability to customize test flows to meet specific application requirements.
Virtium’s test flow processes include:
- Functional Test
- 100% of our modules and flash products are functionally tested after manufacturing.
- 100% of our modules and flash products are functionally tested after manufacturing.
- System-level Test
- 100% of our modules and flash products are tested on actual customers’ motherboards or on customer-approved motherboards with identical chipsets and setup, and are performed using diagnostic programs at true speeds. System testing is critical to catch defects such as ECC errors that cannot be discovered using standard test systems.
- 100% of our modules and flash products are tested on actual customers’ motherboards or on customer-approved motherboards with identical chipsets and setup, and are performed using diagnostic programs at true speeds. System testing is critical to catch defects such as ECC errors that cannot be discovered using standard test systems.
- Burn-in Test
- Depending on application or customer requirements, products during the System Level Test above are also tested under Temptronic Thermalstream Units for temperatures down to -45 degrees C, or are tested using an under-temperature oven for a duration of up to 12 hours at 85 degrees C ambient.
- Depending on application or customer requirements, products during the System Level Test above are also tested under Temptronic Thermalstream Units for temperatures down to -45 degrees C, or are tested using an under-temperature oven for a duration of up to 12 hours at 85 degrees C ambient.
Additional Virtium testing capabilities include:
- Temperature Up-Screening
- 4-Corner
- Test During Burn-In (TDBI)
- Parametric Specification
Temperature Up-Screening helps lower customer costs and shortens lead times by allowing Virtium to replace limited supply or higher cost industrial components with more widely available standard components. Another Virtium differentiator is our ability to test products continually during high temperature burn-In (TDBI) that enables us to capture transitory anomalies while operating at elevated temperatures. This technique identifies infant mortality failures to prevent costly system failures in delivered systems.
In addition to Virtium’s robust testing of 100% of our customer’s products, Virtium performs extensive qualification tests as part of our new product development process. These qualification tests include:
- Soldering
- Shock and vibration
- High/Low Vcc
- Thermal cycling
- HALT/HASS
At Virtium, our testing expertise also allows us to develop ruggedized memory modules. To learn more about Virtium’s full line of rugged modules, please go to: Advanced Memory Modules – Rugged
Test-During-Burn-in (TDBI)
Virtium’s engineering and quality teams have analyzed the failure modes of DRAM modules and determined that DRAM components with sub-optimal reliability used in memory modules tend to fail during early stages of operation. If a semiconductor fails, it is usually in it first trimester of use. As newer DRAMs advance into smaller process geometries, there can be a greater risk for chips that contain “weak” bits (a microscopic defect in an individual cell). This is not enough to cause a DRAM failure outright, but may exhibit a single bit error within weeks after initial field operation begins. This can also be substantiated by the DRAM reliability chart below, which illustrates a semiconductor industry standard. The “Bathtub” reliability curve below shows that stabilization period is three months after product is shipped. After that, the component is generally stabilized for a period of 15 to 20 years.
To further eliminate any potential early failures due to “marginal” DRAM devices and to improve overall reliability of memory product before field operation, Virtium can implement an additional test using TDBI. (Test During Burn-in) Although most DRAM chips undergo a static burn-in at the chip level, TDBI offers a very unique and far more comprehensive testing capability because it provides a burn-in test at the module level while dynamically running and checking test patterns as the module is performing under stress conditions. Once the memory module completes burn-in for 24 hours, a post system test is required to ensure the module is robustly operational in the system. Studies done by various memory manufacturers suggest that using TDBI chambers can reduce early failures up to 90%
In summary:
- TDBI will reduce the early life failure of DRAM up to 90%
- TDBI will NOT detect the failures such as ESD, handling, manufacturing defects…
