Could shock tests adequately mimic drop test conditions?

Drop tests are often substituted in qualification or life testing of microelectronic and optoelectronic products by shock tests. The existing (e.g., Telcordia) qualification specifications require that a short term load of the given magnitude and duration (say, an "external" acceleration with the maximum value of 500 g, acting for 0.001 s) is applied to the support structure of the product under tests. The natural frequencies of vibration are not taken into account. The objective of our study is to develop simple analytical ("mathematical") predictive models for the evaluation of the dynamic response of a structural element in a microelectronic or an optoelectronic product/package to an impact load occurring as a result of drop or shock tests. We use the developed models to find out if a shock tester could be "tuned" in such a way that the shock tests would adequately mimic drop test conditions. We suggest that the maximum induced curvature and the maximum induced acceleration be used as suitable characteristics of the dynamic response of a structural element to an impact load. The results of the analysis can be helpful in physical design and qualification testing of microelectronic and photonic products, experiencing dynamic loads of short duration.