Reliability of Complementary MOS Integrated Circuits

This paper describes the results of tests of the stability and reliability of complementary MOS (CMOS) integrated circuits (IC). Operating life-tests at 125°C indicated excellent stability of electrical characteristics of both n-channel and p-channel transistors. Over three million device-hours of accelerated operating life-tests indicated a calculated failure rate, at a 60-percent s-confidence level, of 0.08%/1000 hours at 125°C, which corresponds to 0.01%/1000 hours at 55°C or 0.003%/1000 hours at 25°C. Field-usage reliability data on three satellites in orbit indicate a total failure rate of 0.003%/1000 hours (over thirty-four million operating hours with no failures). The observed failure rates are compared with other available data on IC reliability, and it is concluded that the reliability of CMOS ICs is equal to that of p-channel MOS circuits or of bipolar digital circuits of equal complexity, when each type is prepared by a well-controlled process, and operated at the same temperature. The operating temperature of CMOS IC chips in electronic systems is, however, generally lower since logic functions are accomplished at lower dissipation per gate.