Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) hinge memory lifetime reliability modeling

The Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) continues to make significant improvements in high temperature operating lifetime. This paper will briefly describe the DMD, the hinge memory failure mode and parametrics important to characterize hinge memory, provide lifetime estimates and compare results to practical experience. The methods employed to develop an understanding of DMD lifetime are very similar to those used throughout the semiconductor industry to model reliability. While the failure modes and mechanisms may be quite different, the approach of identifying failure modes, accelerating the failures and applying acceleration to estimate lifetime is the same.