Burn-In Screening is a reliability test where packaged ICs are operated at elevated temperature and voltage for an extended period — to accelerate infant mortality failures and screen out weak devices before they reach the customer.

What Is Burn-In?

• Conditions: 125°C ambient, 1.1-1.2x nominal voltage ($V_{DD}$), 48-168 hours.
• Purpose: Accelerate latent defects (gate oxide weak spots, marginal solder joints) that would fail in the first weeks of customer use.
• Types:
• Static Burn-In: Powered but not clocked.
• Dynamic Burn-In: Powered and exercised with test patterns (more effective).
• Bathtub Curve: Burn-in eliminates the "infant mortality" region.

Why It Matters

• Automotive / Mil-Spec: Mandated by AEC-Q100 (automotive) and MIL-STD-883 (military/space) standards.
• Cost: Very expensive (oven time, power, handling). Industry trend is to minimize or replace with alternative screens.
• Zero DPPM: Goal of < 1 Defective Part Per Million for critical applications.

Burn-In Screening is the trial by fire for every chip — stressing devices under harsh conditions to weed out the weak before they fail in the field.