scope:

This test measures changes in resistance of plated-through hole barrels and internal layer connections as holes are subjected to thermal cycling. Thermal cycling is produced by the application of a current through a specific coupon configuration. In this technique, the test coupon is resistance heated by passing DC current through the internal layer connection to the barrel for three minutes to bring the temperature of the copper to a designated temperature. Switching the current on and off creates thermal cycles between room temperature and the designated temperature within the sample. This thermal cycling induces cyclic fatigue strain in the plated-through hole barrels and internal layer interconnects and accelerates any latent defects. The number of cycles achieved permits a quantitative assessment of the performance of the entire interconnect. Detailed information regarding the test is found in Section 6.