scope:

This standard establishes uniform methods for testing semiconductor devices, including basic environmental tests to determine resistance to deleterious effects of natural elements and conditions surrounding military operations, and physical and electrical tests. For the purpose of this standard, the term "devices" includes such items as transistors, diodes, voltage regulators, rectifiers, tunnel diodes, and other related parts. This standard is intended to apply only to semiconductor devices. The test methods described herein have been prepared to serve several purposes:

a. To specify suitable conditions obtainable in the laboratory that give test results equivalent to the actual service conditions existing in the field, and to obtain reproducibility of the results of tests. The tests described herein are not to be interpreted as an exact and conclusive representation of actual service operation in any one geographic location, since it is known that the only true test for operation in a specific location is an actual service test at that point.

b. To describe in one standard all of the test methods of a similar character which now appear in the various joint-services semiconductor device specifications, so that these methods may be kept uniform and thus result in conservation of equipment, manhours, and testing facilities. In achieving this objective, it is necessary to make each of the general tests adaptable to a broad range of devices.

c. The test methods described herein for environmental, physical, and electrical testing of devices shall also apply, when applicable, to parts not covered by an approved military sheet-form standard, specification sheet, or drawing.

The test methods are designated by numbers assigned in accordance with the following system:

The tests are divided into five areas. Test methods numbered 1001 to 1999 inclusive, cover environmental tests; those numbered 2001 to 2999 inclusive cover mechanical-characteristics tests. Electrical-characteristics tests are covered in two groups; 3001 to 3999 inclusive covers tests for transistors and 4001 to 4999 covers tests for diodes. Test methods numbered 5000 to 5999 inclusive are for high reliability space applications.

Revisions are numbered consecutively using a period to separate the test method number and the revision number. For example, 4001.1 is the first revision of test method 4001.

When applicable, test methods contained herein shall be referenced in the individual specification by specifying this standard, the method number, and the details required in the summary of the applicable method. To avoid the necessity for changing specifications that refer to this standard, the revision number should not be used when referencing test methods. For example, use 4001, not 4001.1.