Lynred Sensors

MIL-STD 810, U.S. Department of Defense Test Method Standard, Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests, is a United States Military Standard that emphasises tailoring an equipment’s environmental design and test limits to the conditions that it will experience throughout its service life, and establishing chamber test methods that replicate the effects of environments on the equipment rather than imitating the environments themselves. Although prepared specifically for U.S. military applications, the standard is often applied for commercial products as well.

The standard’s guidance and test methods are intended to:

• define environmental stress sequences, durations, and levels of equipment life cycles;
• be used to develop analysis and test criteria tailored to the equipment and its environmental life cycle;
• evaluate equipment’s performance when exposed to a life cycle of environmental stresses
• identify deficiencies, shortcomings, and defects in equipment design, materials, manufacturing processes, packaging techniques, and maintenance methods; and
• demonstrate compliance with contractual requirements.

Cognizant agency

MIL-STD-810 is maintained by a Tri-Service partnership that includes the United States Air Force, Army and Navy. The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, or ATEC, serves as Lead Standardization Activity / Preparing Activity, and is chartered under the Defense Standardization Program (DSP) with maintaining the functional expertise and serving as the DoD-wide technical focal point for the standard. The Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology is the Administrator for WG-DTE043: MIL-STD-810, the Working Group tasked with reviewing the current environmental testing guidance and recommending improvements to the DOD Tri-Service Working Group.

Scope and purpose

MIL-STD-810 addresses a broad range of environmental conditions that include: low pressure for altitude testing; exposure to high and low temperatures plus temperature shock (both operating and in storage); rain (including wind blown and freezing rain); humidity, fungus, salt fog for rust testing; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acceleration; shock and transport shock; gunfire vibration; and random vibration. The standard describes environmental management and engineering processes that can be of enormous value to generate confidence in the environmental worthiness and overall durability of a system design. The standard contains military acquisition program planning and engineering direction to consider the influences that environmental stresses have on equipment throughout all phases of its service life. The document does not impose design or test specifications. Rather, it describes the environmental tailoring process that results in realistic material designs and test methods based on materiel system performance requirements.

Specific examples of Test Methods called out in MIL-STD-810 are listed below:

• Test Method 500.6 Low Pressure (Altitude)
• Test Method 501.6 High Temperature
• Test Method 502.6 Low Temperature
• Test Method 503.6 Temperature Shock
• Test Method 504.2 Contamination by Fluids
• Test Method 505.6 Solar Radiation (Sunshine)
• Test Method 506.6 Rain
• Test Method 507.6 Humidity
• Test Method 508.7 Fungus
• Test Method 509.6 Salt Fog
• Test Method 510.6 Sand and Dust
• Test Method 511.6 Explosive Atmosphere
• Test Method 512.5 Immersion
• Test Method 513.7 Acceleration
• Test Method 514.7 Vibration
• Test Method 515.7 Acoustic Noise
• Test Method 516.7 Shock
• Test Method 517.2 Pyroshock
• Test Method 518.2 Acidic Atmosphere
• Test Method 519.7 Gunfire Shock
• Test Method 520.4 Temperature, Humidity, Vibration, and Altitude
• Test Method 521.4 Icing/Freezing Rain
• Test Method 522.2 Ballistic Shock
• Test Method 523.4 Vibro-Acoustic/Temperature
• Test Method 524.1 Freeze / Thaw
• Test Method 525.1 Time Waveform Replication
• Test Method 526.1 Rail Impact.
• Test Method 527.1 Multi-Exciter
• Test Method 528.1 Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard Equipment (Type I – Environmental and Type II – Internally Excited)

The MIL-STD-883 standard establishes uniform methods, controls, and procedures for testing microelectronic devices suitable for use within military and aerospace electronic systems including basic environmental tests to determine resistance to deleterious effects of natural elements and conditions surrounding military and space operations; mechanical and electrical tests; workmanship and training procedures; and such other controls and constraints as have been deemed necessary to ensure a uniform level of quality and reliability suitable to the intended applications of those devices. For this standard, the term “devices” includes monolithic, multichip, film and hybrid microcircuits, microcircuit arrays, and the elements from which the circuits and arrays are formed. This standard is intended to apply only to microelectronic devices.

The MIL-STD-883 standard was issued by the US Department of Defense.

Environmental tests, methods 1001-1034

• 1001 Barometric pressure, reduced (altitude operation)
• 1002 Immersion
• 1003 Insulation resistance
• 1004.7 Moisture resistance
• 1005.8 Steady-state life
• 1006 Intermittent life
• 1007 Agree life
• 1008.2 Stabilization bake
• 1009.8 Salt atmosphere
• 1010.8 Temperature cycling
• 1011.9 Thermal shock
• 1012.1 Thermal characteristics
• 1013 Dew point
• 1014.13 Seal
• 1015.10 Burn-in test
• 1016.2 Life/reliability characterization tests
• 1017.2 Neutron irradiation
• 1018.6 Internal gas analysis
• 1019.8 Ionizing radiation (total dose) test procedure
• 1020.1 Dose rate induced latchup test procedure
• 1021.3 Dose rate upset testing of digital microcircuits
• 1022 Mosfet threshold voltage
• 1023.3 Dose rate response of linear microcircuits
• 1030.2 Preseal burn-in
• 1031 Thin film corrosion test
• 1032.1 Package induced soft error test procedure
• 1033 Endurance life test
• 1034.1 Dye penetrant test

Mechanical tests, methods 2001-2036

• 2001.2 Constant acceleration
• 2002.3 Mechanical shock
• 2003.7 Solderability
• 2004.5 Lead integrity
• 2005.2 Vibration fatigue
• 2006.1 Vibration noise
• 2007.2 Vibration, variable frequency
• 2008.1 Visual and mechanical
• 2009.9 External visual
• 2010.10 Internal visual (monolithic)
• 2011.7 Bond strength (bond pull test)
• 2012.7 Radiography
• 2013.1 Internal visual inspection for DPA
• 2014 Internal visual and mechanical
• 2015.11 Resistance to solvents
• 2016 Physical dimensions
• 2017.7 Internal visual (hybrid)
• 2018.3 Scanning electron microscope (SEM) inspection of metallization
• 2019.5 Die shear strength
• 2020.7 Particle impact noise detection test
• 2021.3 Glassivation layer integrity
• 2022.2 Wetting balance solderability
• 2023.5 Nondestructive bond pull
• 2024.2 Lid torque for glass-frit-sealed packages
• 2025.4 Adhesion of lead finish
• 2026 Random vibration
• 2027.2 Substrate attach strength
• 2028.4 Pin grid package destructive lead pull test
• 2029 Ceramic chip carrier bond strength
• 2030 Ultrasonic inspection of die attach
• 2031.1 Flip chip
• 2032.1 Visual inspection of passive elements
• 2035 Ultrasonic inspection of TAB bonds
• 2036 Resistance to soldering heat

Electrical tests (digital), methods 3001-3024

• 3001.1 Drive source, dynamic
• 3002.1 Load conditions
• 3003.1 Delay measurements
• 3004.1 Transition time measurements
• 3005.1 Power supply current
• 3006.1 High level output voltage
• 3007.1 Low level output voltage
• 3008.1 Breakdown voltage, input or output
• 3009.1 Input current, low level
• 3010.1 Input current, high level
• 3011.1 Output short circuit current
• 3012.1 Terminal capacitance
• 3013.1 Noise margin measurements for digital microelectronic devices
• 3014 Functional testing
• 3015.8 Electrostatic discharge sensitivity classification
• 3016 Activation time verification
• 3017 Microelectronics package digital signal transmission
• 3018 Crosstalk measurements for digital microelectronic device packages
• 3019.1 Ground and power supply impedance measurements for digital microelectronics device packages
• 3020 High impedance (off-state) low-level output leakage current
• 3021 High impedance (off-state) high-level output leakage current
• 3022 Input clamp voltage
• 3023.1 Static latch-up measurements for digital CMOS microelectronic devices
• 3024 Simultaneous switching noise measurements for digital microelectronic devices

Electrical tests (linear), methods 4001-4007

• 4001.1 Input offset voltage and current and bias current
• 4002.1 Phase margin and slew rate measurements
• 4003.1 Common mode input voltage range, Common mode rejection ratio, Supply voltage rejection ratio
• 4004.2 Open loop performance
• 4005.1 Output performance
• 4006.1 Power gain and noise figure
• 4007 Automatic gain control range

Test procedures, methods 5001-5013

• 5001 Parameter mean value control
• 5002.1 Parameter distribution control
• 5003 Failure analysis procedures for microcircuits
• 5004.11 Screening procedures
• 5005.15 Qualification and quality conformance procedures
• 5006 Limit testing
• 5007.7 Wafer lot acceptance
• 5008.9 Test procedures for hybrid and multichip microcircuits
• 5009.1 Destructive physical analysis
• 5010.4 Test procedures for custom monolithic microcircuits
• 5011.5 Evaluation and acceptance procedures for polymeric adhesives
• 5012.1 Fault coverage measurement for digital microcircuits
• 5013 Wafer fabrication control and wafer acceptance procedures for processed GaAs wafers

After beginning in 2004 with Lynred conducting pre-development technology studies followed by a design and production phase in 2011, the firm recently delivered to Thales Alenia Space the last of 26 IR detector flight models destined for the more than 20-year operational lifespan of the MTG (Meteosat Third Generation) mission, a European Space Agency (ESA) program that aims to revolutionize storm prediction and enhance weather forecasting.

Operated by EUMETSAT (the European operational satellite agency for monitoring weather), the objective of the MTG mission is to guarantee the continuity of data for weather forecasting from geostationary orbit for the next two decades. The mission sets a focus on near-forecasting in order to anticipate any severe weather event within the context of current climate change. The full system is based on a series of two types of satellite: four MTG-Imagers (MTG-I) and two MTG-Sounders (MTG-S).

Lynred produced the flight models for all the satellites in the MTG program, comprising the MTG-I satellites (in 2018), an Earth spectral imaging instrument used for multi-purpose imagery and wind derivation by tracking clouds and water vapor features, and Earth atmosphere analysis (MTG-S) satellites. The firm says that this demonstrates its extensive design and technological capabilities for meeting the multiple objectives and stringent requirements needed in deploying top-tier IR imaging detectors for demanding space applications.

IR imaging achievements from SWIR to VLWIR

Over the past four decades, Lynred has developed and delivered IR detectors for a variety of space programs and seen them successfully deployed in missions. Key to its high-performance space-grade IR detectors is the company’s ability to leverage the inherent quality of its production-proven MCT (mercury cadmium telluride) technology and hybridization process, as well as harnessing its many years of experience in designing IR detectors.

Lynred says that it overcame numerous challenges in developing the IR detectors for these MTG satellites: notably, excelling in their performance in signal-to-noise ratio, linearity, operability, spectral response accuracy and MTF (modulation transfer function) across the entire electromagnetic spectrum – shortwave band (SWIR) to very longwave band (VLWIR). Other achievements include, in particular, the operation of IR detectors in the VLWIR spectral range up to 15 µm with low dark current and ultimate detector operability at nominal system operating temperature.

Next steps

In December 2022, ESA launched the first MTG-I satellite. The first MTG-S satellite will be launched during summer 2025. The second MTG-I satellite is scheduled for summer 2026, to complete the MTG in-flight full operational configuration. Following that, two other MTG-I satellites and another MTG-S satellite will be launched. These successive launches will enable the MTG program to fulfill its 20-year operational requirement into the early 2040s and provide data for meteorological forecasting. In the meantime, the next-generation meteorological satellite studies will be initiated.

Drawing on this experience, Lynred says that it has a heightened capacity to provide its long expertise in space infrared detector development, especially for next-generation meteorological satellites. The first studies are expected to start in the second half of this decade, so that the satellites will be ready for launch around 2040, to replace the existing generation of MTG satellites.