6.1. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

When handling ESD-sensitive semiconductor devices, please take ESD-proof measures adequately.
Please also see Section 9, “Measures for Electrostatic Discharge (ESD).”

6.2. Terminal Reverse Breakdown Voltage

For semiconductor devices such as ICs, a breakdown voltage is defined for each terminal basically with reference to the ground voltage. When performing an electrical inspection, please make sure that the ground terminal of the IC is set to 0 V. If a negative voltage with respect to the ground terminal is applied to each terminal, the IC may deteriorate or break down. Please note that the IC may also deteriorate or break down if a parasitic circuit of the IC’s internal circuits start to operate or a voltage is applied across the terminals except for the ground terminal.

6.3. Application of Transient Voltage

When measuring the characteristics of a semiconductor device, please do not apply a steeply varying transient voltage (high dv/dt voltage). Otherwise, some semiconductor devices may malfunction, deteriorate, or break down. Depending on the device, a surge voltage higher than the setting value may be applied upon voltage application. Therefore, please be sure to gradually increase the voltage to be applied from 0 V.

6.4. Insertion and Removal into/form Socket

When measuring a semiconductor device using a socket, please insert or remove the semiconductor device into/from the socket with the measurement device powered off. Please note that the semiconductor device may deteriorate or break down if inserted and removed into/from the socket before the residual electric charge on the measurement device is discharged completely even after power-off. When inserting and removing the semiconductor device into/from the socket, please be careful not to apply any stress to its package body.

6.5. Selection of Socket

Sockets fall into two types: burn-in sockets and mounting sockets. Please use a burn-in socket for inspecting semiconductor devices and replace it periodically. Mounting sockets are not durable for insertion and removal. If the same semiconductor device is repeatedly inserted and removed, solder plating may be scraped off from the terminal surface of it. And the plating scraped off may cause a short-circuit among the terminals inside the socket, resulting in the deterioration or breakdown of the semiconductor device.
Inferior burn-in sockets not integrally molded may cause an internal short-circuit after long-term use. Accordingly, when choosing your socket, please consider the structure of a socket.
Our semiconductor devices are RoHS-compliant products, except for some cases. In the case you have used non-RoHS-compliant semiconductor devices, please be sure to separate the sockets for non-RoHS-compliant and RoHS-compliant products. If these sockets are shared interchangeably, solder plating on the terminals of non-RoHS-compliant semiconductor devices may be scraped off and may thus contaminate RoHS-compliant products.

6.6. Overcurrent Limit during Measurement

The following are preventive measures in case of the destruction of a semiconductor device during measurement: adding an overcurrent-limiting resistor in series with the corresponding semiconductor device’s terminal; adding an overcurrent-limiting circuit to the corresponding semiconductor device’s terminal.

6.7. Mixing Up of Deteriorated Semiconductor Devices

If an electrical inspection reveals a slight change in an impedance between the terminals of a semiconductor device or in an I-V (current-voltage) waveform, please do not use the semiconductor device for any product in mass production. Such deteriorated semiconductor device may progress its deterioration during your manufacturing process or after marketed even though it seems not to have a problem at the beginning.

6.8. Handling of Terminals

When processing the terminals of a semiconductor device during an electrical inspection, please pay attention to handling them so that the semiconductor device will not be internally damaged by stress. If the semiconductor device may have been damaged by stress or dropped during processing, please do not use it for any product in mass production. Please also see Section 7.1, “Processing of Terminals.”

6.9. Storage of Inspection Samples

Please see Section 3, “Precautions for Packing” and Section 4, “Precautions for Storage” respectively.