Extended Shelf Life: Extended Shelf Life Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What are the benefits of TI's shelf life extension to me?

Extending TI's shelf life of the products designated will benefit our customers in multiple ways:

• Increased assurance of supply
• More immediate and on-the-shelf availability of product
• Eliminating the financial burden of many End-of-Life (EOL) commitments
• Eliminating many forced re-designs
• No negative impact to quality
• TI warranty is unchanged

Question: How can I tell what material is included in the program?

You may reference the Quality page on our website at www.ti.com/esl. There is a search tool that will allow you to query any TI material to see if it is in the program.

Question: Will TI change the labels to help identify the Extended Shelf Life material when received?

Yes. Details on label are outlined below in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - Planned Label Changes - Effective August 1, 2008

Question: Should I change how I handle this product?

No. You should continue to treat the product in the same manner as you have in the past. Please continue to refer to the Moisture Sensitive Level (MSL) information on the bag or box for instruction on length of use. Your usage life remains unchanged.

Question: Are there potential reliability concerns with identified material beyond 2 years old?

No. TI has conducted extensive, long-term reliability studies and confirmed there is no degradation of the products' electrical characteristics, and no product failures associated with long term storage.

Question: Do I need to perform solderability test for products more than 2 years old?

Texas Instruments has performed a solderability monitor on a sample of NiPdAu lead frame products over time and no solderability issues have been identified. A large portion of Texas Instruments products use the NiPdAu lead finish. This lead finish is a noble metal and will not be susceptible to oxidation which is a factor in solderability issues. A summary of the solderability data from our study can be found in Chart 1 below.

Chart 1 - Solderability Data Summary

Question: I received material designated for extended shelf life that was sealed more than 2 years ago and calculated shelf life in bag showed 24 months. Do I need to bake the parts before using them in production?

You should continue to operate as before. In general, there is no need to bake parts before using them in the production line. However, if the Humidity Indicator Card (HIC) shows pink on >10% level then parts need baking before use. Actions will be taken in the Product Distribution Center (PDC) to ensure the moisture integrity of all material prior to shipment. For any material requiring repack the seal date on the material will indicate the date on which it was repacked.

Question: Is there any technical basis to support the extension of shelf life?

Yes. An Application Note “Component Reliability after Long Term Storage” is available in the Quality section on our website at www.ti.com/esl.

Question: Can the device list for extending shelf life change over time?

Yes, since this is a policy change any devices that meet the requirements can be added to the program without any notice at any time. For example any NiPdAu leadframe device could be extended, but Matte Tin devices will not be extended to 5 years.

Question: Since this is a policy change is there an impact to previous agreements with TI based on shelf life?

A PCN was sent to customers with specific shelf-life agreements with TI. Please contact your Field Sales Representative or respond directly to the PCN with questions or concerns. All other TI customers can immediately receive extended shelf life material.