Calculating Burn in Duration to Attenuate Non Linear Sensor Aging
Calculate sensor burn-in time by dividing equivalent operating hours at the infant drift inflection point by the temperature-derived Arrhenius acceleration factor.
Burn in Duration
Operational Interval
An interval of initial operating time is specified to eliminate early infant mortality failures in sensor batches. The burn in duration represents the minimum length of this stress test, during which sensors operate at elevated temperatures to trigger latent defects. This step ensures that units entering the field are highly reliable.
Stress Severity
Thermal and electrical stress profiles applied during this testing window accelerate the activation of physical and chemical flaws. High ambient temperatures combined with maximum rated supply voltage force latent defects, such as dielectric weak points and micro-cracks, to fail before final shipment. A typical burn in duration ranges from several hours to many days, depending on the target reliability level of the product line.
Longer testing periods increase production costs but reduce subsequent field failures. This choice represents a commercial trade-off between manufacturing throughput and the risk of early deployment failures. When the test is too short, defective units escape, while an excessive test consumes the useful operating life of the device.
Metrological Drift
Transducers exposed to extreme environments can experience changes in their measurement stability. Excessive burn in duration sometimes induces a permanent zero-point shift in sensitive sensing elements. This degradation occurs when material relaxation alters the internal stresses of the sensor package.
Validation Method
Statistical analysis of failure distribution curves determines the optimal termination point. When the rate of failure drops below a defined threshold, the burn in duration is complete. This assessment relies on continuous monitoring.