Is Fracture Mechanics the Method for Electronic Packaging?

Abstract It is widely accepted that Fracture Mechanics (FM) is of critical importance to fundamental studies of mechanical failure mechanisms. However, the application of FM to the everyday engineering practice of characterizing electronic packaging is still a controversial issue. This work is focused on the question whether and when should we apply FM methods in this area of engineering. Several examples are considered from this point of view. It is concluded that whether Fracture Mechanics is, or is not, required, depends on the difference between the tested structures and the structure in question, and, how close this structure is to its structural limits.