Case 1410 ยท Public preview
A Silicon Melt Pipe Records Extreme Local Heating in a Failed Diode
Three glass-bodied Zener diodes became low-resistance shorts during elevated-temperature testing.
Electrical testingOptical microscopyMicrosectioningPackage dissectionSEMEDS elemental mappingFailed-control comparison
What the evidence preview establishes
Thermal runaway or overcurrent created a large melt pipe in each failed die and alloyed silver from the contact with silicon. Off-center die mounting and fractured glass cases could have reduced heat-transfer margin and aggravated the failures.
Why this case matters
Treat a melt pipe as evidence of extreme local heating, then investigate why thermal margin was lost. Correlate electrical stress and derating with die placement, contact geometry, case integrity, die attach, and heat-flow paths rather than stopping at the burned junction.
Full evidence reserved for MEMBER and STOREThe complete case includes the evidence sequence, four interpreted figures, alternative explanations, limitations, and practical application guidance.