2004 Volume 43 Issue 5 Pages 304-309
In this report, a test method for estimating the life expectancy of an optical media storing digital information has been discussed. A rewritable DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) in the market was examined by an accelerated life test based on the effects of temperature and relative humidity (RH). The evaluation item is BER (Byte Error Rate) as the performance of operation signal. The conditions of the accelerated test for life expectancy were (a) 80°C, 85%RH and 70°C, 85%RH, (b) 80°C, 85%RH and 80°C, 70%RH and then the characteristics of archival (readout) performance was evaluated as a reliability condition. It was experimentally clarified that life expectancy of a rewritable DVD media depends on the RH stress condition of accelerated life test, and it is necessary to examine the life expectancy with high reliability by using the acceleration model (so-called Eyring acceleration model) where both the temperature and RH stress conditions are considered.
