Apart from analyzing integrated circuits and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for detecting the causes of a failure, we also sometimes need to find out the exact composition and mechanics of "healthy" ones. This is because such electronic components are subject to a number of regulations before being allowed into the marketplace including hazardous substance regulations. Depending on where the chips are going to be shipped to, these may vary greatly. For example, the EU has Directive 2002/95/EC dealing with the restriction of six types of substances which can be present in electronic components placed on the market. In the United States, there are fewer such restrictions and California is the only state so far which has them in place, and they are in turn based on the same EU directive. In this article, we take a look at some specific restrictions as well as the methods we use to determine whether or not the chips are compliant.

The electronic systems we study in academia consist of basic components such as transistors, resistors, capacitors etc. These same components are also used in the complicated Integrated Circuits (ICs) which make up the internals of the computer on which you're reading this article. The difference lies in the fact that they're small - very small. So tiny in fact, that the term microelectronics is applied to them. The procedure for finding out how they malfunction is called microelectronics failure analysis. Finding out where a malfunction has occurred is difficult enough when examining a normal circuit. But when analyzing a microchip, the complexity magnifies a thousandfold. Failure analysis of such systems requires a precise understanding of the chip along with an intimate knowledge of the manufacturing process and experience in the field.

When a complex electronic component malfunctions, it's important to understand what exactly has gone wrong and more importantly, why. The entire branch of quality control revolves around reducing error rates in manufacturing. Faulty chips not only lose money directly but can also lead to unforeseen lawsuits. In order to get a clear idea of the problem, misbehaving components are sent for inspection to failure analysis labs. A failure analysis laboratory is a place which is dedicated to finding out why certain chips are defective. Over the years, the field of forensic engineering has evolved to a point where there is a systematic way of drilling down to the root of the problem. In this article, we look at the features of IC failure analysis labs and what services they provide.

Of all the various failure analysis techniques, microthermography is perhaps the most important. If we could do away with all procedures and retain just one which can tell us the most about a chip, we'd like to see the thermal output and which areas are misbehaving. Because of this, there is more than one technique to get the "heat map" of a chip and last week we saw how liquid crystals can be used for this purpose. But liquid crystals suffer from some major flaws and recently, failure analysis using fluorescent microthermal imaging (FMI) is coming to the fore as a compliment. In this article, we see why FMI is important, how it works, and how it's used.

One of the basic requirements of electronic failure analysis is the ability to actually view a detailed close up of the Integrated Circuit (IC) at the point which needs to be tested. Though techniques such as acoustic microscopy are invaluable, they must be used in conjunction with a first class real life image. Such a combination of techniques is common in the failure analysis of ICs. Failure analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy is the technique that is used for obtaining this detailed image. In this article, we look at why and how electron microscopy services are able to generate such intense representations.

There are many dimensions to analyzing semiconductors and integrated circuits. Last week we looked at how one could peer into fine internal structures using high-resolution x-ray analysis. Today we look at how to find tiny defects in the material based on failure analysis using optical emission spectroscopy. There are a whole bunch of techniques that fall under the bracket of emission spectroscopy, but all of them rely on one fundamental principle. Namely, that when atoms are excited, they release either photons or electrons (via the Auger effect) which are characteristic of their unique composition. An analysis of these emissions gives us valuable data regarding what sort of defects may be present.

Failure analysis using decapsulation occupies a prominent position among failure analysis techniques for integrated circuits. However, a failure analysis engineer must use caution in using decapsulation as it will render the package useless and other techniques useless as well. In that sense, failure analysis using decapsulation belongs after microscopy or radiography so that the testers know which decapsulation technique to use. Decapsulation refers to taking an integrated circuit apart to examine the components. Taking the package apart may destroy parts of the package that require inspection. So, failure analysis using decapsulation means already knowing what to examine. Decapsulation will use any of several means to open the package. These range from simply prying the substrates apart to laser or jet etching. Some IC decapsulation processes call for subjecting the package to heat and then grinding the components apart. This technique will destroy bond wires but preserve the die, whereas the etching processes (laser etching, manual etching or jet etching) will usually destroy the die. Failure analysis using decapsulation by means of manual etching subjects the package to corrosive acids to remove the plastic material that covers the die. Various acids may be used in this process and sometimes the acid…

  Are you searching for the services of a semiconductor failure analysis lab for help with electronics failure analysis and root cause analysis? Insight Analytical Labs (IAL) is a full-service electronics failure analysis lab.  Call us to speak with a semiconductor failure analysis expert in our lab at (719) 570-9549. Semiconductor Failure Analysis - Enhancing Reliability Semiconductor failure analysis occupies a prominent position among high tech fabricators. Even the most sophisticated ICs fail, and when they do, it’s critical that engineers and fabricators discover the root causes of the failure, so as to avoid the same issues in subsequent designs. Semiconductor analysis can, therefore, enhance semiconductor reliability by addressing observed shortcomings in design and fabrication and then avoiding them in the future. Semiconductor failure analysis initially involves pinpointing the nature of the failure. Semiconductor failures can be broadly grouped into two categories: functional failures and parametric failures. A functional failure means the device failed in its intended function, while parametric failures mean the device’s function lies outside the specifications for a measurable characteristic.  

Electrical failure analysis is the key to reducing liability and associated costs to your electronics business. In essence, electronic failure analysis is high-tech damage control and at the end of the day, your customers will thank you. However, if left unchecked, the slightest change in engineering, materials, and/or processes can cause ripple effects throughout your supply chain, setting a company back weeks in engineering time and thousands of dollars in materials and lost revenue.

With a variety of test equipment pieces available at their fingertips, semiconductor failure analysis services may very well be considered modern day, high-tech “surgeons.” In the semiconductor industry, product lines are a manufacturer’s lifeblood. When a product line is “frozen” for a product defect, semiconductor failure analysis becomes the necessary problem-solving tool to “unfreeze” the line. A failure analysis performed accurately and rapidly ultimately saves a manufacturer time, money, and a precious thing known as reputation.

Advances in the electronics industry are always increasing and failure analysis is as important now as it has ever been. It is especially critical in the semiconductor industry where product line problems must be resolved rapidly and effectively. Failure analysis is further complicated as semiconductors are continually being scaled down and materials are being changed, thereby making a quality failure analysis more difficult.