Failure Analysis of Semiconductors

Failure Analysis of Semiconductors Almost always, semiconductor devices are found within a more involved electronic system.

These components are part of a larger circuit and must respond to system, subsystem, and environmental factors. When diagnosing the cause of a malfunction in the field or in the factory, technicians often start with the smallest, most readily replaced component of the equipment.

The following is a short explanation of how to do semiconductor failure analysis without introducing artefacts into the process.

Identifying the failed component or subsystem If technicians in a lab are able to pin down the malfunctioning system's subsystem, they can then disassemble it until they reach the board—or the smallest mechanical structure level— where all the problematic elements and components are located.

Finding the source of a faulty electrical part Verification by electrical testing is crucial for identifying the suspicious component and pinpointing its role in the circuit failure.

Particle impact noise detection (PIND) When testing a device with an empty interior cavity, PIND test devices are employed to locate any stray particles that may be present. Every time the analyst had reason to suspect high leakage, intermittents, or a short, the device would undergo a PIND test.

Radiography using X-rays In order to do a non-destructive semiconductor failure analysis on a wide variety of devices, X-ray radiography is a reliable technique. The analyst must check for foreign material, open circuits, shorts, and changes in alignment caused by the encapsulating process. There will be no impact on the equipment or its failure mode from a well-executed X-ray analysis.

Cook in a vacuum bag Vacuum drying at low temperatures can be used to remove moisture from the outside of a package or to remove volatile pollutants like solvents without putting the contents at risk by heating them.

Cleansing the Outside When analysing a device failure, it may be best to wash on the outside. The most common kinds of washes are those that use deionized or distilled water, acetic acid, solvents, or plasma.

Breaking seals and decapping During semiconductor decapsulation, the device's outer shell is removed to reveal the inner workings, but the failure mode itself is not changed. Mechanical or chemical methods are usually the best for opening devices. The finest semiconductor decapsulators can do the work appropriatey.

Evidence-based analysis leading to a diagnosis When the analyst has gathered enough information to draw some early conclusions, they should focus their efforts on verifying the most likely explanation and ruling out any others. Different failure hypotheses will evolve as additional facts affect initial perceptions; the analyst may choose to keep or discard these hypotheses based on the findings.

It is crucial to identify fruitless efforts during the semiconductor failure analysis phase. Some potential failure causes could be discounted with the use of negative evidence.