Failure Analysis Archives - Page 3 of 4

Common IC Failure Mechanisms and Their Causes

Integrated circuits can fail for many different reasons. Some failures originate inside the semiconductor die, while others result from packaging, manufacturing, assembly, electrical overstress or the environment in which the device operates. Common IC failure mechanisms include electrostatic discharge (ESD), electrical overstress (EOS), electromigration, dielectric breakdown, interconnect defects, corrosion, contamination, thermal

Physical Failure Analysis (PFA) of Semiconductor Devices

Once an electrical failure has been localized inside an integrated circuit, the next challenge is determining what physically went wrong. Was a metal interconnect broken? Did a via fail? Is there contamination between two structures? Has a dielectric layer broken down? Is a transistor structure abnormal? Or did the failure originate in the

Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) of Integrated Circuits

When an integrated circuit fails, one of the first questions is: How is the device failing electrically?

A chip may exhibit excessive leakage current, a short circuit, an open connection, abnormal supply current, a parametric shift or a complete functional failure. Before engineers physically cut into the device, they usually

Semiconductor Failure Analysis Process: From Failure to Root Cause

When a semiconductor device fails, the visible damage is not necessarily the root cause. A damaged metal line, cracked package, leaking transistor or burned bond wire may be the final result of a sequence of events rather than the original problem. The purpose of the semiconductor failure analysis process is therefore to

IC Failure Analysis Techniques: A Complete Guide

When an integrated circuit fails, identifying the damaged component is only part of the challenge. Engineers must determine where the failure occurred, what physical or electrical mechanism caused it, and ultimately why it happened. This requires a combination of specialized IC failure analysis techniques. Some techniques detect electrical abnormalities without physically altering

Focused Ion Beam (FIB): Semiconductor Failure Analysis

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technology is one of the most versatile tools used in semiconductor failure analysis and microelectronics characterization. A FIB system directs a tightly focused beam of ions onto a sample. By controlling the beam current, energy, position and scanning pattern, engineers can remove material from extremely specific locations,