Need semiconductor failure analysis services? AnySilicon helps semiconductor companies, fabless companies, IDMs, electronics manufacturers and engineering teams identify failure analysis laboratories with the equipment and expertise required to investigate IC, wafer, die and semiconductor package failures.
A good semiconductor failure analysis lab does more than operate laboratory equipment. The laboratory must understand the electrical failure, select the correct analysis sequence, preserve evidence and progressively narrow the investigation until the physical failure mechanism and root cause can be identified.
Failure analysis services may include:
→ Electrical failure analysis
→ Fault localization
→ EMMI / Photon Emission Microscopy
→ OBIRCH
→ Thermal fault localization
→ Nanoprobing
→ X-ray and 3D CT
→ C-SAM / Scanning Acoustic Microscopy
→ FIB and FIB-SEM
→ SEM and SEM-EDS
→ TEM and STEM
→ IC decapsulation
→ Cross-sectioning and physical analysis
Find the Right IC Failure Analysis Lab
Selecting an IC failure analysis lab should start with the failure itself rather than with a specific piece of equipment.
For example, a package delamination problem and an electrically leaky transistor require completely different analysis methods. A laboratory specializing in X-ray inspection may be ideal for a BGA solder problem but may not have the equipment required to localize transistor-level leakage.
Likewise, a laboratory with TEM equipment may provide exceptional nanoscale material analysis, but TEM is usually useful only after the failure location has already been narrowed sufficiently to prepare a site-specific sample.
The objective is therefore to match the failure signature, device construction and required analysis with a laboratory that has the appropriate equipment and semiconductor expertise.
What Type of Semiconductor Failure Do You Have?
You do not necessarily need to know which failure analysis technique is required before contacting a laboratory.
A useful starting point is simply describing the problem:
→ Excessive leakage current
→ Short circuit
→ Open circuit
→ Intermittent electrical failure
→ Abnormal power consumption
→ Transistor-level failure
→ Package delamination
→ BGA or solder-joint defect
→ Bond-wire failure
→ Die-attach problem
→ Via or interconnect failure
→ Contamination or foreign material
→ Reliability-test failure
→ Unknown semiconductor failure
An experienced FA provider can use the failure signature to determine which techniques should be applied first and which should be reserved for later destructive analysis.
Which Failure Analysis Service Do You Need?
| Failure / Requirement |
Commonly Considered Techniques |
| IC leakage |
EMMI, OBIRCH, thermal localization, nanoprobing |
| Short circuit |
OBIRCH, thermal imaging, EMMI, electrical characterization |
| Transistor-level failure |
Nanoprobing, EMMI, FIB, TEM |
| Via or interconnect defect |
Nanoprobing, OBIRCH, FIB-SEM, TEM |
| Package delamination |
C-SAM / Scanning Acoustic Microscopy |
| BGA / solder-joint problem |
X-ray, 3D CT, cross-sectioning, SEM |
| Die-attach defect |
X-ray, C-SAM, cross-sectioning |
| Particle or contamination |
SEM-EDS, TEM-EDS where necessary |
| Nanoscale physical defect |
FIB sample preparation followed by TEM / STEM |
| Die must first be exposed |
IC decapsulation |
| Unknown failure |
Failure validation followed by a staged FA workflow |
Semiconductor Failure Analysis Services by Technique
Electrical Failure Analysis
Electrical characterization is often the starting point for an IC failure investigation. The purpose is to reproduce and define the failure before physical evidence is altered.
Electrical analysis may investigate:
→ Leakage current
→ Opens and shorts
→ Abnormal I-V behavior
→ Supply-current abnormalities
→ Functional failures
→ Temperature-dependent failures
EMMI / Photon Emission Microscopy
Emission Microscopy can help localize electrically active semiconductor defects by detecting extremely weak photon emission from the operating or electrically biased IC.
Typical applications include:
→ Leakage localization
→ Junction breakdown
→ Latch-up
→ Abnormal transistor activity
→ Some I/O and ESD-related failures
OBIRCH
OBIRCH uses localized laser heating and electrical measurement to identify resistance-related defects.
It may be useful for:
→ Resistive shorts
→ Leakage paths
→ Interconnect resistance anomalies
→ Via and contact defects
Nanoprobing
Semiconductor nanoprobing provides direct electrical access to extremely small structures within an IC.
Nanoprobing can support:
→ Individual transistor characterization
→ Gate, source and drain leakage measurements
→ Contact and via analysis
→ Interconnect continuity measurements
→ Memory-cell analysis
FIB and FIB-SEM
Focused Ion Beam analysis provides precise site-specific material removal and is one of the most important tools for advanced physical semiconductor failure analysis.
FIB services may include:
→ Site-specific cross-sectioning
→ Via and contact analysis
→ Buried interconnect access
→ TEM sample preparation
→ Circuit edit
→ Probe-pad creation
SEM and SEM-EDS
Scanning Electron Microscopy provides high-resolution imaging of semiconductor surfaces and exposed cross-sections.
SEM may be used to investigate:
→ Cracks and voids
→ Metal defects
→ Via and contact defects
→ Corrosion
→ Particles
→ FIB cross-sections
When combined with EDS/EDX, elemental information can also be obtained from suspicious material.
TEM and STEM
Transmission Electron Microscopy is used when the physical defect requires nanoscale or sub-nanometer structural and material characterization.
Typical applications include:
→ Transistor structures
→ Semiconductor interfaces
→ Contacts and vias
→ Crystal defects
→ Thin material layers
→ Advanced-node defects
X-Ray and 3D CT
X-ray inspection is particularly useful when the suspected failure is hidden inside a semiconductor package and non-destructive inspection should be performed before the package is physically opened.
Applications include:
→ BGA solder joints
→ Bond wires
→ Die attach
→ Solder voids
→ Package substrates
→ Microbumps
→ Advanced packaging
C-SAM / Scanning Acoustic Microscopy
Scanning Acoustic Microscopy is especially useful for identifying defects at internal package interfaces.
Typical applications include:
→ Delamination
→ Internal cracks
→ Die-attach defects
→ Underfill problems
→ Mold-compound separation
IC Decapsulation
When the semiconductor die must be exposed before electrical or physical analysis can continue, the laboratory may need to decapsulate the device while preserving the structures required for the investigation.
A Semiconductor Failure Analysis Service Is Usually a Process, Not a Single Test
Complex semiconductor failures are rarely solved simply by choosing one instrument and inspecting the device.
A structured investigation progressively reduces the uncertainty while attempting to preserve the evidence required for later steps.
A typical IC failure analysis process can look like:
Failure history collected
↓
Electrical failure reproduced and validated
↓
Non-destructive inspection performed where appropriate
↓
Fault localization narrows the Region of Interest
↓
Local electrical characterization performed if required
↓
Device deprocessed or cross-sectioned
↓
SEM / FIB / TEM physical analysis performed
↓
Failure mechanism identified
↓
Root cause established
The exact sequence depends on the failure. The important principle is to avoid destroying evidence before the defect has been sufficiently documented and localized.
What Devices Can Failure Analysis Labs Investigate?
Failure analysis requirements can originate at almost every stage of the semiconductor product life cycle.
Depending on the laboratory, services may support:
→ ASICs and SoCs
→ Analog and mixed-signal ICs
→ Power semiconductor devices
→ Memory devices
→ Sensors and MEMS
→ Bare semiconductor die
→ Wafer-level failures
→ Packaged ICs
→ BGA, QFN and other semiconductor packages
→ Flip-chip devices
→ Advanced and multi-die packages
Not every laboratory supports every device technology or package type. Device experience should therefore be considered alongside the available equipment.
When Should You Use a Third-Party Failure Analysis Lab?
Many semiconductor companies perform part of the FA process internally but outsource specialized analysis when additional equipment or expertise is required.
A third-party semiconductor failure analysis lab can be useful when:
→ Required equipment is not available internally
→ The failure requires specialist semiconductor FA expertise
→ Independent analysis is required
→ A site-specific FIB or TEM investigation is needed
→ Package analysis requires X-ray, CT or C-SAM
→ Multiple techniques must be combined
→ Internal analysis has not identified the root cause
How Much Does Semiconductor Failure Analysis Cost?
The cost of third-party semiconductor failure analysis depends heavily on the scope of the investigation.
Important factors can include:
→ Device and package type
→ Number of samples
→ Failure reproducibility
→ Required equipment
→ Amount of sample preparation
→ Whether electrical testing must be developed
→ Whether FIB or TEM is required
→ Required turnaround time
→ Depth of reporting and root-cause investigation
For this reason, a meaningful cost estimate normally requires the laboratory to understand the device, failure signature and requested analysis before quoting the work.
How Long Does Semiconductor Failure Analysis Take?
Turnaround time depends on both laboratory availability and the complexity of the failure.
A relatively straightforward inspection may require only one technique, while an unknown semiconductor failure can involve several successive analysis stages.
When requesting a quote, specify:
→ Required completion date
→ Whether expedited analysis is needed
→ Number of failing units available
→ Whether known-good comparison samples are available
The laboratory can then confirm whether the required analysis sequence and turnaround are realistic before the samples are shipped.
What Information Should You Send to a Failure Analysis Lab?
Providing good information at the beginning of the investigation can help the laboratory choose the correct analysis approach and prepare a more useful quotation.
Include as much of the following as possible:
→ Device type and technology
→ Package type or wafer/die condition
→ Detailed failure signature
→ Voltage and current measurements
→ Conditions required to reproduce the failure
→ Temperature or environmental dependence
→ Number of failed samples available
→ Number of known-good samples available
→ Any previous FA results
→ Suspected Region of Interest
→ Required turnaround time
→ Specific analysis or reporting requirements
If you do not know which technique is required, describe the failure rather than guessing. The laboratory can determine which equipment should be considered.
How to Choose a Semiconductor Failure Analysis Company
The best laboratory for a project is not necessarily the laboratory with the longest equipment list.
Important selection criteria include:
→ Experience with your device technology
→ Experience with your package type
→ Availability of the required fault-localization equipment
→ FIB, SEM and TEM capabilities if physical analysis may be required
→ Sample-preparation expertise
→ Ability to perform several techniques in sequence
→ Turnaround time
→ Communication and reporting quality
→ Geographic or shipping requirements
Frequently Asked Questions About Semiconductor Failure Analysis Services
What is a semiconductor failure analysis service?
A semiconductor failure analysis service investigates why an IC, die, wafer or semiconductor package has failed. The investigation can combine electrical characterization, fault localization and physical analysis to identify the failure mechanism and root cause.
What does an IC failure analysis lab do?
An IC failure analysis lab can reproduce and characterize electrical failures, localize defects and physically examine semiconductor structures using techniques such as EMMI, OBIRCH, nanoprobing, FIB, SEM and TEM.
Which lab should I use for IC leakage?
The appropriate technique depends on the leakage mechanism. EMMI, OBIRCH, thermal localization and nanoprobing are among the techniques that may be considered before targeted physical analysis.
Which lab should I use for package delamination?
A laboratory with C-SAM or Scanning Acoustic Microscopy capability is commonly considered when the suspected problem involves package delamination or interface separation.
Which lab should I use for a BGA failure?
X-ray or 3D CT is commonly used for BGA solder and internal package inspection. C-SAM or cross-sectioning may also be required depending on the suspected failure.
Do I need to know which failure analysis equipment is required?
No. If you can describe the device, package and failure signature, an experienced FA provider should be able to recommend an appropriate analysis sequence.
Can failure analysis be performed on a wafer?
Yes. Semiconductor failure analysis can be performed at wafer level as well as on bare die and packaged devices, depending on the failure and available test access.
Can I send only one failed sample?
A single failed sample can sometimes be investigated, but the analysis sequence becomes especially important because destructive techniques may permanently consume evidence. Known-good comparison samples can also be valuable when available.
Can AnySilicon help if I do not know which lab I need?
Yes. Describe the device and failure requirement and AnySilicon can route the enquiry toward relevant semiconductor failure analysis providers.
Get Quotes From Semiconductor Failure Analysis Labs
If you have a failed semiconductor device and need external analysis, you do not need to contact laboratories one by one or know exactly which technique should be used.
Submit the requirement to AnySilicon with the device type, package, failure signature and any analysis already completed.
Typical requests may include:
→ Complete IC failure analysis
→ Electrical failure analysis
→ Leakage or short localization
→ FIB / FIB-SEM
→ SEM / SEM-EDS
→ TEM / STEM
→ EMMI
→ OBIRCH
→ Nanoprobing
→ X-ray / 3D CT
→ C-SAM
→ IC decapsulation
→ Package failure analysis
AnySilicon can then help connect the requirement with semiconductor failure analysis companies capable of supporting the requested investigation.
