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, ...
Getting funding for a semiconductor startup is not getting easier. According to CBIngishts, there have been fewer than 20 Angel/Seed and Series A deals in the USA in each year since 2009.
So where is all the funding channeled to? In 2013, close to a quarter of all VC funding was ...
Kaiserslautern, Germany – May 21, 2025 – Creonic GmbH, a leading provider of ready-to-use IP cores for ASIC and FPGA applications, announces the release of its new oFEC (Open Forward Error Correction) codec IP core. The solution supports next-generation optical and high-speed communication systems and is now available in both ...
Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) is a non-destructive imaging technique widely used in semiconductor failure analysis to inspect structures and interfaces hidden inside IC packages. Unlike optical microscopy, which relies on visible light, or X-ray inspection, which relies primarily on differences in material density and X-ray absorption, SAM uses high-frequency acoustic waves. This ...
IC short circuit failure analysis is the process of determining where an unintended electrical connection exists inside a semiconductor device, package or interconnect structure and identifying the physical defect that created the short.
A short circuit may initially appear only as excessive supply current, unexpectedly low resistance between two nodes, abnormal ...
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 ...
The Qmode project is funded with an MIT-R&D collaboration project grant from the Provincie Overijssel, dedicated to stimulate the innovation and development of products, processes and services of local SMEs working in the Dutch Top Sectors. The collaboration established in Qmode will help QuiX secure a leading position in the ...
Semiconductor devices can fail for many reasons: manufacturing defects, electrical overstress, electrostatic discharge, contamination, packaging problems, excessive temperature, mechanical stress, aging or defects introduced during assembly.
Finding the actual cause of an IC failure, however, is rarely as simple as looking at the damaged device.
Semiconductor failure analysis (FA) is the systematic ...
PHIX B.V. of Enschede, The Netherlands, is a Dutch packaging foundry that assembles their customers’ photonic integrated circuits into complete modules. As these modules evolve from initial prototypes into mature products, the manufacturing volumes become much larger and a higher level of automation is required. This aspect of photonic device ...
