Chiplets are a relatively recent advancement in semiconductor technology that involves breaking down a traditional monolithic integrated circuit (IC) into smaller, individual semiconductor components or "chiplets." These chiplets can be designed and manufactured independently, and then they are integrated onto a common substrate or package to create a more complex ...
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, ...
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 ...
The factors affecting silicon wafer cost are numerous. From the resistivity required for different applications to the physical size of the wafers, and not least the quality grades that separate the pristine from the less perfect; each aspect intricately influences the cost.
As we embark on this explanation, we'll unwrap the ...
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 want to ...
Finding the right semiconductor failure analysis lab often depends less on the laboratory's name and more on whether it has the equipment and technical expertise required for your specific failure. A package delamination problem may require Scanning Acoustic Microscopy. A suspected interconnect defect may require FIB cross-sectioning and SEM inspection. Leakage ...
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 ...
Many semiconductor failure-analysis techniques require direct access to structures that are hidden inside an IC package. The semiconductor die, bond pads, bond wires and other critical components may be completely covered by epoxy molding compound or other packaging materials. Before these structures can be examined using techniques such as optical microscopy, emission ...
Hsinchu, Taiwan -- June 24, 2025 -- Faraday Technology Corporation (TWSE: 3035), a leading ASIC design service and IP provider, today announced the availability of its 10G SerDes IP on UMC’s 22nm process technology. Designed to meet the increasing demands of high-speed data transmission, the new SerDes IP supports a broad ...
Nanoprobing is an advanced electrical characterization and fault-localization technique used in semiconductor failure analysis to directly investigate individual transistors, contacts, vias and interconnect structures inside an integrated circuit.
Instead of relying only on package-level electrical measurements, nanoprobing allows extremely small conductive structures on a deprocessed semiconductor die to be contacted using ...
