IAL Blog Microelectronics X-Ray Imaging – Seeing Through to the Root of Failure

Most modern electronic devices are packaged as proverbial “black boxes”; it is nearly impossible to tell what is happening inside a device by looking at the outside packaging. What’s more, many devices are designed to be virtually impossible to open without causing irreversible changes to the product. These types of devices pose a unique problem for failure analysis – without being able to see the functional pieces of a device, it is nearly impossible to find a failing component or signal. While there are a plethora of destructive techniques available, allowing the analyst access to the “guts” of a device, these techniques often carry with them a certain level of risk; destructively opening an integrated circuit or other assembly can, in very rare cases, induce damage. To help prove beyond reasonable doubt that any damage an analyst finds was pre-existing and not created during the course of the analysis, a non-destructive way of looking inside the black box is necessary. X-Ray imaging lends itself perfectly to this application, penetrating the shroud surrounding most devices with ease. The post Microelectronics X-Ray Imaging – Seeing Through to the Root of Failure appeared first on Insight Analytical Labs.