The Right Microelectronics Failure Analysis Lab
What Is Microelectronics Failure Analysis?
Microelectronics failure analysis (FA) is the systematic process of investigating electronic component, device, or assembly failures to identify the root cause — whether a design defect, manufacturing process issue, material anomaly, or field-induced degradation mechanism. FA combines non-destructive inspection, electrical characterisation, physical decapsulation, and advanced analytical techniques to localise the failure site and determine the failure mechanism.
Selecting the right microelectronics failure analysis laboratory is critical for semiconductor companies, contract manufacturers, OEMs, and reliability engineers who need accurate, timely root cause identification to drive corrective action.
Why Microelectronics Failure Analysis Is Essential
Electronic component failures can manifest as:
- Electrical parameter drift (Vt shift, gain degradation, leakage increase)
- Catastrophic functional failure (open circuit, short circuit)
- Intermittent failure (electrostatic discharge damage, soft fails)
- Premature reliability failure (TDDB, electromigration, hot carrier injection)
- Mechanical failure (bond wire fatigue, solder joint cracking, package delamination)
Understanding the failure mechanism is essential for determining whether the failure root cause is in IC design, wafer fabrication, packaging, board assembly, or field conditions — and for implementing targeted, effective corrective actions.
Key Capabilities of a Microelectronics Failure Analysis Lab
Non-Destructive Inspection
Before any physical preparation, the failure must be preserved for non-destructive characterisation:
- Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM): Detects delamination, voids, and cracks within IC packages without opening them
- X-Ray Inspection (2D and CT): Reveals internal structural features — die attach, wire bonds, solder bump integrity, and package cracks
- Electrical Characterisation: IV curves, leakage measurement, and functional test isolate the failure mode and guide subsequent FA steps
Fault Localisation Techniques
- Emission Microscopy (EMMI/PEM): Detects photon emission from hot electrons at ESD damage sites, gate oxide defects, and junction leakage — rapidly localises failure to a specific circuit node
- Liquid Crystal Hot Spot Analysis: Temperature-sensitive liquid crystal identifies resistive short locations
- Laser Voltage Probing (LVP) and Laser Voltage Imaging (LVI): Non-invasive electrical probing through the backside of the silicon die — maps switching activity and detects timing failures
- Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR): Locates impedance discontinuities (opens, shorts) in PCB traces and wire bonds
Physical Failure Analysis (Destructive Techniques)
- Decapsulation: Chemical (fuming acids) or mechanical removal of the mould compound to expose the die and wire bonds
- Cross-Sectioning: Precision mechanical or FIB (Focussed Ion Beam) cross-sectioning through failure sites for SEM imaging
- SEM-EDS Analysis: High-resolution imaging and elemental composition mapping of failure sites
- TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy): Atomic-resolution imaging of transistor gate stacks, interfaces, and nanoscale defects — essential for sub-10 nm node failure analysis
- XPS and SIMS: Surface chemistry and depth compositional profiling of contamination layers and interface degradation
Focused Ion Beam (FIB) Workstation
FIB systems combine ion beam milling (for precise sample preparation and cross-sectioning) with SEM imaging for nanoscale FA — essential for localising failures in advanced IC nodes where features are below 10 nm.
What to Look for When Selecting a Failure Analysis Lab
Key selection criteria include: accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025 for analytical measurements), equipment capability matching the IC technology node (sub-10 nm requires TEM and FIB), turnaround time, experience with your failure mode category, confidentiality and IP protection protocols, and the quality and clarity of written FA reports with root cause conclusions and corrective action recommendations.
Conclusion
Microelectronics failure analysis (FA) is a critical discipline for identifying the root causes of semiconductor, electronic component, and assembly failures. By combining non-destructive inspection, electrical diagnostics, fault localisation, and advanced destructive analytical techniques, failure analysis laboratories help manufacturers and design teams quickly isolate defects and implement effective corrective actions.
From ESD damage and solder joint cracking to nanoscale transistor defects and package delamination, modern FA workflows are essential for improving yield, reliability, product qualification, and field-return investigation.
Why Choose Infinita Lab for Microelectronics Failure Analysis?
Infinita Lab addresses the most frustrating pain points in the Microelectronics Failure testing process: complexity, coordination, and confidentiality. Our platform is built for secure, simplified support, allowing engineering and R&D teams to focus on what matters most: innovation. From kickoff to final report, we orchestrate every detail—fast, seamlessly, and behind the scenes.
Looking for a trusted partner to achieve your research goals? Schedule a meeting with us, send us a request, or call us at (888) 878-3090 to learn more about our services and how we can support you. Request a Quote
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the role of FIB in failure analysis? Focused Ion Beam (FIB) is used for precise cross-sectioning, defect exposure, circuit editing, and nanoscale sample preparation, especially in advanced semiconductor nodes.
What is the first step in microelectronics failure analysis? The first step is always non-destructive inspection — electrical characterisation (to reproduce and understand the failure), X-ray inspection, and scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) — to preserve the failure evidence before any physical preparation that could destroy it. Physical FA proceeds from least to most destructive in sequence.
What is the difference between failure analysis and reliability testing? Reliability testing proactively evaluates product life and failure mechanisms using accelerated stress tests (HTOL, HAST, thermal cycling) on non-failed product. Failure analysis reactively investigates specific failed units to identify root cause. Both are essential — reliability testing prevents failures; FA resolves them.
When is TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) necessary in microelectronics FA? TEM is required when the failure site or mechanism involves features below the resolution of SEM — typically below ~10 nm. Gate oxide defects (TDDB), interfacial delamination at atomic scale, and transistor channel material changes in advanced logic nodes (sub-5 nm) require TEM for definitive characterisation.
What information should be provided when submitting a component for failure analysis? A complete FA submission should include: device part number and lot code, failure mode description (electrical symptoms), when failure occurred (in-process, incoming inspection, or field), quantity of failed versus good units, shipping history and conditions, any relevant test data or waveforms, and the suspected failure mechanism if known.
