Root-Cause Investigations of Stitch Bond – Shearing by Means of 3D-X-ray Computer Tomography (XCT), Metallographic Polishing and FIB

Since new packaging technologies came up, sensitive failure modes, which were difficult to prove, increased. In many cases, an interaction of bending properties, thermomechanical stress and the material compounds used, cause intermittent failures related to electrical connections. Since any decapsulation might falsify analysis results, non-destructive characterization approaches are of utmost importance for future failure analysis. By means of a typical case study, the capabilities and limitations of a highly developed X-ray tool in such application has been outlined as well as the complexity of root cause findings.