Abstract
Given the challenges FA Engineers have in fault localization, top-side analysis is facing a major challenge with today’s advanced packaging and shrinking of die sizes. At wafer and die level it is relatively easy to probe with little or no sample preparation. Greater challenges occur after the die is packaged. The difficulty further lies in non-destructively analyzing the die. Another issue with failure analysis is accurately deprocessing the device for probe pad deposition. Techniques like Electro Optical Probing (EOP) or Laser Voltage Probing (LVP) acquire electrical signals on transistors and create an activity map of the circuitry. In failure analysis, it is applied to localize defects. This paper discusses integrating EOP techniques in traditional FA to localize failure in mixed signal ICs. Three case studies were presented in this paper to establish the technique to be effective, quick and easy to probe non-invasively with minimal backside sample preparation.
