This paper describes a procedure for preparing packaged GaN devices for photon emission microscopy from the backside, which has proven to be an effective method for isolating faults. The deprocessing technique was developed for GaN devices formed on thick p ++ silicon substrates mounted in quad-flat no-lead (QFN) packages connected by gold wires. It consists of mechanical polishing, which removes backside metal and packaging material, and selective etching, which quickly etches the silicon while leaving the gold wires intact for electrical measurements. The authors describe each step of the process in detail and explain how emission spots are marked with a UV laser and analyzed in a FIB-SEM system to determine the underlying cause of failure.

This paper presents a method that allows top view SEM inspection on GaN devices previously subjected to PEM analysis from the backside and the associated sample preparation procedures. By filling the backside cavity with glob-top resin and epoxying the device to a piece of silicon, it is possible to remove all covering layers with a sequence of wet etches. A dried Ag liquid strap eliminates SEM charging problems and backside laser marks are made visible from the front side using an IR wavelength. The paper describes each step of the process in detail along with the results of the frontside SEM inspection.

In this paper the authors will discuss an application of Single Shot Logic (SSL) patterns used for further localizing IDDQ failures using ATPG constraints and targeted faults. This new method provides the analyst a possibility of performing circuit analysis using IDDQ measurement results as a pass/fail criterion rather than logic mismatches. Once a defective area was partially isolated through fault localization, SSL patterns were created to control individual internal node logic states in a deterministic way. IDDQ was measured at each SSL iteration where schematic analysis can further isolate the failure to a specific location. Two case studies will be discussed to show how this technique was used on actual failing units, with detailed explanation of the steps performed that led to a more precise determination of the fault location in the suspect cell.