This paper describes a backside approach methodology for sample preparation, fault localization and physical defect analysis on p-GaN power HEMT electrically stressed in DC voltage surge and AC switching mode. The paper will show that preparation must be adapted according to the defect position (metallurgy, dielectric layers, epitaxy, etc.) which depends on the type of stress applied. In our life-operation mode amplified electrical stress reliability study, the failure analysis will help us to reveal the weakest parts of the transistor design in relation to the type of applied stress. The failure analysis presented in this paper is composed of electrical characterization, defect localization with PEM and LIT, FIB Slice&View, TEM analysis and frontside conductive AFM after a deep HF.

Thermal issues management is a daily design challenge for teams working with analog mixed-signal technologies such as “SmartMOS”, with the integration of analog circuitry, high power density devices and logic control. A case study based on an NXP new product introduction will illustrate the use of Thermography as a complementary technique to standard Design debug activities, leading to the demonstration of a thermal crosstalk phenomenon in the analyzed analog mixed signal device. Based on InfraRed Thermography principle and specific Trigger Delay and Thermal Mapping modes, a transient thermal event was fully characterized, in addition to more common techniques such as Design and Layout study, electrical characterization, simulation, Microprobing, and Thermal Laser Stimulation. The added value of the thermography, as well as the limitations of the technique, will be discussed in that paper.

Magnetic field imaging is a well-known technique which gives the possibility to study the internal activity of electronic components in a contactless and non-invasive way. Additional data processing can convert the magnetic field image into a current path and give the possibility to identify current flow anomalies in electronic devices. This technique can be applied at board level or device level and is particularly suitable for the failure analysis of complex packages (stacked device & 3D packaging). This approach can be combined with thermal imaging, X-ray observation and other failure analysis tool. This paper will present two different techniques which give the possibility to measure the magnetic field in two dimensions over an active device. Same device and same level of current is used for the two techniques to give the possibility to compare the performance.

Pulsed laser for radiation sensitivity evaluation has become a common tool used in research and industrial laboratory. This paper aims to highlight an approach to understand weaknesses of a component under radiation environment using a short pulsed width laser beam coupled to thermography technique, heavy ions test inputs and physical analysis. This paper is based on a study of a PWM device embedded on voltage converter.

From a designer point of view, the analysis of a failure root cause can quickly become a nightmare if the number of hypothesis provided by a simulation tool is too high. To help solving this kind of problem the use of physical probing measurement can reduce drastically the number of assumptions made by the simulation by invalidating certain hypotheses. The purpose of this paper is to add to the simulation a new source of information based on light emission to solve this kind of problem. Virtual logic diagram computation is able to provide several hypotheses of fault for a given node and data coming from Time Resolved Imaging (TRI) measurement allows extraction of transition pattern for a given node where the assumption has been established. The cross-referencing of this information aims at eliminating wrong hypotheses and making the simulation more reliable.