Overview
This course includes complete setup instructions for the following systems:
- Sentris Electronics Failure Analysis Systems
- Micros Thermal Imaging Microscope Systems
This course includes information regarding all available system components and software modules. Some sections may not apply to your specific system configuration.
Refer to your system shipment packing list for a full list of components in your configuration.
Failure Analysis Capabilities
Testable Electronic Devices
- Bare semiconductor devices
- Package semiconductor devices
- Wafers
- SMD components
- Bare circuit boards
- Populated circuit boards
- Flex circuits
Lock-in Thermography (LIT)
Lock-in thermography is a process of automatically and repeatedly applying voltage to an electronic device at regular intervals. Test sensitivity increases with test time and is proportional to the square root of the number of images captured during the test. Localized heating of less than 0.001°C (1mK) can be detected in less than 5 minutes. Lock-in testing is used to detect and locate the following faults:
- Leakage current and resistive short circuits on semiconductor devices, wafers, SMD components, bare circuit boards and flex circuits
- Power-to-ground short circuits on populated circuit boards
Lock-in Photometry (LIP)
Lock-in photometry is a tool similar to Emission Microscopy (EMMI) and Photon Emission Microscopy (PEM) and is used to detect and locate faults on semiconductor devices by detecting emitted photons in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. A camera sensitive to SWIR energy is used to detect photons with wavelengths between 400 and 1700nm that are emitted by electron-photon recombination caused by faults such as the following:
- P-N junction leakage
- Gate oxide leakage
- Latch-up
- Transistor failure caused by an open or short circuit
Thermal Model Comparison (TMC)
Model comparison is a process of comparing the thermal behavior of an electronic device to known operational devices as the devices are electrically exercised. Comparison tests can detect small temperature differences between functional and defective devices that are nearly impossible to detect using other methods. Entire circuit boards can be analyzed at once. Model comparison is used in troubleshooting populated circuit boards to detect the following faults:
- Short circuits
- Open circuits
- Faulty components
- Stressed components
System Components
Primary Components
- Optotherm Long-wave infrared (LWIR) and/or Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) cameras
- Optotherm LWIR and/or MWIR lenses
- Optotherm Thermalyze image analysis software
Optional Components
- Optical & isolation mounting tables
- Camera positioning stages
- Camera brackets
- Test enclosures
- Additional cameras & optical assemblies
- Device testing components
- Circuit board testing components
- Linear stage automation
Thermalyze HTML Help
Thermalyze is the name of Optotherm's image analysis and testing software. It provides an extensive set of analysis tools designed to characterize the performance of, and perform failure analysis testing on, electronic devices. Thermalyze HTML Help is accessible within the program and provides information on every software feature and settings. HTML Help is a helpful resource when learning to operate Thermalyze.