Capacitive charge generation apparatus and method for testing circuits
Abstract
An electron beam apparatus and method for testing a circuit. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron beam incident on an outer surface of an insulating layer overlying one or more electrical conductors of the circuit for generating a time varying or alternating current electrical potential on the surface; and a measurement unit connected to the circuit for measuring an electrical signal capacitively coupled to the electrical conductors to identify and map a conduction state of each of the electrical conductors, with or without an electrical bias signal being applied to the circuit. The electron beam apparatus can further include a secondary electron detector for forming a secondary electron image for registration with a map of the conduction state of the electrical conductors. The apparatus and method are useful for failure analysis or qualification testing to determine the presence of any open-circuits or short-circuits, and to verify the continuity or integrity of electrical conductors buried below an insulating layer thickness of 1-100 .mu.m or more without damaging or breaking down the insulating layer. The types of electrical circuits that can be tested include integrated circuits, multi-chip modules, printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuits.
- Inventors:
-
- (Albuquerque, NM)
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871713
- Patent Number(s):
- 5781017
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01R - MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- capacitive; charge; generation; apparatus; method; testing; circuits; electron; beam; circuit; comprises; incident; outer; surface; insulating; layer; overlying; electrical; conductors; generating; time; varying; alternating; current; potential; measurement; unit; connected; measuring; signal; capacitively; coupled; identify; map; conduction; bias; applied; secondary; detector; forming; image; registration; useful; failure; analysis; qualification; determine; presence; open-circuits; short-circuits; verify; continuity; integrity; buried; below; thickness; 1-100; damaging; breaking; types; tested; integrated; multi-chip; modules; printed; boards; flexible; beam apparatus; time varying; electrical circuits; multi-chip modules; capacitively coupled; electrical bias; electrical conductors; circuit board; electrical potential; apparatus comprises; electrical signal; electron beam; outer surface; alternating current; integrated circuits; integrated circuit; electrical circuit; printed circuit; insulating layer; electrical conductor; failure analysis; secondary electron; circuit boards; layer thickness; unit connected; beam incident; apparatus comprise; multi-chip module; charge generation; electron detector; layer overlying; current electric; current electrical; /324/
Citation Formats
Cole, Jr., Edward I., Peterson, Kenneth A, and Barton, Daniel L. Capacitive charge generation apparatus and method for testing circuits. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Cole, Jr., Edward I., Peterson, Kenneth A, & Barton, Daniel L. Capacitive charge generation apparatus and method for testing circuits. United States.
Cole, Jr., Edward I., Peterson, Kenneth A, and Barton, Daniel L. Tue .
"Capacitive charge generation apparatus and method for testing circuits". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871713.
@article{osti_871713,
title = {Capacitive charge generation apparatus and method for testing circuits},
author = {Cole, Jr., Edward I. and Peterson, Kenneth A and Barton, Daniel L},
abstractNote = {An electron beam apparatus and method for testing a circuit. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron beam incident on an outer surface of an insulating layer overlying one or more electrical conductors of the circuit for generating a time varying or alternating current electrical potential on the surface; and a measurement unit connected to the circuit for measuring an electrical signal capacitively coupled to the electrical conductors to identify and map a conduction state of each of the electrical conductors, with or without an electrical bias signal being applied to the circuit. The electron beam apparatus can further include a secondary electron detector for forming a secondary electron image for registration with a map of the conduction state of the electrical conductors. The apparatus and method are useful for failure analysis or qualification testing to determine the presence of any open-circuits or short-circuits, and to verify the continuity or integrity of electrical conductors buried below an insulating layer thickness of 1-100 .mu.m or more without damaging or breaking down the insulating layer. The types of electrical circuits that can be tested include integrated circuits, multi-chip modules, printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuits.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 1998},
month = {Tue Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 1998}
}
Works referenced in this record:
IC failure analysis: techniques and tools for quality reliability improvement
journal, May 1993
- Soden, J. M.; Anderson, R. E.
- Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 81, Issue 5
Rapid localization of IC open conductors using charge-induced voltage alteration (CIVA)
conference, January 1992
- Cole, E. I.; Anderson, R. E.
- 30th Annual Proceedings Reliability Physics 1992