Integrated circuit geometries these days are becoming smaller and smaller. The size of these structures is measured in terms of a few dozen nanometers which makes it increasingly difficult to properly analyze the cause of a failure. Electronic circuits are especially difficult to debug because of the complex way in which they interact with each other. It's entirely possible for the cause of the defect to be located in a different area from that of its symptom. Accordingly, IC failure analysis lab techniques are evolving to suit this new paradigm. New phenomena have to be taken advantage of in order to provide the same efficiency in failure analysis detection that the previous methods possessed, only this time at a smaller scale. Examples include the introduction of the Solid Immersion Lens Objective (SIL) which makes it easier to obtain clearer images of exceedingly tiny structures.

There are many other lab techniques which have evolved to manipulate integrated circuits on extremely tiny scales. The categorization of these techniques can be based either on the phenomena which they exploit, or the type of defect which they aim to resolve. Either way, it requires significant engineering expertise and deductive skills to effectively perform a failure analysis on an electronic chip.

Failure Analysis Techniques

Defects in electronic circuits can very often be identified by the fact that they create certain side effects such as a tiny emission of excess heat which can be detected. We can use a variety of techniques for this such as exploiting the properties of liquid crystals whose molecules align themselves in a particular manner when exposed to a temperature gradient. More sophisticated processes involved florescent imaging which can produce a kind of "heat map" for the experienced analyst to decipher.

Yet other techniques involve making use of the properties of light via optical spectrographic methods in order to determine the exact composition of the substances used to manufacture the chip. Even tiny variances and impurities can cause the chip to operate outside its normal parameters and behave in unexpected ways. A great deal of work goes into ascertaining the probable cause of the failure before the device is subjected to an actual test which tends to be time-consuming and expensive. Those who have worked in the field for a long time can make use of their experience and arrive at a more accurate conclusion faster than others.

As IC failure lab techniques continue to evolve, we will see more and more precise methodologies which need to be applied to smaller and smaller chips. The progression of the two industries of chip manufacturing and failure analysis move in tandem and it is this balance which is responsible for making our electronic lives reliable and error-free.