Latent open testing of electronic packaging

Abstract

Alternating and direct electric currents are applied through the metal interconnections in electronic packaging to detect potential electrical opens, such as line narrowings, notches, nicks, cracks, weak connections, and interface contaminations. Due to the nonlinear relationship between the voltage across and current through the metal conductor, distorted signals are generated by the defect region as well as the good conductor. The signal generated from a latent open defect can be detected by comparing the defect signal phase with the reference phase produced by the good conductor. Application of this technique to electronic packaging development and manufacturing can improve product reliability and reduce cost by early detection of latent open defects.