Reveal hidden defects…

...using Acoustic Micro Imaging (AMI)

 What is Acoustic Micro Imaging?

Acoustic Micro Imaging (AMI) is a nondestructive

internal inspection technique that utilizes high frequency
ultrasound* in the range of 5 to 500 MHz.

*Ultrasound is defined as frequencies above 20 KHz

Why use Acoustic Micro Imaging?

1) determine interface bonding/adhesion
2) detect defects
3) characterize material properties
4) measure material properties
What materials are acoustically friendly?
• Polymers • Adhesives
• Metals • Solders
• Ceramics • Epoxies
• Composites • Paste
What key factors determine if an
application is acoustically friendly?
• Porosity
• Size and Shape
• Surface texture
C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscope
 D9500 Series C-SAM

C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscope

 C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscope
D24 Series C-SAM

Fast Automated C-Mode

Automated Bonded Wafer Tray Scanning System
Inspection System
FACTS2TM Series
AW200 ™ Series C-SAM
Waterfall Transducer

Rotational Stage
Fixture
 Principles of Ultrasound

Within a given material ultrasound can be Reflected,

Refracted, Transmitted, Scattered, Absorbed and/or
Blocked by changes relative to the surrounding
material.
 Input Output (A-scan & Image)

Transducer

Water
XYZ Scan Motion Tank/Bath
Porosity
Delamination & Voids

Crack
Acoustic
Density
Shadow
Variations

Theory of Operation
Note: 300 MHz = ~5 microns (u)
 Transducers

Low Frequency High Frequency

1. Lower resolution 1. Higher resolution
* longer wavelength * shorter wavelength
* larger spot size * smaller spot size
2. Longer focal length 2. Shorter focal length
3. Greater penetration 3. Less penetration

Rule of thumb:

Ultra High Frequency (230+ MHz)

(ex. flip chip bump, bonded wafer, stacked die)

High Frequency (50-100 MHz)

(ex. uBGA, TSOP, flip chip under fill, capacitors)

Low Frequency (10-30 MHz)

(ex. BGA, PLCC, PQFP, capacitors)
 Plastic ICs

Medical Ultrasound

Porosity & cracks in Metals

Hermetic Seal Integrity

Ceramics

BGAs
CSP
Thick Film Adhesion

Flip Chips Thin Films

Wafer Bonding
Si Metallization

10 MHz 100 MHz 1 GHz

1
Frequency vs. Applications
 A-scan Waveform Display
•The A-scan displays the mechanical signature (waveform) that
corresponds to the position of the transducer over the sample.

•The A-scan is based on the acoustic impedance, thickness and

velocity of the respective material(s).
•The A-scan includes time, amplitude and polarity (phase) information
•Acoustic Impedance (Z) - is the product of a
materials density times its ultrasonic velocity
Z=rV
•In practical terms - Acoustic Impedance is a
materials characteristic property that
determines the amount of reflected and
transmitted energy that occurs when an
ultrasonic wave encounters a boundary or
interface between two materials.
Acoustic Impedance
CASE 1 Z2 > Z1
Determines Echo
Polarity & Amplitude

R / I = (Z2 - Z1) / (Z2 + Z1)

CASE 2 Z2 < Z1
Incident (I) Reflected (R)

Z1
CASE 3 Z2 = Z1
Z2
 R

Transducer T

1 2 3
1 2 3

FIE Time
A-scan Waveform Display
 Large Positive

Positive

No Signal

Negative

Asymmetric Symmetric

Large Negative

A-scan Amplitude, Polarity & Color Maps

Imaging Modes

A-SCAN SURFACE SCAN C-SCAN

MULTI-SCAN BULK-SCAN THRU-SCAN

VRM ™ (Virtual
Rescan Mode)
with FDI & ASF
ZIP-SLICE & 3V™ Modules
Q-BAM™
 Plastic
Integrated
Circuit (PIC)
1 - Die Surface/Mold Compound (Interface Scan)
2 - Die Attach (Interface Scan)
3 & 7 - Lead Frame/Mold Compound (Interface Scan)
4 - Plastic Encapsulate
Void & Filler Distribution (Bulk Scan)
Material Characterization (Interface Scan)
5 -Die Pad/Molding Compound (Interface Scan)
6 - Surface Image (Surface Scan)
C-scan Interface Scan Technique
C-scan Interface Scan Technique
C-scan Bulk Scan Technique
 ZIP-SLICE

Plastic Integrated Circuit (PIC) “Popcorn Crack”

 Plastic Integrated Circuit (PIC)
Virtual Volumetric View (3V Profile) “Popcorn Crack”
Flip Chip/C4
(Controlled Collapsed
Chip Connection)

1 - Surface Image (Surface Scan)

2 - Die Crack (Bulk Scan)
3 - Solder Bridging (Interface Scan)
4 - Chip to Underfill (Interface Scan)
5 - Underfill Voids (Interface Scan, Bulk Scan)
6 - Bump to Substrate (Interface Scan)
7 - Bump Integrity (Interface Scan, Bulk Scan)
 C-SCAN

C-Scan of Chip/Underfill and Bump Level Showing Filler

Particle Density Variation and Voids in the Underfill
 C-scan Image C-scan Image
Void/disbond – Void/disbond – focused
focused and gated at and gated at the
the chip to underfill underfill to substrate
(upper) level (lower) level
MULTI-SCAN

CSP Flip Chip - Underfill

180 MHz C-scan Image 230 MHz C-scan Image
Voids/disbonds – focused Voids/disbonds – focused
and gated within the and gated within the
solder balls solder balls
C-SCAN
C4 Flip-chip Solder Bump Inspection
 Hybrids

1 - Lid Seal (Interface Scan)

2 - Substrate Attach (Interface Scan)
3 - Die Attach (Interface Scan)
4 - Lead Attachment (Interface Scan)
5 - Multi-Layered Package (Interface Scan, Bulk Scan,
SLAM, TOF, Loss of Back Echo)
Surface Subsurface
(C-scan) (C-scan)
Focused Disbond -
and gated focused and
at the gated at the
surface SURFACE SCAN C-SCAN die attach level

Hybrids - GaAs Die Attach Inspection

Multi-layered
Ceramic Chip
Capacitor
(MLCC)
1 - Cracks (SLAM, Loss of echo, bulk scan, Q-BAM, TOF)
2 - Voids (SLAM, Loss of echo, bulk scan, Q-BAM, TOF)
3 - Delamination (SLAM, Loss of echo, bulk scan, Q-BAM, TOF)
4 - Porosity (SLAM, Loss of echo, bulk scan, Q-BAM, TOF)
5 - Surface Imperfections (Surface Scan/SLAM)
6 - Shifted Electrodes (SLAM)
C-scan image Q-BAM (focused
Disbond (left sample) B-scan image)
- focused and gated Disbond (left sample)
within the bulk - focused and gated
ceramic C-SCAN Q-BAM within the bulk ceramic

Multi-layered Ceramic Chip Capacitor (MLCCC)

Image Analysis % Area
Image Analysis - Measure Distance
Virtual Rescanning Module (VRM )
TM
VRMTM – Frequency Domain Imaging (FDI)
 Original 141 MHz 167 MHz
Reconstruction

175 MHz 195 MHz 226 MHz

VRMTM – Frequency Domain Imaging (FDI)

 VRMTM Acoustic Surface Flatness
ASF Module

• A major new “tool” for Failure Analysis Labs

• For a modest additional cost and training, and no
additional floor space, the customer gets the
benefits and capability of an additional new “tool”.
• Compliments current capability by providing the
analyst a new means to determine what is wrong
with a part.
 Die and Substrate Warpage: Bow

Die only: Die only:

Acoustic Reflection Acoustic Flatness

Die

Substrate:
At least 80 µm of bow

Substrate Acoustic Flatness

The center of the Die and Substrate is higher than the corners.
 PC Board: Warpage
Acoustic Reflection

If the PC Board isn’t a flat plane, then there can be solder problems.
PC Board Warpage: Acoustic Data
The acoustic data shows
that there is about a
400 µm difference from
the highest to the lowest
point on the PC board.

Acoustic Flatness Image

Acoustic Reflection
PC Board Warpage: Acoustic Data
The acoustic data shows
that there is about a
400 µm difference from
the highest to the lowest
point on the PC board.

mm

mm
 BGA Warpage on PC Board
Acoustic Reflection

Warpage (ccc)
measured at ~35 µm.

Surface Internal Substrate

Acoustic Flatness Acoustic Flatness

Projected Image
Substrate Warpage
Substrates
warpage can
be either bow
or warp.
Bow is shown
here. The dark
corners
indicate that
the center is
bowed out.
Warp is like a
potato chip
shape (bent in
two directions
at the same
time).
Thickness of the
films on the
substrate can
also be
measured. Acoustic Flatness
Analysis Tool
Accurately look at
horizontal and
vertical linescans.

Modification of B-
Scan imaging in
VRM.

The shift in the

line scan allows
measurement of
the layers on the
substrate.

Simulated