Photon Emission Microscopy

Pinpointing a defect is a major hurdle in any analysis.

With the use of our advanced QFI system, Sage Analytical Laboratories can use device level emissions to find where among the incredibly complex systems of FETs an anomaly resides.

By reading the photons emitted from active devices, one can gain a unique view of how an IC is behaving. With our engineers’ trained eyes and experience, actual defects can quite literally be resolved from the noise.

Photon emission allows both location and intensity information to be collected. Experience in interpretation is critical because even correctly functioning devices will emit.

Sage can both interpret and provide these images to the customer along with the analysis. With both front-side and backside capability, our systems allow for emissions from even the toughest cases to be resolved.

Examples of failures that may be detected or isolated include:

• Devices with shifted characteristics
• Devices with improper junctions
• Circuits that are operational when they should not be
• Circuits that are not operational when they are expected to be
• Over-current damage sites
• Leakage currents
• Latch-ups

From the most subtle to the grossest of failures, Sage is able to supply a precise isolation, meticulous analysis, and the images to support them.