LATENT OPEN DEFECT DETECTION USING PHASE-SENSITIVE NONLINEARITY DETECTION TECHNIQUE

Alternating and direct electric currents are applied through the metal interconnections in electronic packaging to detect potential electric al opens, such as line narrowings, notches, nicks, cracks, weak connec tions, and interface contaminations. Due to the nonlinear relationship between the voltage across and current through the metal conductor, d istortion signals are generated by the defect region as well as the go od conductor. The signal generated from a latent open defect can be de tected by comparing the defect signal phase with the reference phase p roduced by the good conductor. Application of this technique to electr onic packaging development and manufacturing can improve product relia bility and reduce cost by early detection of latent open defects.