Probing Technology for IC Diagnosis

During integrated circuit diagnosis, contact and non-contact probing serves two key functions, namely fault localization and electrical characterization. As a fault localization capability, probing is usually the technology of last resort. Systematic back-tracing through a circuit (probing from a failing output back into the circuit to isolate the origin of the failure), while inherently capable of localizing almost any failure, is tedious and often quite time consuming. Fault localization techniques such as liquid crystal, emission microscopy, electron beam and optical beam induced current or voltage alteration techniques are often easier and quicker to use (See chapters 5 and 6). While these techniques are easy to apply they do not address all types of problems. For example, in design debug applications no physical defect usually exists in the circuit and back-tracing is frequently the only practical option. The back-tracing process is often facilitated by some level of simulation, test-based pre-localization software or image-based fault localization.

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