Elk Grove Village IL, May 16, 2007 -- Sonoscan has demonstrated that some delaminations in plastic IC packages contain not only air but also a fluid contaminant, and that such 2-part delaminations can be imaged and characterized by C-SAM® acoustic microscope systems.
The phenomenon – seen, but never before identified by acoustic micro imaging - was thoroughly investigated when plastic IC samples were submitted to one of Sonoscan’s SonoLab™ application laboratories for nondestructive imaging.
In the acoustic images, the delaminations appeared partly red and partly white. Subsequent physical disassembling of the IC packages and chemical analysis of the surfaces of both the die and the molding compound showed that areas of the delamination contained air and/or an organic fluid, probably a silicone. The source of the silicone may be the mold machine, where silicone is sometimes used as a release agent.
The acoustic images used a unique Sonoscan “color map” preferred for detection of delaminations. This color map in turn takes advantage of the fact that only Sonoscan C-SAM systems have the unique ability to discriminate between small differences in the polarity of acoustic signals. Without this feature, such two-part delaminations cannot be distinguished from delaminations that contain only air.
For more information, contact SonoLab Director Ray Thomas, (001) 847 437-6400 x 245. rthomas@sonoscan.com.
Sonoscan, Inc., 2149 E. Pratt Blvd., Elk Grove Village IL USA 60007
Phone: 847 437-6400 Fax: 847 437-1550
E-mail: info@sonoscan.com Website: www.sonoscan.com
Photo caption: Contamination gives this delamination two colors in the C-SAM acoustic image: red = air, white = fluid contaminant.
About Sonoscan: Sonoscan is the leading developer and manufacturer of acoustic microscopy systems, widely used for non-destructive imaging and analysis of internal features. For over 30 years, Sonoscan’s attention to customer needs and investment in R&D has created systems that set industry standards for speed and accuracy. Key products include C-SAM® systems for off-line and laboratory analysis, and FACTS2™ for automated production inspection. Sonoscan application engineers, with a total of more than two centuries’ experience in acoustic microscopy, conduct frequent workshops and seminars. SonoLab, a division of Sonoscan, operates application testing laboratories in 7 global locations.
