Feature: Quality testing


Do one-off projects benefit from contracting SAM services? By Stephen Armstrong, technical writer


U


ltrasonic-based Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) has long been the method of choice for quality testing and failure analysis of silicon ingots, wafers, integrated circuits, MEMS and other electronic packages. Ultrasound can locate voids and


disbonds between material layers better than other non- destructive methods because sound waves can look inside the layers to detect the thinnest of air gaps and delaminations, down to a hundredth of a micron. Increasingly, however, manufacturers in the industrial,


36 March 2022 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


Figure 1: Outsourcing SAM testing with PVA TePla provides an expert, cost-effective solution for quality testing


aerospace and medical sectors are turning to SAM technology to ensure good adhesion and mechanical integrity of devices by examining their internal structures, interfaces and surfaces. Because potential defects can occur in different layers, more advanced equipment is required to inspect them simultaneously.


In-house or outsource? Many are choosing to outsource SAM services rather than do the quality testing in-house. Outsourcing offers manufacturers advantages, including capital cost savings on SAM systems, access to specialised expertise in image management and analysis, and the ability to diagnose and isolate material defects. “Often, when customers come to us, they don’t know what


problem they have. If it is relatively easy to solve, investing the time and expense in bringing a SAM system in-house is unnecessary,” said Lisa Logan, SAM Applications Manager at Sunnyvale, California-based PVA TePla America. “As part of product R&D, an engineering team may be evaluating welds, bonds or the effectiveness of an adhesive. When a product is in production, we may be asked to scan trays of parts for


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46