Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis is a critical process for determining the root cause of performance degradation or catastrophic failure in electronic components. It ensures quality and reliability at every stage of the component lifecycle: manufacturing, inspection, or final application.
We bring decades of expertise in evaluating, screening, validating, and testing EEE (Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical) components. Our deep understanding of component behavior, failure modes, and root causes enables us to deliver precise and actionable solutions. Through our comprehensive verification and testing services, we pinpoint the origin of failure mechanisms, helping you enhance reliability, optimize performance, and mitigate future risks.
Why is Failure Analysis important?
To pinpoint the root cause of a failure, gathering detailed information is essential, including:
- Component history: How it was procured, stored, and handled.
- Operating conditions: Circuit location, applied bias, usage duration, and environmental factors.
- Failure mode: Visible damage, degraded performance, or complete failure.
Armed with this data, we create a systematic test sequence involving destructive and non-destructive methods. This step-by-step approach narrows down potential causes, from external appearances to internal construction and reverse engineering of the component.
RF filter failure detected during the internal visual inspection which is a part of the cross sectioning process.
Benefits of Failure Analysis
This process adds value across multiple levels:
- For component manufacturers
Detect issues with materials, handling, manufacturing processes, and testing. Implement solutions to improve product quality and production yield. - For component users
Understand failure origins and apply targeted risk mitigation techniques to prevent recurrence. - At the equipment level
Identify issues stemming from improper component selection, inadequate derating rules, or external electrical stresses.
Common solutions include:
- Switching suppliers or component types.
- Replacing defective lots.
- Re-screening/testing to isolate weak units.
Example of a Failure Analysis workflow
- External visual inspection: Evaluate package and seal conditions.
- Electrical test verification: Characterize electrical behavior using specialized equipment like curve tracers.
- Material and metallurgical analysis: Employ techniques such as SEM and FTIR spectroscopy.
- Mechanical and solderability testing: Identify structural issues and soldering defects.
- Advanced inspections: Utilize acoustic microscopy, real-time X-ray, leak tests, and particle detection (P.I.N.D.).
- Decapsulation and internal analysis: Perform detailed optical inspections to locate internal defects.
These methods uncover issues such as latent defects, wear-out failures, mishandling, storage errors, and radiation damage.
Sample showing a broken wire at the bonding pad