A Novel Approach on Fractography Through Infrared Microscopy

Abstract

Some of the most challenging task in analyzing fractures is a die that has not been fully cracked apart and a cracked die with electrical overstress damage. Traditional tools such as simple magnifying lens, optical microscope and up to the advance Scanning Electron Microscope are not enough to study the internal fractures or markings that could lead back to the origin of the crack. In order to study these internal fractures, the analyst tends to break the sample into pieces. However, this method creates additional mechanical stress and leads to a secondary crack where the point of origin will be difficult to analyze. This paper aims to introduce infrared microscopy in fractography (mainly on silicon) using cases and techniques to minimize the occurrence of secondary crack in analyzing internal fractures.