How To Submit A Device For Failure Analysis

Focus:

As a field applications engineer (FAE), the author receives calls customers who have submitted a semiconductor device for failure analysis (FA) and then received a report back that provided no real insights into why the part failed. It turns out there's much more to failure analysis than simply sending in a charred component. In this feature, the author describes a logical process for submitting failed devices to a semiconductor supplier that will give customers the greatest likelihood of obtaining meaningful results. He discusses issues such as when in the design process you should submitted failed devices for analysis, how the FA lab operates, what materials you should submit, and what you should expect to see in an FA report. The author also explains how the local FAE can support this process, and why you'll want to consult that person sooner rather than later when you're experiencing device failures.

What you’ll learn:

• How to submit a power semiconductor device to the vendor for failure analysis so that meaningful results may be obtained
• How to address power semiconductor device failures in your applications

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Author & Publication:

Paul L. Schimel PE, International Rectifier, El Segundo, Calif., How2Power Today, Aug 19 2010

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