The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2009
Joseph Martin Patterson, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Joseph Martin Patterson, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Applied Micro Circuits Corporation, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A reflector tool and a method are provided for three-dimensional integrated circuit (IC) failure analysis. An IC (die) has top and bottom surfaces, a perimeter, and a first side. The IC is electrically connected to a current sensing amplifier. The first side of the IC is scanned in the X plane with an infrared laser beam while changes in IC current flow are sensed. The sensed current changes are cross-referenced to the location of the infrared laser beam in the X plane. In one aspect, a plurality of scans are performed on the first side in the X plane, with at a corresponding plurality of steps in the Y plane, so that current changes can be cross-referenced to locations in the X and Y planes. Using this 2-D analysis through the IC side, a human operator or software program can determine defects in the IC.