ESD and EOS failure identification on semiconductor devices without Failure Analysis?

Is it possible to distinguish between damage due to ESD and damage due to EOS on failed semiconductor devices from the field without performing Failure Analysis (FA) on them?

The answer is YES and NO.

It is YES when you can visually see the following damage on the mold compound of the semiconductor device.
• Physical hole on the mold compound
• Cracked package
• Burnt/discolored mold compound

EOS event takes excessive current and a longer duration to cause visual damage on the mold compound of semiconductor device.

Without the physical damage, it is literally impossible to distinguish between damage due to ESD and damage due to EOS.

To be able to analyze the actual cause of failure, FA is required.
FA lab can be set up with a minimum cost involved.

A typical high school FA Lab will have the following:
• Low power and High power microscope with digital camera
• Curve tracer
• Basic decapping tools ( chemical decapsulation and mechanical decapping tools )

With the high school FA lab facility, EOS failure modes can be further seen.
• Carbonized mold compound
• Wire fuse open
• Metallization fuse open

ESD failure modes can only be identified through a more advanced FA tool.

ESD: Failure Mechanism and Models will provide ESD Engineers and ESD Coordinators the comprehensive knowledge on ESD failure modes and mechanism that will help in distinguishing damage due to ESD and damage due to EOS.

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