July 16, 2012 — 3D IC and stacked die semiconductor packaging configurations are often difficult to image with an acoustic microscope because the multiple internal surfaces send back abundant echoes and re-echoes from the ultrasound pulsed into the stack.
Now, Sonoscan introduced a simulator software, SonoSimulator, that enables stacked die makers to check nondestructively for delaminations between layers. SonoSimulator software is now a standard feature on the Gen6 C-SAM acoustic microscope.
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The SonoSimulator determines optimal gate positions and other parameters with far less effort than is possible with the physical stacked parts alone. It also results in higher quality acoustic images.
Operators create a virtual die stack that matches the characteristics of the physical 3D IC or die stack to be inspected, including defects at specified layers. The virtual defects help determine the optimum placement of gates to image specific levels in the stack.
Imaging parameters are easily transferred to the Gen6 Sonolytics software for imaging the physical 3D IC or die stack.
Sonoscan reports that the simulation software reduces the imaging time for 3D ICs and stacked die packages, and allows less-experienced operators to do the inspection effectively.
Sonoscan is the leading developer and manufacturer of acoustic microscopes and sophisticated acoustic micro imaging systems, widely used for nondestructive analysis of defects in industrial products and semiconductor devices. Internet: www.sonoscan.com.