Tin whisker inspection with Phenom Desktop SEM

The removal of the lead from the solder of semiconductor devices can cause and expedite the growth of tin whiskers.

When lead is not mixed into the alloy, residual stress on the surface of semiconductor packaging leads can cause the growth of these crystalline structures. This creates a potential source of electrical shorting and arching in chips. The Phenom desktop SEM provides an excellent tool for the inspection of semiconductors for tin whiskers. Its simple to use navigation and magnification range up to 100,000x make it easy to locate these tin whiskers and the online measurement tool makes it possible to measure these whiskers on the spot.

Tin whiskers have caused total system failures in computers, cell phones, missiles, and satellites. Analysts predict that these issues will become more frequent in this new solder-free semiconductor era. With the Phenom desktop SEM every operator can easily detect tin whiskers.

• First, place a semiconductor chip on a SEM pin mount. Samples can be mounted top down, in cross section, or on a 45 degree mount. Once the sample has been mounted and loaded into the machine, navigate to a packaging lead using the optical overview window.  Due to the “never lost” sample function of the navigation camera operators can quickly and easily navigate around the package and have always an accurate overview of where they are.
• Browse around the packaging lead for any unusual looking structures protruding from the surface.
• Higher magnification Phenom images can give accurate tin whisker size data. Further the online measurement function of the Phenom desktop SEM can be used to measure the height of the tin whisker.

If you want to find out more about the possibilities of the Phenom desktop SEMs visit our website. You can always contact us via email.