Enhanced sample preparation of advanced semiconductor device package with microwave induced plasma

• Main Author: Tan, Hong Siang
• Other Authors: Gan Chee Lip
• Format: Thesis-Master by Research
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2025
• Subjects: Engineering; Sample preparation; Epoxy molding compounds; Microwave induced plasma
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182241
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In recent years, heterogeneous integration has led to the development of semiconductor devices with higher performance and smaller form factor through advanced packaging technologies. These advanced packages are assembled with multiple dies and embedded components. They are normally encapsulated with epoxy molding compounds (EMCs) to protect the die from external impact and to improve their reliability performance. The usage of EMCs is becoming more extensive in advanced semiconductor devices due to the complex structure with the presence of multiple die stacking. However, this increases the difficulty of failure analysis as the defects may manifest in the embedded components which are covered by the EMCs. Suitable sample preparation techniques and workflow are needed to remove the EMCs to reveal the defects and to determine the root cause. In this project, various equipment such as reactive ion etching (RIE) tool, microwave induced plasma (MIP) etcher, and laser decapsulation system were explored to remove the EMCs. Parameters of these equipment are varied to understand their effects on the removal rate for different types of EMCs. Various successful case studies were presented to demonstrate the importance of removing EMCs to expose the defects without inducing any damage. This will aid in determining the root cause of failure in semiconductor devices.