Evans Analytical Group (EAG), the world's leading, fully integrated, independent laboratory network providing high value expert analytical and testing services to a wide range of industries and end users, today announced it has significantly enhanced its capabilities with the acquisition of multiple advanced imaging and inspection tools for electronics failure analysis.
The new equipment extends EAG’s leadership position while enabling the company to better serve its customers with maximum speed, accuracy and effectiveness.
“This major investment further strengthens our ability to deliver best-in-class services to our customers, while reinforcing our position as one of the few providers with the necessary, highly specialized tools and expertise to localize electrical failures,” said Aram Sarkissian, general manager, Microelectronics Test and Engineering (MTE) for EAG. “We continue to be one of the best-equipped labs in the world for diagnosing and resolving a broad range of challenging IC and microelectronics failures.”
Today’s advanced semiconductor technology nodes allow ICs to shrink in size while growing in complexity, which means even a single misplaced atom can lead to performance problems and difficult-to-diagnose failures. This requires the latest tools and equipment to keep up with technology advancements. EAG’s newest tool investments include the following acquisitions:
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PHEMOS-1000 emission microscope from Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.: By detecting faint emissions caused by device anomalies, this microscope enables operators to identify failure locations in anything from memory and logic devices to power and flat panel devices. The tool offers superior detection, higher-resolution backside images, and lower detection thresholds than alternative tools while also providing laser marking to more easily transfer failure location information to another analytical instrument.
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OKOS VUE 400-P Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) and ultrasonic non-destructive package testing tool: This tool provides advanced imaging capabilities in conjunction with other visual examination methods. It uses ultrasound waves to detect changes in materials’ acoustic impedances that, in a package failure, would reveal voids, delamination, or underfill problems. Available with multiple transducer options to support numerous package types, the tool can acquire multiple gates simultaneously for convenient single-scan capture of die surface, die attach and transmission mode (also known as thru-scan) images.
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FA LIT layer-by-layer decapsulation tool from Control Laser: Patented laser technology enables EAG operators to systematically remove the individual layers of mold compound that typically cover a semiconductor die, all the way through the lead frames to the substrate. This improves decapsulation success rate especially in devices featuring copper wire, allows inspection of stitch bonds, and enables PCB trace probing or reworking.
EAG is the only company to focus its failure analysis services on the entire system, from electronics to materials and all the way down to IC transistor-level failure mechanisms.
Its multi-disciplinary services include both materials characterization and electrical testing using the latest high-resolution microscopy imaging and electrical localization tools, and are delivered through a well-defined, holistic methodology that is customized for each customer situation.
These capabilities are increasingly important given the growing complexity of electronics systems, their rapid pace of miniaturization, the special characteristics of advanced technology processes, the intermittent nature of system malfunctions, and difficult challenges posted by exotic materials that are used to design and manufacture today’s components.
For more information visit www.eag.com/mte.
About Evans Analytical Group
EAG is the world's leading, fully integrated, independent laboratory network. EAG's Materials Characterization Division provides high value analytical services focused on surface analysis and materials characterization in support of high technology industries. The Company's Microelectronic Test and Engineering division provides expert engineering service and testing services for early engineering and new product introduction in support of the electronics industry. EAG’s ChemEco division provides analytical chemistry, environmental fate, metabolism and eco-toxicology services for agrochemicals, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and animal health products. EAG has an international network of laboratories and serves more than 5,500 customers worldwide. (www.eaglabs.com)
EAG is majority-owned by Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC, a leading private equity firm with more than $2 billion in capital under management. Odyssey makes majority, control investments primarily in established middle-market industrial manufacturing and business services companies in a variety of industries. Further information regarding Odyssey Investment Partners can be found at www.odysseyinvestment.com.