Method of examining and testing an electric device such as an integrated or printed circuit
First Claim
1. A method of examining and testing a layered electric circuit device having signal processing capability at discontinuities contained internally of its layers of structure in which radiation emitted by the device itself, after stimulation, is detected by scanning, electric signals characteristic of the detected radiation are formed and the signals are compared with reference signals, said method being characterized in that:
- said stimulation of the device comprises, in combination, sending a given electric signal through the device for signal processing therewithin and simultaneously irradiating the device with penetrating radiation from at least one source of radiation of a predetermined type and having predetermined characteristics,the said radiation emitted by the device being the result of interaction of the applied irradiation with the material of the device structure through which the given electric signal travels at places where the structure has discontinuities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This method is based on the radiation-matter interaction in a structure having discontinuities and where electron transport occurs in at least one layer. To this end, a stimulation signal is sent through the device under test and simultaneously at least one source of radiation sends incident radiation towards the surface of the device. The secondary radiation emitted by the device is detected together with the response of the device. The signals are compared, either individually or in combination, with a reference.
57 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of examining and testing a layered electric circuit device having signal processing capability at discontinuities contained internally of its layers of structure in which radiation emitted by the device itself, after stimulation, is detected by scanning, electric signals characteristic of the detected radiation are formed and the signals are compared with reference signals, said method being characterized in that:
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said stimulation of the device comprises, in combination, sending a given electric signal through the device for signal processing therewithin and simultaneously irradiating the device with penetrating radiation from at least one source of radiation of a predetermined type and having predetermined characteristics, the said radiation emitted by the device being the result of interaction of the applied irradiation with the material of the device structure through which the given electric signal travels at places where the structure has discontinuities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for examining and testing an electrical signal processing element having a layered structure of material, said method comprising the steps of:
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passing through the said element for processing a predetermined electrical signal; simultaneously therewith irradiating said element with radiation from at least one radiation source of predetermined type and known characteristics, said irradiation and said electrical signal acting on said element in combination to stimulate said element; said irradiation interacting with the material of the structure of said element through which said signal is passing at discontinuities present within said structure; scanning the said element and detecting radiation emanating from said element owing to the said combined stimulation; forming electrical response signals characteristic of said detected radiation; and comparing said electrical response signals with predetermined reference signals. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of examining and testing an integrated, layered electric element having signal processing capability when excited by a supply voltage and suitable input electrical signals, said method comprising the steps of:
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applying a supply voltage and a predetermined electrical signal to said element and to a comparison module; simutaneously irradiating said element with penetrating radiation from at least one radiation source; detecting secondary radiation emitted by said element and radiation reflected by said element in response to said simultaneous irradiating radiation and electrical excitation of said element; converting said detected radiation into a stored memory representation characteristic of said electrical element under test; detecting any faults in said stored memory representation; comparing an output electrical signal from said element with a reference signal which corresponds to the output electrical signal that said element would produce if said element had no structural defects; using the information from said comparing step and from said detecting faults step to determine the extent to which said device corresponds to preset standards. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification