Laser-induced, plasma-based, non-contact electrical testing of functional hardware

Abstract

In order to non-destructively test fine-pitch devices, a system has been developed that uses a laser-induced plasma to provide the conduction between an electronic component and monitoring equipment. This non-contact system has been shown to produce a 10-20- mu s non-loading electrical pathway that can transmit both DC and high-frequency signals to or from a printed wiring board. The non-contact electrical pathway is first expected to be used for probing and observation of electronic equipment.<>