Contamination Troubleshooting for Microelectronics Packaging

A goal of advanced packaging design performance is to reduce power and to achieve better control of heat and electromagnetic interference. Materials to achieve efficient packaging include the use of gold (Au) wire, copper (Cu) alloy, gold/silver (Au/Ag) plating, solder, low-k epoxy and dry-film polymers, silicones and polyimides. Material purity verification and contamination control during the production process is a prerequisite to ensure high yields in packaging because getting this wrong means throwing away multiple chips. This paper describes an Analytical Decision Tree to guide methodology selection, reviews contamination troubleshooting methodologies, and case studies to resolve process issues.