A temperature control solution applied to IC failure analysis at low temperature

Sometimes Failure Analysis(FA) Lab could receive a request for IC failure analysis at low temperature. However, there are some problems to get low temperature atmosphere for FA. For example, the thermo stream machine which is used in Test process is not fit to FA, especially after de-capsulation. Liquid nitrogen is usually as a common method. But it is forbidden by a local policy. To solve the problems permanently, a temperature control solution has been designed for the IC function/parameter FA at high/low temperature. The solution is based on a thermoelectric (TE) module as core part. So that not only high temperature, but also low temperature is obtained. The prototype system has been built, tested and evaluated. And a real FA case has been analyzed at low temperature based on the solution.