Backside SC-OBIC using a pulsed NIR-laser and its application to fault location

Recent advances in the field of laser investigations on ICs report on a new measurement technique with a single contact to the substrate pin of the circuit. This measurement mode called Single Contact Optical Beam Induced Current (SC-OBIC) allows investigating all junctions of the circuit, even if they are not connected to an access pin of the device under test. SC-OBIC also provides relevant information about fault location in these junctions. Pulsed laser allows transient studies. It is suitable with lock-in amplifier which strongly improve the sensitivity of the technique and permit to perform successfully backside analysis. This paper presents new results obtained by backside SC-OBIC investigations and their possible applications to fault location on ICs.