Prediction of IC and LSI Performance by Specialized Vibration/Detection Test for Presence of Conductive Particles

This paper describes a method for detecting the presence of small conducting particles capable of inducing circuit malfunction in electronic devices. The method differs from previous practice in several important ways. 1. Detection circuitry is mounted on the vibrating shaker table eliminating cable wear problems and greatly decreasing minimum detection time for shorts, such that all possible short circuit events can be detected. 2. Vibrational force input is specifically designed to maximize probability of detection in a given time. 3. An optoelectronic read-out for circuit latch-up is provided. The circuit can be manually reset during operation to permit confirmation of existence of a particle as required.