Condensation Thermography - A Novel Approach for Locating Short Circuits and Determing Surface Temperatures in Semiconductor Die

A simple and inexpensive technique for locating shorts/hot spots and measuring surface temperatures of semiconductor die is described and detailed with some examples. The technique involves the visual observation of the point at which liquid evaporation (shorts/hot spots) or gaseous condensation (surface temperature) occurs on the surface of the semiconductor die. A 16 mm motion picture film has been made which vividly demonstrates these effects.