Optimization of a plasma etching machine for failure analysis of semiconductors

Microwave Induced Plasma (MIP) is an advanced decapsulation tool developed by Jiaco Instruments. The goal of this thesis is to optimise the current MIP system. There are two directions: 1. Improve the etching rate. 2. Find selectivity between different materials (Si, SiO2, SiN). The experiments are divided into two parts in total, improved...

Warpage analysis on power module ceramic substrates

This study deals with the challenge of warpage in power modules, vital components in the rapidly expanding electric and hybrid-electric vehicle industry. The variations in temperature during manufacturing, resulting in significant warpage changes, contribute to device cracks, delamination, and reduced reliability.<br/>The primary focus is...

Understand the Physics of Solder Joint Degradation in Board Level Reliability Vibration and Thermal Cycle Test

Board-level reliability (BLR) looks at the reliability problem in the package and PCB interconnection, which is an important topic in microelectronics. The current criterion in the BLR test is to look if the connection is open, which can only detect the failure and there is no available method that can detect the degradation of the solder joints...

Design, Production and Characterisation of an LPCVD-Based Poly-Silicon Carbide Pressure Sensor for Extreme Environments

Sensors are extremely valuable to this world. Without sensors, we would not be able to live as we do in this data-driven environment. Therefore, finding new ways to measure the matter around us is a continuous process. In this work, an addition to the new sensors is attempted, using materials that can withstand the most extreme circumstances....

HV power MOSFET embedding

Power electronics are an important technology used to convert electricity from a source like a battery or high voltage DC bus to more usable forms of electricity. This has to be done efficiently, reliably and without failures which is critical in applications like electric cars or datacenters. Power MOSFETs with upcoming SiC and GaN devices are...

Vacuum Sealing of MEMS Cavities using Nanoparticle Sintering

Many semiconductor sensors, particularly MEMS sensors such as inertial, temperature, pressure, and resonance sensors need a vacuum environment for optimal performance and sensitivity in addition to the improvement in their long-term reliability. With the rise of heterogeneous integration with the MEMS and ICs being integrated together, process...

Temperature sensor based on 4H siliconcarbide with measurement range up to 400°C

Wide band gap semiconductor has attracted significant industrial interest over the past decade with its superior properties: such as high critical electrical field, high thermal conductivity andwide band gap. Meanwhile many industries operating in harsh environments have long had demands for sensing solutions that function at high temperature....

Concentrating and inactivating the surrogate of SARS CoV-2 using electric fields on micro-chip platforms

Since the unravelling of the Covid-19 pandemic, studying methods of virus inactivation have become more important than ever. Many studies focus on the chemical and optical methods of inactivation. Very limited work has been carried out in studying the electrical methods of virus inactivation. The work presented in this thesis attempts to pioneer...

A combined vertical interconnect/underfill process for high density I/O flip chip bonding

This thesis investigates the all-copper fine pitch bonding process with photoimageable underfill. NanoCU paste is used as interconnect material. A bi-layer photo resist structure is manufactured and lithographic stencil printing is used to apply nanoCu paste. A new underfill injection method is realized by using epoxy resin based photo resist as...

Design and characterization of an implantable system for shockfree cardiac rhythm control

Design of moisture vapor pressure sensor for popcorn failure analysis in molding compound

Moisture absorbed by the hygroscopic polymers like molding compound and die-attach vaporizes during reflow lead to a high vapor pressure inside the electrical components lead to failure in the electrical device, named as popcorn failure. Popcorn failure in plastic encapsulated microcircuits has been a critical issue for electronic device...

LED-stimulated Liquid Crystalline Elastomers (LCEs) as Contractile Units for Assisting Cardiac Contraction

Heart Failure (HF) is a disease of high mortality and morbidity with huge impact on health care systems worldwide. HF is a result of decreased contraction of the heart muscle. Current treatments focus on symptoms,and only a minor portion of HF patients is eligible for surgery. Assistance devices for cardiac contractionare currently only...

Board Level Vibration Testing and Qualification for Automotive Application

Revolutionary changes in automotive industry toward fully connected electrical vehicles is changing the world of Board Level Reliability (BLR) Vibration Testing. It is taking BLR Vibration tests beyond board level to board module application level.<br/>In this thesis, it contains the development of a reliability test concept called Board Module...

Multifunctional UV-C LED Virus Inactivation Experimental Platform

Since the outbreak of SARS-COV-2, various virus inactivation techniques have been applied to suppress the spread of virus. Ultraviolet exposure inactivation is an efficient approach to inactivate virus, within UV band, UV-C with comparatively higher energy. UV-C has been proved to inactivate viruses efficiently, while to figure out efficient...

Thermal Analysis of Cu Pillars

THERMAL management is a very crucial step to ensure the reliability of Integrated Circuits (IC)s. The increase in power density has resulted in the formation of multiple, high-intensity, and non-uniform hotspots. This has not only affected the lifetime but also the performance of several devices. Optimization of the package design and layout are...

Advanced optoelectronics driver system for biomedical applications

With the development of biomedical technology such as optogenetics, optoelectronics devices, especially light-emitting diode(LED), becomes wildly used in biomedical researches and applications. Unlike traditional illumination and display applications, biomedical applications have more unique requirements like intensity and response speed. The...

Modelling, Design, and Fabrication of High-Temperature Compatible Vacuum Gauges in Silicon Carbide

The demand for monitoring vacuum level at a high temperature is growing rapidly. For instance, in the semiconductor industry, the deposition process of many thin films is conducted in a high-temperature environment where the vacuum needs to be precisely monitored and controlled. Although a number of micro-fabricated vacuum gauges which show...

Lab-on-a-chip for individual cell response to light stimulation: A three-layer MEMS device

Analyzing the different signaling pathways of cells is key in understanding the basic functions of the cells in all organic systems from algae to humans. Not only do they help solve our questions on how organisms function, they also allow for new cures to be explored. A large variety of these signaling pathways can be influenced by light and can...