Quantitative 3D-Defect Localization using Lock-In Thermography based on Lateral Phase Characteristics

The paper discusses enhancements in quantitative thermal lock-in inspection (LIT) through analysis of the spatial phase distribution for precise defect localization in complex microelectronic components. It addresses the challenges that arise from increasing integration density and diversification in material composition in upcoming microelectronics. The primary focus of the work described here is on improving sensitivity and spatial resolution in lock-in thermography by analyzing the lateral phase distribution to compensate for thermal spreading effects. A key achievement of this paper is the precise and quantitative depth estimation of thermally active electrical defects enabling a full 3D-localization. Besides a description of the analysis approach experimentally obtained results are included demonstrating the significant improvements in precision and accuracy in 3D defect localization for fault isolation. The paper highlights the potential for application of the proposed method for failure analysis in heterogeneous 3D-integrated microelectronic devices.