Non-destructive evaluation of the interface between silicon dies and copper leadframes in integrated circuit packaging

The silicon die and copper leadframe in integrated circuit (IC) packaging are bonded together by die attach adhesive, and the quality of the interface is a critical issue in the reliability of IC packaging. Common defects such as cracks and delaminations can be detected using the C-scan ultrasonic microscopy method with sufficient confidence. However, weak interfaces due to weak adhesion and poor cohesion have often gone undetected, to subsequently become potential defective areas. In this paper we present experimental work to evaluate the quality of the interfaces that typically exist in IC packages using longitudinal ultrasonic wave propagation with contact transducers. Three different conditioning processes, varying curing, moisture exposure and pre-curing moisture contamination, are used to degrade the interface bonding the silicon die and copper leadframe. Ultrasonic reflection coefficients from the interface are then measured. The results show that the reflection coefficient depends strongly on the interface quality, and can be used as a quantitative indicator to characterize the bond quality.