Status	UP
Issue Date and Description
Estimated Fix Date and Comment
Responding Staff

iLab Name: C - ASAP-1 IPS Digital Sample Preparation System
iLab Kiosk: BRK Packaging and Assembly Core
FIC: Walter Leon-Salas
Owner: Mihailo Bradash
Location: BRK 2221
Maximum Wafer Size: 4"/100 mm

Overview

Note: the following is quoted from ULTRA TEC's documentation

General Description

ASAP-1® IPS is a digital sample preparation system for the decapsulation, thinning and polishing of packaged wafer-level devices.

Drawing on ULTRA TEC’s market knowledge and long-standing leadership in electronic sample preparation, IPS is ‘device centric’ – designed to meet the non-destructive, high yield and survivability needs of micro-electronic components.

IPS’ Touch Screen OS has been designed from the ground-up to control all aspects of the sample preparation process. Advanced programming drives IPS’s deep sub-micron axes of motion. The machine vision monitor provides an unique ‘always-live’ image of the device, along with key navigational and process information.

The touch-off tool control provides Z-position at pre-defined locations and pressures – enabling package and die tilt to be corrected quickly and accurately. Tool height variations are automatically-calibrated.

Selected area preparation

"Selected Area Preparation (SAP) has long been established as a low damage machining method, with the use of relatively low spindle speeds, in conjunction with the floating head providing very low temperature rises. This is in stark contrast with high speed 'mills' which introduce excess vibration, ultrasonics, and process temperature rises -- generally requiring either a cooling bath to be in position at all time, or even a constant high flow of coolant to avoid device overheating. SAP is almost always a ‘wet process’ . However the coolant required is minimal."

The use of ULTRA TEC’s patented 'float down' head approach has enabled several hundred customers to achieve high quality polished surfaces, ready for analysis. High yields have been shown using analog ASAP-1® equipment for thinning silicon to less than 20 micron target RST. The move to higher accuracy digital systems allows for routine thinning of extremely thin substrates at even low single-digit RST’s. The move to larger flip chips mounted on PCB substrates requires inherent design for 3D sample prep. Sample Preparation developments have been driven by the industry's push for both smaller RST’s – for optimal backside imaging and attenuation – and the need for improved uniformity, to satisfy the latest analytical techniques.

• “A Straightforward Guide to the Sample Preparation of Curved & Warped IC's”; TEC Note #16, 2015 • “Backside Failure Analysis Techniques: What’s The Gain Of Silicon Getting Thinner”; Boit, Schafer et al; ESREF 2014 • “The State of the Art in Backside Sample Prep”; Jim Colvin, EDFA Vol 4, No.2, 2002 • “Packages Have Become the New IC’s”; Jim Colvin, EDFA Volume 16, Issue 4, November 2014

Specifications

Suits all sizes of die - package, wafer and board-level
Real Time Video Monitor with system parameter
Touchscreen control with physical joystick & controls
Rigidized Table Assembly and closed-loop, high-torque, motor control enhances the machining of tough and hard materials
X, Y and Z axes all have deep sub-micron accuracy
Accurately decaps, then thins substrate and polishes
Patented Floating Head provides a true polishing action -- yields polishing quality & high survivability
Intuitive menus provide a powerful, easy to use, system
USB Flash Driveinterface for preparation recipe storage
Short set-up and process times
Accurate die-tilt adjustment ‘on the fly’
Bench-top & Quiet in Operation

Z-Vertical Direction Precision	0.04 microns (40 nanometers)
Table Precision (X& Y Travel)	0.2 microns (200 nanometers)
Table Travel Amplitude	100mm x 100mm
Polishing Method	Patented ASAP-1 Float-down head, with Z-lock, enhanced with electronic sensors and tool patterns
Video	Real-time machine vision with 6.5 inch video monitor. External Video Output (NTSC)
Programming Input Method	Touchscreen with joystick and 3 physical rotary encoders
Machine Vision	Real-time Video of overlaid with stage and process variables.
Tilt Control	Computer-aided 2-circle tilt control, ULTRACOLLIMATOR Measurement (option)
Force Control	1000grams (max) with 1 gram precision. Overall accuracy +/- 10 grams
Recipe Load & Save	USB Port, for removable flash drive (up to 2Gb)
Z Position Touch-off Method	Mechanical Positioning with Force-feedback (option) sensors.
X & Y Position	LASER Targeting
Power Consumption	300 Watts Maximum in use
Power Requirements	Universal: 100-120VAC; 200-240VAC
Footprint	19 inches (480mm) Width x 25 inches (635 mm) Depth x 22 Inches (560mm) Height

Tool Overview

Instructions	Graphics

Instructions

Graphics

Operator Controls

Floating polishing head assembly.
Floating head lock knob.
USB Slot for storing recipes
Real time camera view
Operator input screen. (Touch Sensitive)
Emergency OFF button
XYZ control joystick
Dual purpose input knob
1. X axis manual/micro move
2. Manual table speed adjust
Dual purpose input knob
1. Y axis manual/micro move
2. Manual tool speed adjust
Z axis micro move
Power button
spindle shown with tool inserted

Operator Input Screens

Instructions	Graphics

Instructions	Graphics
Screen Title: ASAP - 1 Initialization Screen Menu Label: NA Displays during initial power up routine. Touch screen with stylus to exit.
Screen Title: Menu Menu Label: NA To access this menu, press located in the upper left corner of any operator screen.
Screen Title: Load/Save Recipes Menu Label: Load-Save and Tool Dia This screen loads after power ON initialization screen is touched. This displays machine default settings loaded on power up. This screen displays current machine settings after changes.
Screen Title: Load-Save and Tool Diameter Select Menu Label: Not directly accessible from the menu To access this screen, first navigate to Load/Save Recipes screen shown above. Then click . This screen is used only to select tool diameter.
Screen Title: Set Scan Start/Endpoints Menu Label: Start/Endpoints This screen is primarily used to define the area to be thinned/polished. is essentially the same as pressing Run on the Run screen allows the user to interrupt the system while it is running, and will allow table moves and resetting of Start/End points. are temporary coordinate holders. You can store X,Y positions of interest to return to later.
Screen Title: 3D Menu Label: 3D/Tilt This screen is used to manage auto tilt and curvature parameters.
Screen Title: Menu Label: Illumination/Cam Mode/Text Text overlay contrast on real time camera view can be adjusted. Control of camera mode is achieved on this screen. This screen is used to manage power to the laser indicator. This screen also controls the display of the text overlay on the real time camera display
Screen Title: Table Travel Pattern Select Menu Label: Patterns Pattern selection defines the motion of the polishing tool over the area to be thinned/polished.
Screen Title: Run Menu Label: Run Process This screen is used to control the process start and stop. Checking the Timer box will force the process to stop when the timer has reached 0 remaining seconds. Checking the Trip box will ...? Checking the Zstop box will ....? Vac En is not used on this tool
Screen Title: Menu Label: Z Force Feedback
Screen Title: Keypad Menu Label: Keypad

Safety Precautions

This device produces visible laser radiation. To prevent injury to your eyes, never look directly into the laser.

Sample Requirements and Preparation

The Automated Selected Area Polisher (ASAP-1-IPS) is designed to thin and polish small selected areas (windows) in electronic packages and wafer-level dies. The resultant thinned component is transparent to infra-red light, thus enabling backside failure analysis to be carried out on the (front side) circuitry in the device.


Typical Applications
Mechanical Decapuslation	Wafer Thinning	Failure Analysis
Images from http://www.ultratecusa.com

Standard Operating Procedure

Turn Power ON

Sample mounting

Your sample needs to be mounted flat and rigid to the sample holder. Assuming mounting technique meets these two criteria, there is no preferred method. Below are a couple common mounting techniques used regularly.

Bond small samples to glass slide using Crystal Bond 555-HMP, then use clamps to hold slide in place.
1. Place glass slide on hot plate and heat to 80 degrees C.
2. Spread a small amount of Crystal Bond 555-HMP over the area where sample will be mounted.
3. Press sample firmly down onto Crystal Bond and allow assembly to cool to room temperature.
4. Place assembly onto sample holder and use mechanical clamps to hold the glass slide in place.
Bond sample directly to the sample holder using Crystal Bond 555-HMP.
1. Remove the sample holder from the ASAP-1 tool.
2. Place on hot plate and heat to 80 degrees C.
3. Spread a small amount of Crystal Bond 555-HMP over the area where sample will be mounted.
4. Press sample firmly down onto Crystal Bond and allow assembly to cool to room temperature.
5. Mount sample holder back onto the ASAP-1 tool.
Mechanical Clamps
1. Using the threaded holes provided in the sample holder, mount clamps in place as needed. Two options on each side, one closer to the middle, the second further away from center accomodating a wide range of sample widths.
2. The screw that threads into the clamp is used to adjust the clamp for your sample thickness. That screw needs to be adjusted so that it sticks our futher than the sample is thick resulting the the front edge of the clamp making contact with the sample.
3. Tighten the slotted screw until firm.
  1. Be sure to adjust the rear screw on the clamp appropriately based on the sample thickness. You need to have the edge exerting force on the sample top, not exerting clamping force on the glass slide / sample edge.
  2. Be careful not to exert too much force on the sample. Clamping introduces stress on the package/wafer that can result in cracking or warping during the thinning process.

Selected Area Polish of Wafer Backside Process Example

Set Processing Parameters

Select appropriate tool size and Polishing Force

Processing - Four Steps

Questions & Troubleshooting

Process Library

References

Manufacturer Website

ASAP-1 IPS Digital Sample Preparation System