What is surface analysis?

Surface analysis is a field of study.Material surface structure, composition, chemical state and physical propertiesthe science and technology, mainly focusing on observing and understanding the characteristics of material surfaces, such as:morphology、roughness、chemical compositionand the interaction between the surface and the external environment is crucial for ensuring product quality, identifying process defects, and understanding material behavior.

In the actual manufacturing process, from the Research and Development Phase to the Packaging Test Stageoften encounter problems that are difficult to detect with the naked eye, such as:

• During the process, extremely small and thin nano-level contaminants or foreign substances may easily appear, requiring precise identification of their chemical composition to trace the source process.

• In the RDL(Re-distribution layer)UBM(Metal layer under bump) In the process, if there is slight oxidation or organic contamination on the metal surface, it will directly lead to electrical abnormalities, increased resistance, and open circuit.Open, short circuit (Short) or leakage (Leakage) and other failure issues.

These "invisible defects" hidden at the microscopic level can be accurately identified and located through surface analysis tools.

Why is surface analysis important?

The "surface" is the first interface where all substances meet the outside world. This layer, only a few nanometers thick, often determines the overall electrical, optical, mechanical, and chemical behavior of the material, through surface analysis:

• Identify process defectsAnalyze the sources of small foreign objects or oxide layers, and trace the defective process stages.

• Detection of Contamination and DeteriorationConfirm whether the metal layer and interface layer in the process are contaminated or aged.

• Optimize process parametersBy analyzing surface energy and chemical bonds, improve material adhesion and reactivity.

• Enhance product reliabilityEnsure the stability of packaging and electrical contacts to avoid open circuits, short circuits, or leakage.

In today's world, where product lifespan and reliability requirements are becoming increasingly stringent, surface analysis has become an indispensable quality assurance link in all high-tech manufacturing processes.

Application of Surface Analysis in the Semiconductor Industry

In the semiconductor industry, process accuracy is measured in nanometers, and any extremely small surface anomalies can causeElectrical anomalies, yield decline, or reliability failure,Surface analysis can be applied to the following key scenarios:

• Nano-scale foreign object analysisDetecting particles or residual contamination that occur in processes such as CMP, PVD, CVD, RDL, UBM, etc.

• Oxide Layer and Interface AnalysisObserve the oxidation phenomenon between metal electrodes or films to avoid excessive contact resistance.

• packaging failure analysisDetecting abnormalities caused by solder joint cracking, short circuits, or electromigration.

• Material Development and Quality VerificationSupport research on the surface structure and reaction layers of new materials, accelerating the product development cycle.

By utilizing precise surface analysis technology, engineers can quickly identify process bottlenecks and establish a closed-loop quality management system from design to packaging, truly implementing " Precision analysis, safeguarding qualityThe core value of "!