A new approach for making electrically conductive interconnections between small contacts in failure analysis

We have investigated two new methods to establish an electrically conductive interconnection between two contacts on a semiconductor device inside a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Both methods use a nanowire that is transported to the contacts. The first interconnection is made using a glue that can be hardened inside the SEM to fix the nanowires at the contacts. The other approach makes use of a microsoldering unit that is mounted on a micromanipulator and can be heated up to 200 °C. A special solder is used to make a low ohmic connection between the contacts.