Opens localization on silicon level in a Chip Scale Package using space domain reflectometry

•Non destructive technique for open localization.•Imaging technique for RF signals.•Visualize the open defect location.

Due to the requirement of a shrinking foot print and flexible design criteria, the semiconductor industry is moving towards the use of Chip Scale Package (CSP) which is a single die that is directly mounted onto the package or Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The lack of mold compound or other materials used to shield the silicon from the environment has exposed the CSP to an increasing risk of failure. In this paper we show that opens created in the silicon after attaching the CSP onto the PCB can be localized non-destructively using a Space Domain Reflectometry (SDR).