Case Study: ST-Ericsson localizes IC defects in real time with National Instruments PXI and LabVIEW FPGA

Real-Time Defects Mapping on Integrated Circuits Using NI PXI and LabVIEW FPGA

The customer, ST-Ericsson, faced the challenge of localizing microscopic defects causing abnormal electrical behavior in its integrated circuits. Conventional fault-mapping methods were limited to measuring simple voltage or current changes, but ST-Ericsson needed to analyze complex parameters like frequencies and digital values. To overcome this, they partnered with vendor National Instruments to develop a new solution.

National Instruments provided a solution using NI PXI hardware and the LabVIEW FPGA Module. This system was inserted into their test setup to control components, initiate conversions, and process complex data at extremely high speeds. The result was an economical system that could map heat-sensitive areas on a chip in minutes instead of hours. Using this NI solution, ST-Ericsson successfully identified a 100 fA leak in a capacitor that was causing the failure, enabling them to correct the problem.

ST-Ericsson

Sébastien CANY

ST-Ericsson