TIVA—Thermally Induced Voltage Alteration

How TIVA Works

• Scanned optical beam with wavelength below the semiconductor bandgap locally heats integrated circuit (IC).

• Temperature rise in IC creates local changes in resistance.

• Constant current source supplies bias that results in voltage variation with resistance changes.

• Digital record of voltage versus scanner position produces TIVA image.

• Localization of shorted signal lines.

• Localization of high resistivity defects in conductors,
  for example,  voids.

TIVA (top) and reflected light (bottom) images of an open contact defect, 10th European Symposium on Reliability of Electron Devices, Failure Physics and Analysis, 991-996 (1999)

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