broken wire

Broken Wire in failure analysis refers to wire bond fractures that cause electrical opens in semiconductor packages, a common failure mode in packaged ICs.

## What Is Broken Wire Failure?

• Location: Can occur at ball neck, loop span, or stitch heel
• Causes: Mechanical stress, thermal fatigue, corrosion, vibration
• Detection: Electrical open test, X-ray imaging, decapsulation
• Failure Rate: Increases with thermal cycling and wire length

## Why Broken Wire Analysis Matters

Wire bonds are often the weakest link in packages. Understanding failure modes guides design improvements and reliability predictions.

Failure Analysis Steps:
1. Electrical characterization (identify open pins)
2. X-ray inspection (non-destructive)
3. Acoustic microscopy (detect cracks)
4. Decapsulation and optical inspection
5. SEM analysis of fracture surface
6. Root cause determination (mechanical, chemical, thermal)