Contactless current and voltage measurements in integrated circuits by using a needle sensor

摘要

Systematic measurements of circuit internal DC-currents and DC-voltages by detecting the magnetic respectively electric force gradient with a quartz resonator, called needle sensor, have been realized. The principle of this technique is similar to the principle of conventional Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) or Electric Force Microscopy (EFM), known tools for advanced function and failure analysis of integrated circuits. The decisive advantage of the needle sensor over a cantilever based scanning force microscope is a much better access into packaged integrated circuits because of its smaller geometry. In this paper a simple model describing the function of the needle sensor and experimental results will be presented.