Reliability Testing of Automotive-Grade ICs Using Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM)
views：31
author：Hiwave
source：Hiwave
time：2025-11-11
catogory：News
As the core enabler of intelligent new energy vehicles (NEVs), automotive-grade chips are gaining increasing strategic importance—their technological sophistication an……
As the core enabler of intelligent new energy vehicles (NEVs), automotive-grade chips are gaining increasing strategic importance—their technological sophistication and product quality directly impact vehicle performance and safety. In particular, the ongoing advancement of vehicle electrification and intelligence is not only expanding the market scale for automotive chips but also offering domestic semiconductor companies a critical strategic opportunity to enter high-end automotive supply chains.
However, compared to consumer- and industrial-grade chips, automotive-grade chips face exceptionally stringent requirements in terms of reliability, safety, and long-term durability. Achieving certification under internationally recognized reliability standards—such as AEC-Q100—is a pivotal prerequisite for domestic chips to be truly qualified for automotive applications. Consequently, reliability testing has become one of the key bottlenecks in the development of China’s automotive-grade semiconductor industry. To seize this historic opportunity, domestic chip-makers must closely align with NEV technology trends and prioritize the advancement of reliability testing capabilities above all else. This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of reliability testing technologies for domestically produced automotive-grade chips.
SAM Inspection: The Key to Ensuring Solder Joint Quality in Automotive-Grade Chips
In manufacturing of automotive-grade chips, solder joint quality is critical to long-term device reliability. Hiwave’s Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM) enables 100% full-coverage, non-destructive inspection of every chip’s solder layer through a standardized, automated process—helping customers achieve production yields exceeding 99.999% and effectively eliminating early failures caused by soldering inconsistencies.
Precisely measures key parameters such as void percentage and solder wetting ratio based on ultrasonic reflection signals;Applies uniform thresholds to ensure consistent solder quality across batches and production lines;Identifies micron-level hidden flaws invisible to the naked eye, mitigating long-term performance degradation caused by thermal cycling or mechanical stress.
In the quality control system for silicon carbide (SiC) power modules, Hiwave SAM has become an essential tool for detecting critical latent defects—such as solder voids and substrate delamination—thanks to its non-destructive inspection capability and sub-micron imaging resolution. The ultrasound penetrates multi-layer heterogeneous structures (e.g., ceramic substrates, metal solder layers) and analyzes acoustic impedance mismatches at material interfaces to accurately determine defect location, size, density, and depth, providing direct, traceable data for package reliability assessment.
Hiwave SAM systems are now deployed at leading enterprises including StarPower, Silan, Huawei, and BYD, earning widespread acclaim and continuously empowering the high-quality advancement of domestic automotive-grade semiconductors and power electronics.
