Through investigation and process monitoring

What is the C3?

An intuitive and optimized system for testing localized cleanliness, the C3 is designed to extract and test for conductive residues that cause reliability issues on electronic devices. A major benefit of the C3 is the ability to focus on an area of interest as small as 0.1 square inches for cleanliness evaluations or failure analysis.

In comparison to a typical full board extraction, the C3 requires less preparation, less test time, and allows analysis of a particular component, process, or sensitive circuit, which is simply impossible with a total extraction.

Lead investigator, Eric Camden, has an informative video going into further depth as to the benefits and mechanisms of the C3 in this video.

As an Investigative Tool

The C3 began its work as an investigative tool, and this aspect of its use remains vital today. When a problem presents itself, the ability to focus more closely on a specific, targeted area allows investigators to find the problem and observe it at the granular level.

By targeting specific areas of an assembly, we can effectively determine which circuits are being impacted by conductive residues and quickly narrow down the relevant process(es), which is vital when addressing field failures or manufacturing issues. Crucially, after the C3 electrical test, the solution is available for direct ion chromatography analysis, allowing identification and quantification of specific ionic contaminants, which can point us to the source and a resolution. From fluxes and cleaning chemistries, to coatings and pottants, most materials used in electronics manufacturing have ionic constituents that can be detected (especially if not fully removed or improperly cured/processed) and used to narrow down root cause.

Throughout Process Monitoring

While the C3 started off as an investigative tool for electronic failures for use within our own lab, it has since evolved into an invaluable tool that hundreds of clients utilize for process monitoring within the production environment. Real-time monitoring of conductive residues at critical points in the manufacturing process can ensure process control, as well as identify potential issues long before they are covered up by other steps, let alone leave the facility en route to the customer.

With over 500 of these tools now used outside of Foresite’s lab, engineers and those involved in the manufacturing process can utilize the C3 in a variety of ways.