Testing and Upscreening

External Visual Inspection

External Visual Inspection, if properly performed, can lead to a high capture rate of the suspect or fraudulent/counterfeit parts.  A good deal of fraudulent/counterfeits are parts that have been recycled and re-weorked (straightening and re-tinning  leads, remarking, etc. . . ).  The External Visual Inspection consists of the following two examinations.

• Ensure all parts meet General Criteria (Requirement in AS6081 test standard) and appear in good condition to the unaided eye.
• Samples are selected from each lot to undergo detailed criteria (Requirement in AS6081 test standard) and compared to authentic part.

Optically examined at magnification and lighting sufficient to detect feature being anomalies and documented in our final test reports.

Heated Chemical Testing

Blacktopping an electronic component is a common process used by counterfeiters. They use of older date codes or slower speed devices and re-mark them as higher grade and/or with a recent date code. Counterfeiters use reclaimed, scrapped and excess parts.  . Re-Surfacing / Re-Marking tests are based on AS5553, MIL-STD-202 and JESD22-B107C.

Heated Chemical Testing or HCT is performed on devices to check for a secondary coating. Heating a specific chemical to a certain temperature and submerging the device half way into the chemical over a specific period of time will uncover secondary coatings if present. This step is very effective in determining if a secondary coating has been applied.

Acetone (CAS Registry Number 67-64-1) Test

The acetone test is one of the solvent tests for resurfacing. To perform this test, we dip a cotton swab into Acetone. Then wipe the swab across the surface of the part (avoid markings if possible). If the swab turns black or if the section we wiped has a permanent color change, the part may be coated, and therefore considered suspect counterfeit.

Caution: For all solvents specified in these tests, ensure proper safety precautions are used, including proper Personal Protective Equipment, a ventilated fume hood, and eliminate any ignition sources

1-Methyl 2-Pyrrolidinone (872-50-4) Test

The 1-Methyl 2-Pyrrolidinone test acetone is also one of the solvent tests for resurfacing. If the part passes the Acetone test, move on to the 1-Methyl 2-Pyrrolidinone test. When using 1-Methyl 2-Pyrrolidinone, completely immerse the part in the solution and heat it to 115 to 120 °C for 2 to 5 min (the time and temperature may be adjusted to compensate for the sample). Once the part is removed from the solution, use a cotton swab to wipe the coating off (avoid markings if possible). The removed coating will show on the cotton swab as black in color, and indicative of a suspect counterfeit part.

Dynasolve 750 testing

This testing process will be able to confirm and determine if the device has been remarked or resurfaced. As a part of counterfeiting many suppliers used an older date code or slow speed devices, and refurbished them to appear new and marked as higher grade or with a recent date code or as RoHS compliant. Counterfeiters have access to reclaimed, scrapped and excess parts, which are easily available from unauthorized sources. These tests consider a destructive test. Re-Surfacing / Re-Marking test are based on AS5553, MIL-STD-202 and JESD22-B107C.

Internal Die Verification

Decapsulation is a process used to expose the internal structure of an integrated circuit. The de-cap process is completed using a mixture of 2% fuming Nitric acid and 20% fuming Sulfuric acid heated to a certain temperature. This mixture is then forced into a small hole in a gasket to etch away polymer encapsulants or exterior of a device using a Nisene Technologies Jetetch Pro Decapsulation machine. This creates a cavity in the device, exposing bonding wires, internal structure, and the die.

There are many terms used for this process in electronic components industry. Some of the terms used are Decapsulation, Decap, De-Lid, Expose Die, Internal Die Verification, and Internal Inspection. When the manufacture logo and markings are found. Markings are then compared to G.E.T.S. internal database of known good parts. Sometimes the die numbers and markings can be confirmed with the devices external markings.

After the die is exposed, the device is put under a microscope to see if the Manufacturer’s logo and any markings are visible. When the manufacture logo and markings are found. Markings are then compared to G.E.T.S. internal database of known good parts. Sometimes the die numbers and markings can be confirmed with the device’s external markings. Here are a few more examples of devices that have been decapsulated:

X-Ray Inspection & Analysis

Widely considered a non-destructive test, X-ray inspection and analysis is a process used to verify the bond wire connections, die size comparison and electrode-static discharge (ESD) damage. Counterfeit devices can be determined by comparing the structure of the die to a known good device. Part should be identical from bond wire location to die size. X-Ray perform base on AS5553 and MIL-STD-883 2012.7. This test is considered a non-destructive test and can identify:

• Broken bond wires • ESD and EOS detection • Voids • Die size • Die shape

• Die bond options • Misplaced bond wires • Lead design • Canted die • Comparative analysis

Surface Texture Analysis

SEM is used to detect surface modifications. SEM texture analysis will not apply to some package types; e.g., glass bodied packages, resistors, capacitors, etc. SEM evaluation will be considered destructive due to possible electron beam damage to circuitry and the use of grounding materials that can result in permanent contamination. Inspections will be on a sample basis due to the destructive assessment of the package. Sputter coating may be added to obtain high-quality images if the sample surface accumulates electrical charge without the use of sputter coating. The SEM magnification will be appropriate to document areas of interest or detect anomalies. Imaging may be attempted without sputter-coating first.

Upscreening Electronic Components

Upscreening documents an electronic component's performance at higher specifications such as wider temperature ranges and tighter tolerances to identify  components that often operate above and beyond their official specifications.

Common scenarios in which upscreening may be warranted include:

• Legacy parts or system that require a substitute part.
• Seeking a COTS for Military or Hi-Rel applications and need assurance of enhanced performance and/or environmental tolerance.
• Weed out marginal product via burn-in to help ensure reliability.
• Electronic copmponents may need to perform at a higher level or withstand a higher stress level or be replaced.