Lattice Semiconductor Corporation maintains a Worldwide Product Analysis Request (PAR) system to provide prompt responses to customer inquiries on integrated circuits, packaging and shipment materials, and anything of an administrative nature. The focus of the system is on identification of root cause, and the corrective actions necessary to resolve or eliminate the problem. Permanent solutions and improved systems are used to prevent recurrence. In addition, this system provides Lattice information used to improve the product design, manufacturing, and service areas. The goal is to improve our systems and services to prevent future issues.
Lattice Semiconductor’s Product Analysis System (PAR) covers component analysis requests including:
- Electrical Failure – Functionality issue found after reflow.
- Visual/Mechanical – Issue found before reflow (physical defects). To be considered for analysis you may not use or mount these obviously damaged parts.
- Administrative – Issue found at Receiving/Incoming Inspection (Quantity, Labeling, Packaging Issues). Some Administrative issues may be forwarded to our Customer Service department.
Software, board, and cable issues should not be submitted to the PAR system.
Lattice Semiconductor provides customers with component failure analysis service, where appropriate, to help improve the quality and reliability of Lattice and customer products and manufacturing processes.
Devices not functioning to specifications, such as electrical and programming failures, may be returned for failure verification and analysis.
Other issues, such as Visual or Mechanical damage seen before reflow, or Administrative issues found at a customer’s Receiving or Incoming Inspection areas, will also be investigated based on case submission through the Lattice PAR system. Please contact your local Lattice sales support office for further information.
Turnaround times are set to satisfy the customer's need for resolution, and Lattice's need for rapid information to resolve quality, reliability, or corrective issues. Lattice targets the cycle times in Electronics Industry Association specification EIA-671 for Initial and Final Responses.
Lattice cannot accept PAR requests for analysis under the following circumstances:
- Analysis requests for non-production-released material, including engineering sample (ES) devices.
- Devices not purchased through a Lattice-authorized channel.
- Devices subjected to Electrical Overstress (EOS) - such as Vcc/Gnd short or multiple Open/Short pins after reflow.
- Electrical Failure devices with gross or mechanical damage that inhibits complete electrical test.
- Material shipped from Lattice facilities more than three (3) years prior to the date of PAR request.
- Devices not covered by Lattice Semiconductor warranty terms and conditions.
Device Analysis Capability
Capability at Lattice Headquarters is as follows:
Physical measurement equipment: Calipers, measuring microscope, package bond test, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM).
Electrical test and measurement equipment: High speed Automated Test Equipment (ATE), High speed oscilloscopes, pulse generators, custom AC load boards, Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR), various DC measurement tools.
Failure Analysis Capabilities: Photon Emission Microscope (PEM), liquid crystal analysis and probe stations, electrical test equipment, cross-sectioning, parallel polishing and backside polishing equipment, wet/dry chemical etching, high magnification optical microscopes, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM).
Capability at qualified outside laboratories is as follows:
Focused Ion Beam (FIB), Real Time X-ray radiography (RTX), residual gas analysis and leak test, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES).