The boom in artificial intelligence has created a major testing headache. As AI chips get faster and more capable, engineers are stacking multiple smaller silicon pieces—called chiplets—and tall memory blocks (HBM) tightly inside a single package. Because these parts are crammed so closely together, finding a tiny electrical fault or crack has become extremely difficult and slow.
To solve this problem, Hamamatsu Photonics has created the iPHEMOS®-DDX, an inverted microscope built specifically to inspect and test these modern AI packages.
Seven Testing Tools in One Machine
In the past, testing a broken chip meant moving it back and forth between several different machines to check for heat leaks, light emissions, and laser reflections. Shifting chips around takes up valuable time and risks damaging sensitive silicon.
The iPHEMOS-DDX solves this by combining seven key testing methods into a single system:
- Photo Emission Microscopy (PEM)
- Thermal Lock-in Thermography (Thermal/LIT)
- Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM)
- Optical Beam Induced Resistance Change (OBIRCH)
- Dynamic Analysis by Laser Stimulation (DALS)
- Electro-Optical Probing / Frequency Mapping (EOP/EOFM)
- Transient Defect (TD) Imaging
With all these tools in one place, engineers can spot hidden problems—like broken microscopic wires or overheating spots—without removing the chip or jumping between test stations.
Easy Plug-In for Faster Results
Complex chips need to run real electrical signals while under the microscope so engineers can see errors happen in real time. Instead of using messy external cables that can mess up signals, the iPHEMOS-DDX can plug straight into existing chip-testing machines from three different directions.
This simple docking system lets labs add the microscope directly into their daily testing lines. It cuts down setup time, keeps the testing environment steady, and helps teams find and fix errors much faster.
Hamamatsu is presenting the iPHEMOS-DDX at the ISTFA 2026 conference in San Antonio, Texas. As companies pack more processing power into smaller spaces, all-in-one tools like this will play a key role in keeping manufacturing yields high and reducing costly delays.
