Validation of novel method of tin oxide characterisation in electronic components as part of supply chain quality assurance - R6 Cont

Adaptix develops novel 3D X-ray imaging technology for medical applications. A prototype has also been tested in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) applications to inspect electronics devices and components and far exceeded the imaging capability of current 2D X-ray NDT systems. It also has a smaller footprint, is lower cost and produces less flux (requires less shielding to be safe, so portable for desktop use). The aim is to deliver a novel, commercially attractive quality assurance procedure, which doesn't involve manual handling of each sample and is applicable quickly to an entire batch of samples.

This project lays the groundwork to add a new/complementary multi-modal capability to the existing product, within the shielded X-ray cabinet to detect electronic chip pins ('defect pins') as well as physical abnormalities in 'one scan'.

Tin oxide has differential absorption of different optical wavelengths, a characteristic we aim to exploit. With an optical scan we want to detect tin oxide on electronic connectors. Oxides form when components aren't maintained in an appropriate environment. Tin oxide may also indicate if counterfeit/refurbished parts have been mixed into supposedly new products, which is often the case in global and unregulated supply chains where parts are bought and sold many times. Of the annual $800bn in semiconductors sales,~ $32bn go through 'channel'. The US Navy estimates 15% of its electronic parts are counterfeit, and this is probably a better controlled environment than the majority of supply chains.

The industry requires a low-cost method of increasing test throughput without the use of expensive and scarce trained electronics inspectors. This adds significant value to our 3D X-ray system for NDT applications. It would offer a highly novel and market-leading feature (in a new market) for the second version of the system to drive further revenues and industry-benefit.

As a continuation with NPL, we accomplished our main first goal of which method is the best for detecting oxidation. NPL also proved and identified where the tin oxide is located on an electronic component connector. Unfortunately because of the short time span we couldn't complete the second main task to research what the threshold/parameters are for this method to work in a commercial environment where 'good' parts that function acceptably well could fail, or we bad ones could pass. It is essential to complete the project in order to turn this into a viable commercial product for increased Adaptix revenue and industry gains.