Towards in situ failure analysis of multi-layer ceramic capacitors using x-ray nano-laminography
Towards in situ failure analysis of multi-layer ceramic capacitors using x-ray nano-laminography
Thursday, November 20, 2025: 1:30 PM
2 (Pasadena Convention Center)
Summary:
Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are crucial in modern electronics, but are susceptible to damage during manufacturing, assembly, and use. Current failure analysis methods are time-consuming and destructive. This study explores high-resolution X-ray nano-CT and X-ray nano-computed laminography (CL) for in situ analysis of MLCCs, both individually and mounted on PCBs. A 0603 capacitor was desoldered from a phone PCB and imaged with nano-CT and nano-CL. Additionally, another capacitor was imaged with nano-CL on the PCB. The scans show varying image quality of the different methods including limited resolution in the vertical plane when using laminography making it difficult to detect the layers inside the capacitor depending on the orientation of the component. The experiments have shown that MLCCs can be imaged on PCBs using high-resolution laminography.
Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are crucial in modern electronics, but are susceptible to damage during manufacturing, assembly, and use. Current failure analysis methods are time-consuming and destructive. This study explores high-resolution X-ray nano-CT and X-ray nano-computed laminography (CL) for in situ analysis of MLCCs, both individually and mounted on PCBs. A 0603 capacitor was desoldered from a phone PCB and imaged with nano-CT and nano-CL. Additionally, another capacitor was imaged with nano-CL on the PCB. The scans show varying image quality of the different methods including limited resolution in the vertical plane when using laminography making it difficult to detect the layers inside the capacitor depending on the orientation of the component. The experiments have shown that MLCCs can be imaged on PCBs using high-resolution laminography.