broken wire
**Broken Wire** in failure analysis refers to wire bond fractures that cause electrical opens in semiconductor packages, a common failure mode in packaged ICs.
## What Is Broken Wire Failure?
- **Location**: Can occur at ball neck, loop span, or stitch heel
- **Causes**: Mechanical stress, thermal fatigue, corrosion, vibration
- **Detection**: Electrical open test, X-ray imaging, decapsulation
- **Failure Rate**: Increases with thermal cycling and wire length
## Why Broken Wire Analysis Matters
Wire bonds are often the weakest link in packages. Understanding failure modes guides design improvements and reliability predictions.
```svg
```
**Failure Analysis Steps**:
1. Electrical characterization (identify open pins)
2. X-ray inspection (non-destructive)
3. Acoustic microscopy (detect cracks)
4. Decapsulation and optical inspection
5. SEM analysis of fracture surface
6. Root cause determination (mechanical, chemical, thermal)