Patent ID: 9721816
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A decapsulation apparatus comprising: an etch plate supporting an etch head, off center of the etch plate, having an opening for exposing a portion of an encapsulated device to etchant solution; a vertically translatable cover sealing to the etch plate, the etch plate and cover forming an etching chamber over the etch head; a gasket on the etch head surrounding the opening, the gasket for sealing an encapsulated device or a portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) supporting an encapsulated device to the etch head, exposing the encapsulated device through the opening to etchant solution; a ram mechanism sealed through the vertically-translatable cover, adapted to translate a ram downward to urge the encapsulated device or PCB against the gasket; a pressure-controlled source of Nitrogen or inert gas coupled into the etching chamber, continuously purging the etching chamber at a low gas pressure; a force-producing, locking toggle mechanism mounted to a metal plate, to which the etch plate is also mounted, and a top of the cover, the toggle mechanism adapted to exert a downward force on the cover, to keep the cover sealed against upward force exerted by the nitrogen supplied to the etch chamber, the mechanism vertically releasable to open the cover; an etchant supply subsystem comprising one or more sources of etchant solutions, an etchant solution pump, supply passages to a reaction region adjacent the encapsulated device, and controls to select etchants and etchant ratios; a controlled heat exchanger through which the supply passages pass, heating or cooling the etchant solution transported to the encapsulated device; one or more etchant waste passages from the reaction region for conducting used etchant away from the encapsulated device; wherein etchants are mixed in the passages to the reaction region, and turbulence in the reaction region is promoted by impinging etchant solution on the encapsulated device.