Decapsulation is a chemical etching technique for opening IC plastic packages in order to expose their internal components for examination. Although physically destructive in nature, the process leaves the die, bond pads, and wire bonds intact. In most cases, the functionality of the device remains unchanged and suitable for failure analysis or functionality analysis (reverse engineering). Several methods of decapsulation are available. Jet etching, manual cavity etching, and total package removal.
Opening of an IC package to expose the die enables a technician to validate the manufacturer logo, part number and look for inconsistencies or signs of stress with the bond wires and pads to determine if the product is sub-standard or counterfeit.
