Assistant professor | University of Connecticut

Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi specializes in correlative microscopy and 3D imaging. Recently he’s applied his diverse skillset to develop new testing methods for electrical components across a variety of manufacturing fields.

Implantable medical devices like pacemakers and neurostimulators use specialized coatings that safely facilitate transfer of electrical charges. Since reliability is paramount, verifying the integrity of the coating microstructure is crucial.

Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi and team have designed a process where the use of non destructive 3D X-ray tomography, in conjunction with a Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB SEM), work together to target and tomographically image a specific region of a device at the nanoscale.

The ZEISS Crossbeam provides a detailed 3D map of coating cracks or defects. The testing is crucial to mitigating the dire outcomes from failure of these devices.

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• Optical imaging and X-ray microscopy were used to determine roughness and irregularities in the coating interface, targeting a specific region of interest for high resolution 3D tomography with the FIB SEM.

A major challenge in materials characterization is to interrogate microscopic details from a single spot with an unknown location in a comparatively enormous component. This challenge is acute in the
world of microelectronics such as multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs).It first requires location, then precise navigation, then observation.

Microscopes excel in different length scales, so finding the needle in a haystack relies on multiple instruments that work well together. Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi begins with XRM to establish a 3D roadmap of devices like MLCCs. This roughly gets to a region of interest. He then moves to the Crossbeam FIB SEM to target and characterize failures or identify potential counterfeit components.

• A femtosecond laser was user to access the anomalous region in the MLCC that was seen by Xray microscopy. The region was then characterized
  by FIB slicing, SEM imaging and EDS mapping to visualize an enlargement and void spaces in the nickel plates.

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Failure in vital microelectronic components creates huge challenges. Microscopic characterization methods are critical to understanding the root cause of failures in order to design better materials andmanufacturing processes.

Dr. Shahbazmohamadi is developing enhanced microscopy techniques to understand these material breakdowns. Recently, his lab established the use of X-ray microcopy to capture bond wire geometries, perform image processing and then computer simulation.

The lab developed an in situ testing device within the FIB SEM to observe mechanical deformation at the micro and nanoscale. By combining in situ testing with multiscale microscopy techniques, he is better able to identify potential device failures.

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