Failure Analysis is always starting by look at the Failure Mode. Then, consider of and taking the proper analytical sequence with proper analytical methods & tools to find out the Failure Mechanism. After knowing the failure mechanism, the most useful information is to find out the cause of which triggered this failure mechanism. It is then used to find solution/corrective action.

Failure Mode - Example: open (fully open or high resistive open), short (hard or low resistive), leakage, inversion, intermittent, unstable, functional failure, operational failure, out of spec, etc.
Failure Mechanism - The actual physical, chemical and/or mechanical mechanisms or conditions which have created the observed failure mode.
Cause - The external conditions or environment which triggered the failure mechanism.

From sample handling perspective, the analytical methods & tools are group into two major type – Non Destructive and Destructive type. In term of analytical sequence, it is always preferred Non Destructive FA first (extract more information), before using an destructive method to show the failure mechanism evident.

Non Destructive FA - The FA methods and tools that when used to analyze the device, it does not overstress, degrade or destroy the original state of the device in physically, chemically and mechanically.

Base on physics theories, the FA methods consists of:
Light – Optical Microscopy, IR Microscopy (Thermal Imaging)
Heat – Scanning Thermal Microscopy
Sound – Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM)
Radioactive ray – X-ray Microscopy
Electron – Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
Electrical – Curve Trace, Signal Analyzer, Logic Analyzer, etc.
Electro-magnetic field – SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Microscopy)

Note: Over apply of any energy will still damage something. In Law of physics, “Nothing is immortality”.

Destructive FA – The FA methods and tools that will change the analyze device state to either “good” (proven bad part being isolated & take out) or unrecovered state for internal view (i.e. cross-section view).