US 12,174,241 B2
Apparatus and method for tin whisker isolation and detection
Matthew Doyle, Chatfield, MN (US); Jeffrey N. Judd, Oronoco, MN (US); Mark J. Jeanson, Rochester, MN (US); Timothy J. Tofil, Rochester, MN (US); Matthew S. Kelly, Oakville (CA); and Henry Michael Newshutz, Rochester, MN (US)
Assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed by INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/147,878.
Prior Publication US 2024/0219450 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G01R 31/28 (2006.01); G01R 1/18 (2006.01); G01R 33/07 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 31/2813 (2013.01) [G01R 1/18 (2013.01); G01R 31/2806 (2013.01); G01R 31/2844 (2013.01); G01R 33/072 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for tin whisker isolation and detection, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate having a plurality of pads for connecting to an electronic component placed on the substrate;
a shield placed on a surface of the substrate, the shield having a plurality of cavities aligned over the plurality of pads;
a plurality of sensing components, each of the sensing components associated with one of the plurality of cavities and configured for sensing an electrically conductive growth from a corresponding pad of the plurality of pads;
a plurality of circuit connections, each of the plurality of circuit connections configured to separately connect one of the sensing components to detection circuitry; and
the detection circuitry configured to receive one or more sensing signals from one or more of the sensing components and detect an electrically conductive growth from the corresponding pad based on the one or more sensing signals.