Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering Lab

Raytheon’s Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering Laboratories offer a reliable source for Failure Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, Surface Analysis & Electron Microscopy, NDE/NDT, Environmental Test, Process Improvements, Chemical Analysis, and Counterfeit Parts Identification.

We support a wide range of industries, including defense, space, aerospace, electronics, medical, automotive, satellite, and durable goods. With more than 60 years of experience in analytical engineering services, our labs will get you the right answer the first time.

The Raytheon Advantage:

• Our labs have a wide range of industry experts and the leading-edge equipment to handle specialized analyses, including ESCA, Thermal Imaging, Environmental Testing, Acoustic Immersion Microscopy, real-time X-Ray, Real time CT X-Ray, plastic decapsulation, microFTIR, FESEM, tensile testing, chemical analysis, bond-pull/ball shear/die shear testing, and more. 
• Our database holds over 15 years of proven test and analysis results readily accessible which benefit your project. We've analyzed tens of thousands of components and assemblies.
• The lab is staffed with engineers, scientists, and technicians from a variety of disciplines, including electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics. Team members hold high level degrees, from bachelors to masters to PhDs. The senior staff members have considerable experience in device level design, analysis, and processing. Subject matter experts hold numerous qualifications in their fields of expertise.
• Our staff of over 100 professionals has hundreds of years of combined experience in all of the technologies that are at the core of today's high tech products.

The Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering Laboratories offers a full range of analysis services that bring value to any phase in the product life cycle, from initial design through production to field maintenance. Put our in-depth knowledge and state of the art equipment to work for you. Our services include:

Composites Engineering

Composite materials and structures support and protect electronics assemblies. We provide technical assistance with design, analysis, test and the manufacture of composite designs. This expertise also covers adhesive bonding, laminating, and coating support. 

Custom Analysis

Virtually any type of custom test program or problem investigation may be undertaken using our vast capabilities and resources. Investigations may combine multiple disciplines, including part analysis, test, materials, or physics. 

Design Consultations

Your designers are experts in the proper function of your products. We know how and why your products can fail to function. These are fundamentally different and complementary skill sets. Our expert staff can help your design team understand the impact its design choices will have on reliability. This is important to ensure the final product is optimized for the needs of your customers.

DPA: Destructive Physical Analysis 

Destructive analysis of a part can be used to identify its baseline construction and constituents, as well as to determine variations in the manufacturing process which may affect quality and reliability. Destructive analysis can be implemented as an on-going program to assess samples of incoming part lots prior to release in manufacturing. Supplier follow-up may be recommended. We can use our full range of analytical capabilities and areas of expertise to determine the exact construction, composition, and quality of almost any materials or components. 

Failure Analysis

We help you get to the root cause explanation of a component or material deficiency including processing that may contribute to the problem. This may include recommendations for corrective action and/or follow up with the manufacturer.  Our responses can be tailored to fit your needs, from real-time data-sharing with engineers on your production floor, to multi-page color reports and presentation materials for delivery to your customer. During our failure analyses, "physics-of-failure" methods are employed. This approach identifies the underlying physical causes, thereby permitting predictions to be made on how the failure mode will be affected by specific changes.

Materials Characterization/ Materials Processing

Our chemical and metallurgical analyses cover a wide range of components, materials, and structures. The lab's expertise is used for assisting in product/process development, resolving production/material problems, and developing recovery processes to prevent scrap. We also provide expertise in the areas of environmental issues and process evaluation. We offer technical expertise in materials & materials processing, particularly in the area of ceramics and high temperature materials. Other associated services include; optical finishing (precision cutting & finishing), semiconductor cutting, wafer lapping, and inspection.

NDE/NDT: Non-Destructive Evaluation and Test

Our advanced NDE/NDT capabilities range from visual inspection using special lighting and polarization to ultrasonic and radiographic (x-ray) techniques. Our experienced engineers can assist in the interpretation of NDE/NDT results, select appropriate methods, and develop procedures that will assure the results obtained provide the maximum possible benefit for you. Our real-time x-ray system is one of the most powerful available and has resolution of smaller than a millimeter and a chamber that can accommodate larger assemblies on a multi-axis stage. 

Process Improvement

For your product to meet the needs of your customers, you must integrate the right design, materials, and processes. Our staff is well versed in the relationships among process parameters, micro- and macro-structure, and the properties of materials. This knowledge can provide meaningful input for process selection and enhancements, giving you the edge you need to thrive in today's tough competitive environment. 

Product Comparisons

Reliability is one of the most important considerations when selecting components for products. We use a variety of sophisticated analytical techniques to identify the materials, methods of construction, and workmanship of a variety of components. Using our experience with failure modes, we can then assess the reliability of each of your options and provide the information you need to develop the best possible product. 

Surface Analysis

We support analysis of electronic components, especially semiconductor devices and assembled printed circuit boards. The laboratory also helps solve problems involving process development and engineering for a wide range of thin film and bulk materials: alloys, semiconductors, ceramics, composites, glasses, and polymers. Our SEM/EDS and ESCA equipment are invaluable in identifying evidence of corrosion and contamination. 

The Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering Laboratories use state-of-the-art equipment and industry leading techniques to provide you with a wide range of product testing capabilities. These include:

Analytical Chemistry 

• Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis (FTIR) TGA-FTIR analysis
• Liquid Chromatography (LC)
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography
• Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
• GPC interfaced to FTIR
• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
• Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA)
• Tension, shear, torsion modes
• Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
• Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA)
• Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA)
• Ion Chromatography
• Arc Source Emission Spectroscopy 
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy (ICP Emission Spectroscopy)
• Combustion Analysis for Carbon and Sulfur in steels
• Wet Chemical Analysis

Electrical

• Analog circuit analysis 
• Digital circuit analysis 
• Isolation of shorts, opens, and intermittent conditions 
• Passive component analysis 
• Semiconductor I/V and C/V parameter analysis 
• Real-time benchtop testing over temperature 
• Time-domain reflectometry (TDR) 
• Low to medium power testing 
• Hi-Pot testing 
• Insulation resistance 
• Surface resistance 
• Volume resistivity 
• Micro probing capabilities 
• RF analysis 
• Classified testing 

Physical 

• Material characterization 
• Bond Pulling
• Plasma Etcher
• Construction Analysis (CA) 
• Destructive Physical Analysis (DPA) 
• Mechanical cross-sectioning 
• Precision measurement capabilities 
• Acoustic imaging 
• Real-time X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT)
• Optical Microscopy 
• 3D imaging 
• Infrared thermography 
• Chemical de-processing 
• Laser de-capsulation 

Specialty Test & Analysis Services 

• Drop impact evaluation 
• Counterfeit component analysis 
• Gross leak testing 
• Optical spectrum analysis 
• Thermal cycling 
• Humidity exposure 
• Wire Bonding 
• Bond pull and Ball Shear (Royce)
• Laser milling (Control Laser Corp.) 
• Plasma Etching (Plasma Preen)
• Jet Etching (Nisene)

Non-Destructive Analysis and Evaluation 

• Real-Time X-ray Radiography (RT X-Ray)
• Scanning Acoustic Microscopy, Acoustic Microscope Imaging (AMI, SAM) with high Frequency Capability
• Dye Penetrant Testing Eddy Current
• Fiber Optic Examination/Borescope  
• Hermeticity Testing 

Electron Microscopy and Surface Analysis

•  SEM, ESCA, X-ray spectrometers, and various related systems. 
• X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
• Small spot capability to 9 microns
• Automated stage with Zalar rotation; chemical imaging
• Ion gun for sputter depth profiles
• Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM, EDAX, XES) 
• Robinson Backscattered Electron Imaging (BSE)
• Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (WDS)
• Integrated Energy and Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy
• Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy/EDS (FESEM) 
• Wafer Analysis with Stored Stage Locations
• Computer controlled FESEM/automated stage
• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
• X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)
• Profilometry
• Optical Interferometry

Materials Processing 

• High Temperature Furnaces and Processing Equipment up to 1700 C
• Inert Atmosphere and Vacuum Furnaces up to 2000 C
• Chemical Vapor Decomposition (CVD)
• Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) 
  • Process Capabilities up to 2000 C @ 30,000 PSI
• Flexus 230 stress Measurement System
• Ellipsometer
• Profilometer

Metallurgical Analysis

• Instron Mechanical Testing, Tensile testing with environmental chamber capabilities
• Tension, shear, creep, flexure, low cycle fatigue, compression
• Metallographic Preparation and Examination (Metallography)
• Optical Microscopy
• Strain Gauge Capabilities, Strain measurements
• Fractography
• Superficial Hardness Testers (Rockwell Hardness)

Combining the right equipment with our technical expertise allows us to fully understand the electrical, mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties of today's materials, components, and systems. This means that working with our engineers and scientists gets you the right answer the first time.