I'm using a laser to etch patterns in an IC and am having high failure rates. Does a laser produce a large enough electrostatic field to damage an IC?

 

Hello,

What kind of laser are you using?
It can be the heat produced during the branding process that "burns" the IC.

Bertus

 

Etching lasers generate too much heat for most ICs. Remember the IC itself is a tiny wafer of silicon (about the size of a typed dot (period). The connections are made in the epitaxial plastic from the wafer to the IC pins using ultra-thin conductors. If you heat the IC up too much, the wire or the bond to the wafer may be compromised or damage to the chip itself. Try old-fashioned engraving or milling.