Mar 19: A team of international researchers has unveiled a pioneering technique that enables real-time observation of electronic chip activity without physical contact, disassembly, or powering down devices. The breakthrough uses terahertz waves—a safe, non-ionising form of electromagnetic radiation—to detect minute electrical charge movements within fully packaged semiconductor components.
The study, conducted by scientists from University of Adelaide, Virginia Diodes Inc, Hasso Plattner Institute, and University of Potsdam, marks a significant advancement in semiconductor diagnostics and monitoring technologies.
Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology, powering devices ranging from smartphones and medical equipment to automobiles, power grids, and defence systems. However, once chips are enclosed within protective packaging, it becomes extremely challenging to monitor their internal functioning.
Professor Withawat Withayachumnankul, Group Leader at the Terahertz Engineering Laboratory, highlighted the importance of this development, noting that conventional inspection methods often require invasive probing, exposed components, or device shutdowns—making them impractical for many real-world applications.
“This research represents a critical step toward solving a long-standing challenge in electronics. We can now observe electrical activity inside a functioning semiconductor device externally, without causing damage or interrupting operations,” he said.
The technique demonstrates that terahertz waves can non-invasively detect variations in electric current in common electronic components such as diodes and transistors. Despite the extremely small scale of these changes, the system achieves remarkable sensitivity through an advanced detection mechanism using a specialised homodyne quadrature receiver, which effectively filters out background noise and isolates weak signals.
The result is a real-time external view of electronic processes, even when active regions are deeply embedded within sealed chip packaging.
Researchers confirmed that the observed signals stem from genuine electrical motion rather than thermal effects or external interference, underscoring the reliability and robustness of the method across various semiconductor devices.
According to lead investigator Dr Chitchanok Chuengsatiansup, the implications extend across multiple industries.
“Non-invasive monitoring of electronic activity can help verify hardware integrity, detect faults or tampering, and enable monitoring in environments where physical access is limited,” he explained.
The use of non-ionising terahertz radiation also offers a safer alternative to traditional inspection techniques such as X-rays, making it particularly valuable for safety-critical applications in sectors like energy, healthcare, and defence.
This innovation opens new possibilities for self-diagnosing electronics, advanced chip monitoring, and accelerated development of next-generation semiconductor technologies.
The research, titled “Non-contact Probing of Active Semiconductor Devices Using Terahertz Waves,” has been published in the IEEE Journal of Microwaves.
