Back side reactive ion etch

A method for removing substrate from the back side of a semiconductor device, the device having a back side and a circuit side opposite the back side, the system comprising:

• thinning the back side of the device;
• positioning a semiconductor device in an enclosed area and drawing a vacuum therein;
• directing ion gas including SF6 and N2 at a target region in the back side;
• generating plasma, creating an etch gas, and etching the back side of the semiconductor device;
• evacuating etch byproduct gas from the enclosed area;
• and
• imaging circuitry in the device via the etched back side.

A system for analyzing a semiconductor device having a back side and a circuit side opposite the back side, the system comprising:

• means for directing ion gas including SF6 and N2 at a target region in the back side;
• means, using the ion gas, for etching the target region in the back side using reactive ion etching (RIE) and forming an exposed region;
• and
• means for accessing circuitry via the exposed region.