Object inspection method and system

A solder joint inspection system for testing the integrity of a device including a computer chip connected to a printed circuit board with solder joints:

• a laser capable of producing a pulsed laser beam used to excite the chip to be tested such that the chip vibrates;
• at least one optical fiber optically connected to said laser and adapted to be positioned with its exit end in close proximity to a surface of the chip to be tested, said at least one optical fiber delivering at least a fraction of the pulsed laser beam to the chip;
• a laser interferometer adapted to sense the vibration displacements created in the chip with said laser;
• a system controller which receives the vibration data from said laser interferometer;
• and
• logic configured to process the vibration data such that it can be used to evaluate a type of defect present in the device.

A solder joint inspection system for testing the integrity of solder joints used to connect a computer chip to a printed circuit board, comprising:

• a laser capable of producing a pulsed laser beam used to excite the chip to be tested such that the chip vibrates;
• at least one optical fiber optically connected to said laser and adapted to be positioned with its exit end in close proximity to a surface of the chip to be tested, said at least one optical fiber delivering at least a fraction of the pulsed laser beam to the chip;
• a laser interferometer adapted to sense the vibration displacements created in the chip with said laser;
• a system controller which receives the vibration data from said laser interferometer;
• and
• logic configured to process the vibration data such that it can be used to evaluate the integrity of the solder joints used to connect the chip to the printed circuit board.