Method and installation for exposing the surface of an integrated circuit

An installation for exposing an integrated circuit by ablation of a polymer coating which initially covers the integrated circuit, comprising:

• means (28) for applying laser radiation to a surface of the integrated circuit, wherein a power of a laser used for the laser radiation is approximately 0.5 Watts per cm2;
• means for applying, combined with the application of laser radiation, an attack by plasma to the polymer coating which initially covers the integrated circuit to expose the integrated circuit for testing;
• a plate (13) for supporting the integrated circuit during the processing thereof, the means (28) for applying the laser radiation and the means (46) for applying the plasma being capable of acting on the same support plate (13);
• and
• a vessel having a flat bottom at which the plate is located, and a monitoring camera that is outside the vessel at a transparent window of the vessel and arranged to observe the integrated circuit in the vessel through the window.