Decapsulator with applied voltage for etching plastic-encapsulated devices

An apparatus for selectively etching an encapsulant forming a package of resinous material around an electronic device comprising:

• a source of etchant solution;
• an etching assembly including an etch plate and a movable cover, the etch plate and the cover forming an etch chamber;
• an etch head supported by the etch plate and electrically connected to a second voltage, wherein an electronic device package is mountable in the chamber on a top surface of the etch head;
• a conductive electrode in electrical contact with package leads of the electronic device package to apply a first voltage to the package leads of the electronic device, wherein the first voltage is a positive voltage and the second voltage is a negative voltage or the ground potential;
• a first pump configured to pump a first quantity of the etchant solution from the source into the etch head, the etchant solution being electrically biased to the second voltage by the etch head being electrically connected to the second voltage,
• wherein, in response to an electronic device package being mounted on the top surface of the etch head, the etch head is configured to form a seal between the electronic device package and the top surface of the etch head, and the first pump is configured to pump the first quantity of the etchant solution into the etch head and onto the top surface of the etch head to cause the etchant solution to contact the electronic device package mounted thereon, the etchant solution reacting with the resinous material forming the package of the electronic device to form an etch cavity on the exterior surface of the electronic device package and exposing the conductive bond wires of the electronic device where the conductive bond wires of the electronic device are prevented from being etched by the applied first voltage.