First Article Inspection

Microscopic inspection of thin film substrates

A First Article Inspection (FAI) is a formal method of providing a reported measurement for all dimensions and requirements listed on a fabrication drawing. Despite the name, the inspected article may not necessarily be the ‘first’ produced, but one random device chosen from each manufacturing lot. Items to be checked in a FAI are wide and varied and may include thickness of thin film layers or the substrate, positions of holes, diameters, surface finishes, etc.