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Reveal Battery Defects with Spectral CT for Battery Analysis in Wearable Devices

Detect delamination and material inconsistencies inside compact wearable battery systems using high‑resolution spectral micro‑CT for battery analysis – non‑destructively and in full 3D.

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Visualizing Internal Structures in Complex Electronic Systems: From PCBs to Batteries

High-performance electronics are becoming smaller, denser, and more complex. This includes not only advanced batteries in wearable devices, but also multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) in critical applications. Hidden defects such as internal cracks, delamination, and misaligned components can escape conventional testing.

See how Tescan’s spectral micro-CT workflow — using the UniTOM XL and PolyDET II detector — visualizes internal structures and distinguishes materials in situ. By combining conventional and spectral micro-CT, the system reveals structural and elemental defects inside devices like smart rings and DIMM modules, helping manufacturers improve safety and performance without destructive analysis. 

Why Study Electrode Degradation

with Tescan

01
Root of the Problem

Why Failure Detection in Mixed-Material Electronics Is So Difficult 

Modern PCBs and wearable electronics combine numerous materials and layers in compact, irregular geometries. Validating these systems is challenging optical, in-circuit, or 2D X-ray testing often misses small but critical faults. Issues like micro-cracks, solder voids, or battery delamination can degrade performance or cause failure.

As devices shrink, overlapping components block each other during standard radiography. There is a growing need for multimodal inspection that reveals both structure and composition. Tescan’s spectral micro-CT addresses this by separating materials like copper, polyimide, and gold in 3D — enabling precise, non-destructive fault detection in densely packed assemblies. 

02
Materials and Methods

Spectral Micro-CT Workflow for Wearables and PCBs

Two types of electronic systems were analyzed: a multilayer DIMM memory module and a smart ring with embedded sensors and a battery. Both were imaged with the Tescan UniTOM XL using standard and spectral micro-CT modes.

Scans were performed at up to 180 kV with voxel sizes of 50 µm (DIMM) and 13 µm (smart ring). In spectral mode, the PolyDET II detector measured photon energies from 20 keV to 160 keV — allowing material separation via K-edge detection. High-Z elements such as gold and tungsten were visualized. Volume-of-interest scans and 3D reconstructions were completed using Panthera™, Spectral Suite™, and VGSTUDIO MAX. 

03
Results and Discussion

Multimodal Insights from the DIMM Module and Smart Ring

In the DIMM sample, spectral micro-CT revealed overlapping layers of copper and polyimide with improved clarity compared to standard radiography. In the smart ring, high-Z materials such as gold and tungsten were localized through K-edge filtering, confirming the presence and integrity of signal paths.

Most critically, spectral micro-CT revealed lamination defects inside the battery by visualizing both cross-sectional slices and full 3D renderings. These internal material separations could lead to performance degradation or safety risks. The ability to assign material identity to each voxel proved essential for diagnosing faults within complex, densely assembled devices — without requiring any physical disassembly. 

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Tescan Instruments & Technology

Used in This Workflow

Tescan UniTOM XL

TESCAN UniTOM XL provides multiscale, non-destructive imaging for electronics and battery systems. With support for large sample sizes and high-resolution volume-of-interest scanning, the system is ideal for detailed analysis of internal battery defects in fully assembled devices.

  • Supports samples up to 100 cm × 60 cm for large-scale imaging
  • Multiscale Volume-of-Interest scanning for high-detail analysis within large objects
  • Versatile micro-CT for diverse sample types with no special preparation needed 
MICRO_UniTOM_XL_1-2

Tescan SPECTRAL CT

The PolyDET II is a photon-counting spectral detector that enables K-edge discrimination and material separation in a single micro-CT acquisition.

With energy-resolved voxel data, it allows researchers to distinguish overlapping materials and trace specific elemental signatures in 3D space. 

MICRO_UniTOM_XL_2 (2)

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Tescan
Libušina třída 21
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