Abstract: Electronic circuits or the parts thereof on printed circuit boards are tested by detecting infrared radiation emitted by the surface of the circuit. The detected radiation is converted to data that represent a surface structure and/or depth structure of the circuit. Deviation between the data representing the detected surface structure and/or depth structure and data representing the desired stated of the surface structure and/or depth structure are determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for testing electronic circuits or the parts thereof on printed circuits. The inventive method comprises the following steps: (a) detecting the radiation that is emitted by the surface of the printed circuit, (b) converting the detected radiation to data that represent a surface structure and/or depth structure of the printed circuit, (c) comparing the data of the surface structure and/or the depth structure with stored data of a desired state of the surface structure and/or depth structure, and (d) determining any deviations between the data of the detected surface structure and/or depth structure and the data of the desired state of the surface structure and/or depth structure.