Counterfeits do not arrive looking like counterfeits. Remarked parts carry the correct top marking, blacktopped devices photograph cleanly, and recycled devices come in packaging that matches the label. Judging a lot by its appearance is how bad parts reach a production line.
What a fake rarely survives is a sequence of independent checks, because passing one does not help it pass the next.
Documentation and traceability
Before a part is touched, the paperwork has to hold together: where the lot came from, what the date and lot codes say, and whether that chain is consistent with the packaging in front of us. A gap here is the cheapest possible place to stop.
External examination
Under the microscope, the surface tells on itself — sanding marks, inconsistent laser depth, solvent-sensitive markings, pin oxidation and reused solder on devices sold as new.
X-ray, XRF and decapsulation
X-ray shows the die and lead frame inside the package: wrong die size, missing bond wires, or a frame that does not match the part being claimed. XRF reads the actual alloy on the terminations, which is how RoHS claims and replated leads get checked. Decapsulation is destructive and used as the final word — the die is exposed so the die marking and layout can be compared against a known-good device.
What you get
Each inspected lot comes back with a report: what was checked, what was found, and the images behind that conclusion. If a lot does not pass, it does not ship — and you get the report explaining why.
