Increased LED Series Resistance Can Preserve More Than One Physical Explanation

What the evidence preview establishes

The resistance increase was most plausibly associated with either marginal die attachment or damage and possible thermal fatigue in the gold bond wires. The available sections did not uniquely distinguish between those mechanisms.

Why this case matters

When electrical data establish increased series resistance but sections reveal multiple plausible interfaces, preserve the uncertainty. Use resistance localization and decapsulation to examine the full bond-wire path before selecting one mechanism.