Jenoptik and 3D-Micromac AG announce the technology transfer of thermal laser separation (TLS-Dicing) as part of a so-called asset deal. As of January 1, 2014, know-how, patents and results of the development from Jenoptik's Laser & Materials Processing Division are transferred to 3D-Micromac AG in Chemnitz.
Immediate commercialisation of the technology by 3D-Micromac will be possible with the transfer. With the acquisition, the company reinforces its know-how as a system provider for laser systems in the semiconductor industry and advances the expansion of its product portfolio in this area. Jenoptik's Laser & Materials Processing Division will continue in the future to focus on the 3D processing of plastics and metals, e.g. in the automobile industry.
'With TLS-Dicing we obtain a technology that will perfectly complement our product portfolio in the semiconductor industry and enable us to expand our market position. In addition to component processing at wafer level we can now also offer innovative solutions for separating of microchips, according to Tino Petsch, CEO of 3D-Micromac AG. 'In the coming months, we will continue to further develop the process in co-operation with the Fraunhofer IISB and implement it in industry-ready machine technology,' Petsch continued.
'Jenoptik's Laser & Materials Processing Division has increasingly focused on its core markets and sharpened its portfolio in recent months', said Dietmar Wagner, general manager of JENOPTIK Automatisierungstechnik GmbH, following the contract's signing. 'We are pleased that with 3D- Micromac AG we have found a buyer for TLS-Dicing, which wants to successfully commercialize the technology in the shortest possible time,' said Wagner further.
Background information on thermal laser beam separation (TLS-Dicing)
TLS-Dicing (thermal laser beam separation) is used in the semiconductor industry's back-end to separate semiconductor wafer in components. A laser heats up the material locally and a cooling medium cools it down immediately afterwards. The thermally induced mechanical stress leads to a complete cleaving of the wafer.
The method is suitable for most brittle materials in the semiconductor industry, including Si, SiC, Ge and GaAs wafers. Compared to traditional separation technologies, TLS-Dicing impresses with clean, micro-crack-free edges and greater resulting bending strength. Process speeds of 200 mm/s to 300 mm/s are possible and generally lead to a multiplication of throughput. The high throughput and wear- free processing offer great potential for reducing production costs/cost of ownership.