3D-Micromac Announces Breakthroughs for Laser Micromachining

3D-Micromac, has announced new developments with its laser micromachining solutions used in magnetic sensors, microLEDs, manufacturing power devices, and in semiconductor advanced packaging. 
 
“Since the first working laser was developed more than 60 years ago, lasers have been used in a wide array of industrial markets. Within the semiconductor industry, lasers play many roles, from wafer dicing, drilling, and patterning,” said 3D-Mircomac CEO Uwe Wagner. “As the leading specialist in laser micromachining, 3D-Micromac offers cost-effective, scalable and versatile products and solutions to support our customers’ needs from development and prototyping through volume production.”
 
3D-Micromac’s microPRO XS OCF system is intended for ohmic contact formation (OFC) in SiC power devices. It can prevent thermal damage to the wafer frontside that can negatively affect device performance through its high precision and repeatability, and low thermal damage. A UV-wavelength diode-pumped solid-state laser source with nano-second pulses and spot scanning that process the metalized backside of the SiC wafers prevents the generation of large carbon clusters and other heat related damage to the front of the wafer. 
 
New features for the mircoPRO XS OCF includes a special tool design that minimizes footprint and lowers cost of ownership. It can avoid creating dead zones that negatively affect yield and device quality by being processing 200mm SiC wafers without stitching. Also, a large energy density process window ensures constant and stable forward voltage, which leads to a higher uptime and yield. 
 
The microVEGA xMR system provides high-throughput laser annealing for monolithic magnetic sensor formation. This system is a large flexible tool that can accommodate Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) and Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors. It can also adjust magnetic orientation, sensor position, and sensor dimension, all making magnetic sensor production easier. With the current-generation platform, the microVEGA xMR provides an extremely high through put with up to 500,000 sensors per hour. The company expect to release new developments including a new beam positioning system to enable greater throughput rates.
 
The microPREP PRO system enables laser-based sample preparation for a variety of specimen preparation applications. Existing approaches are compiled to sample preparation. It offloads a vast majority of sample prep work from the FIB tool and relegating FIB to final positioning. Resulting in reducing time to final sample to less than an hour. 
 
The microPREP PRO’s new semiconductor applications include preparing wedding cake structures and chunks for micro/nano X-ray tomography, delayering, cross sections, decapping and ablation of layer to expose wires for probing and testing. It also supports enables lift-out for defective mircoLEDs for subsequent inspection and failure analysis. MicoPREP Pro can also be used to cut failed connection to run additional failure analysis tests on devices. 
 
The company also introduced its new microPREP PRO FEMTO system, featuring a femtosecond laser source and optimized optical set up to provide high-speed atom probe tomography (APT). This system reduces ATP sample prep time with millimeter-precision while avoiding thermal damage to the sample.
 
Headquartered in Germany, 3D-Micromacc is an industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the photovoltaic, semiconductor, glass, and display markets.