The company has made key breakthroughs in the development of laser micromachining systems

3D-Micromac AG, a provider of laser micromachining systems, has announced new advances in laser micromachining solutions for magnetic sensors, micro-leds, manufactured power devices and advanced packaging of semiconductors.

Since the first working laser came out more than 60 years ago, lasers have been widely used in the industrial market. Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Mircomac, said: "In the semiconductor industry, lasers play many roles, from wafer cutting and drilling to patterning. As a leading expert in laser micromachining, 3D-Micromac offers cost-effective, scalable and versatile products and solutions to support our customers' needs from development and prototyping through to series production.

3D-Micromac's microPRO XS OCF system can be used for ohmic contact formation in SiC power devices. It has the advantages of high precision and repeatability, as well as low thermal damage, which can prevent thermal damage on the wafer front, which can negatively affect device performance. By treating the metallized back of SiC wafers with an UV-wavelength diode-pumped solid laser source with nanosecond pulses and point scanning, the system is able to prevent the formation of large carbon clusters and other heat-related damage at the front of the wafer.

New features on the mircoPRO XS OCF include special tool designs that minimize footprint and reduce cost of ownership. It eliminates the need to splice 200mm SiC wafers, thereby avoiding dead zones that negatively affect yield and device quality. In addition, the system is equipped with a large-sized energy density machining window that ensures constant forward voltage, thereby extending uptime and yield.

The microVEGA xMR system provides a high-flux laser annealing solution for the formation of monolithic magnetic sensors. The system is a large, flexible tool that can accommodate Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors. It can also adjust the magnetic direction, sensor position and sensor size, making the production of magnetic sensors easier. On the current generation of platforms, microVEGA xMR delivers extremely high pass rates of up to 500,000 sensors per hour. The company is expected to release new developments, including a new beam positioning system, to achieve higher yields.

The microPREP PRO system can be used for laser-based sample preparation in a variety of sample preparation applications. With the FIB tool, it eliminates most sample preparation and reduces the FIB to final positioning, reducing the time to create the final sample to less than an hour.

New semiconductor applications for microPREP PRO include micro/nano X-ray tomography, layering, cross section, stripping and ablative layers to expose wires for detection and testing. It also supports the promotion of defective mircoLED for subsequent inspection and fault analysis. MicoPREP Pro can also be used to disconnect failed connections in order to run additional failure analysis tests on the device.

The company also introduced its new microPREP PRO FEMTO system, which features a femtosecond laser source and optimized optics to deliver high-speed atom probe tomography (APT). The system reduces ATP sample preparation time with millimeter accuracy while avoiding thermal damage to the sample.

About 3D-Micromac

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, 3D-Micromac AG is an industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for a range of applications such as photovoltaic, semiconductor, glass and display markets. 3D-Micromac is also one of the first companies in the world to focus on material processing using ultrashort pulse lasers, with a focus on excimer laser applications in microprocessing.

Source: OFweek