Laser use in the electronics industry
Laser beam sources have been very common in the semiconductor sector since the 1990s. Whereas, initially, components were marked and labelled at the end of the production line, today, there are many more production steps. These steps range from drilling, separating elements (dicing), cutting wafers, metals, and plastics through to lighting for troubleshooting with intermediate products andvariousthermal processes. Depending on the application, an array of pulsed CW laser systems with a very broad power range from sub-mW to multi kW are used.
Looking at two fields of application for diode lasers as an example, there are lasers in the optoelectronic testing of wafers to analyze defect bridge elements, tungsten residues or scratches in the oxide layers. This enables defective wafers to be recognized well before any further processing, thus enabling them to be removed in good time. A second field of application is the brazing of electronic components with solutions that are individually tailored to different customers.
The use of lasers represents a genuine alternative to reflow soldering, especially for complex electronic components such as flip chips.
Alternatives to reflow soldering
People are primarily familiar with high-power diode lasers as tools for industrial metalworking. Now, however, solutions for the electronics industry are also increasingly being discussed. In addition to joining and cladding copper components, for which Laserline developed the world’s first blue diode laser with CW laser power in the kilowatt range, semiconductor production is also becoming increasingly important. The background toall this is revealed in an interview with Markus Rütering, Sales Director at Laserline.
Supplier Excellence Award 2019
Laserline’s high-power diode lasers have been successfully used in KLA system solutions for the optoelectrical testing of wafers for many years. The 2019KLA Supplier Excellence Awards were given to Laserline and two other suppliers for their outstanding performance in their respective categories in the areas of technology, quality, responsiveness, delivery, and cost. We are proud to have received this special award from one of our most important business partners in the electronics industry.
KLA develops industry-leading equipment and services that enable innovation throughout the electronics industry. They include advanced process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays.
In close collaboration with leading customers across the globe, expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers design solutions that move the world forward. Additional information may be found at www.kla.com (KLAC-F).
