Urs Neudecker | Heraeus Printed Electronics GmbH: Can inkjet printing replace photolithography and physical masking for wafer-level selective metallization?
00:01:36.005 - 00:02:43.375
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Can inkjet printing replace photolithography and physical masking for wafer-level selective metallization?
Transitioning metallization processes to maskless direct-write systems is a major paradigm shift in packaging. Heraeus's production equipment integrates directly with standard 12-inch wafer frame magazines, performing in-line pre-treatment (plasma/ionization) followed by real-time machine vision alignment to map individual die locations.
The system utilizes particle-free silver ink to eliminate the typical clogging mechanics associated with nanoparticle suspensions. By dynamically generating a unique print image for each wafer frame based on active optical alignment, the print engine achieves highly accurate, site-selective deposition directly on target features without physical masks.
Post-deposition thermal curing transforms the liquid organometallic precursor into a continuous, dense, solid silver film. This direct-write approach minimizes material waste and avoids the wet etching or lift-off steps associated with traditional subtractive metallization processes, lowering the cost of ownership.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Integration of 12-inch wafer frame handling with in-line plasma and ionization pre-treatments
* Real-time machine vision tracking for wafer-specific, dynamically generated digital print patterns
* The use of particle-free metallization inks to achieve maskless, zero-waste selective silver coatings
π **Clip Abstract** This clip demonstrates a fully automated, cleanroom-ready inkjet metallization system designed for 12-inch wafer packaging. It highlights the integration of real-time machine vision alignment and maskless deposition of particle-free silver ink to achieve highly selective, waste-free metallization.
#ParticleFreeSilverInk, #MasklessMetallization, #WaferLevelPackaging, #DirectWriteMetallization, #AdvancedPackaging, #PrintedElectronics
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00:05:12.225 - 00:06:27.485
How do you maintain sub-micron droplet placement accuracy in industrial inkjet printing without continuous nozzle maintenance?
How do you maintain sub-micron droplet placement accuracy in industrial inkjet printing without continuous nozzle maintenance?
The commercial adoption of inkjet printing in semiconductor manufacturing has long been bottlenecked by nozzle clogging and poor ink stability. Heraeus addresses this with a particle-free silver ink formulation that boasts a four-week open-time within the printhead and a six-month shelf life, representing a significant improvement over conventional nanoparticle-based inks.
Experimental validation of this formulation demonstrates consistent jetting performance and identical droplet placement accuracy even after three days of continuous idle state without maintenance. This exceptional nozzle latency eliminates the frequent purge-and-wipe cycles that typically degrade throughput in high-volume manufacturing environments.
To handle the complex fluid dynamics and print parameters, the system leverages a proprietary image processor. This software translates 2D and 3D CAD models into optimized jetting profiles, automatically adjusting print parameters to match substrate characteristics and maintain stable jetting dynamics.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Nozzle latency performance showing consistent droplet placement after three days of zero maintenance
* Ink stability metrics including a four-week open-time in printheads and a six-month shelf life
* Automated parameter calculation using a specialized image processor to translate CAD data into optimized jetting waveforms
π **Clip Abstract** This clip explores the critical stability parameters of Heraeus's particle-free silver ink, highlighting its three-day maintenance-free nozzle latency and long shelf life. It demonstrates how these material properties, combined with automated image processing software, solve the traditional reliability bottlenecks of industrial inkjet systems.
#ParticleFreeSilverInk, #NozzleLatency, #JettingWaveforms, #SubMicronInkjet, #AdditiveElectronics, #SemiconductorPackaging
00:10:48.455 - 00:12:03.045
Why should semiconductor packagers swap highly optimized screen printing for digital inkjet metallization?
Why should semiconductor packagers swap highly optimized screen printing for digital inkjet metallization?
Traditional thick-film metallization techniques like screen printing require hard-tooled physical stencils or masks. When a semiconductor design changes, new physical screens must be fabricated, leading to significant tooling costs and production downtime that stall rapid prototyping and packaging iteration cycles.
In contrast, digital direct-write inkjet technology allows for instant layout modifications purely through software updates. This digital agility eliminates physical masking completely, making it ideal for high-mix semiconductor packaging lines where die configurations and pad layouts shift frequently.
Furthermore, the use of particle-free organometallic inks bypasses the chronic clogging issues inherent to screen-printing pastes and nanoparticle inks. By eliminating solid particulates from the formulation, the system ensures consistent jetting reliability and superior fine-line resolution down to sub-100 micron limits.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Comparison of hardware tooling overheads in screen printing versus instant digital layout adjustments in inkjet systems
* Elimination of physical mask fabrication to enable rapid design iteration and cost-effective high-mix packaging
* How particle-free ink formulations overcome the clogging and reliability issues of conventional nanoparticle pastes
π **Clip Abstract** This Q&A segment details the key advantages of digital inkjet metallization over traditional screen printing in advanced packaging. It explains how software-defined pattern generation and particle-free ink chemistry eliminate physical tooling changes and chronic nozzle clogging.
#InkjetMetallization, #ParticleFreeInks, #DirectWriteMetallization, #FineLineMetallization, #AdvancedPackaging, #AdditiveElectronics