New bonder offers sub-micron alignment

Citation

(2002), "New bonder offers sub-micron alignment", Microelectronics International, Vol. 19 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/mi.2002.21819bad.002

New bonder offers sub-micron alignment

New bonder offers sub-micron alignment

Keyword: SUSS MicroTec

SUSS MicroTec has introduced the FC250 Device Bonder optimized for cost-effective volume production of optoelectronics modules. Its ability to perform standard component attachment as well as flip chip together with an accurate and gentle material handling makes the FC250 the ideal tool for handling brittle and tiny substrates generally used for optoelectronics devices.

The tool's robust design, advanced vision and motion resolutions systems make it capable of applying high temperatures of up to 450°C. It controls low force (10 gf) suitable for optoelectronics devices, but it can be configured to control high force up to 200 kgf without any compromise in accuracy and throughput. The Device Bonder features an advanced imaging system offering submicron alignment and a specially designed bonding arm resulting in a post bonding accuracy better than 1 micron while maintaining a high throughput of up to 250 bonds per hour (process dependent).

Compared to conventional pick and place systems, the FC250 Bonder addresses a broad range of process types and requirements. Besides optoelectronics modules, the high-end bonding capabilities allow the system to produce a broad variety of devices such as X-ray-sensors and 3D components, like memory stacks. The stacking ability associated with gap control is widely used for the assembly of 3D-type optical switches.

SUSS MicroTec has also developed a new methodology for assembling optoelectronic modules, known as passive alignment. With the FC250, the modules are assembled by using fiducial marks or recognizable structures on the respective parts. The FC250 places the parts with high accuracy on the planar waveguide circuit (PLC) with in-situ solder reflow. Since the system is optimized for the passive alignment process flow it overcomes the numerous constraints introduced into the manufacturing process such as forming mechanical stops in order to make the self alignment technique works with sufficient precision. Assembly accuracy depends only on the accuracy of the FC250. The SUSS FC250 design reflects a system-level approach resulting in a holistic process solution where the design elements of the machine, the process flow and the processed materials build a perfect match.

The imaging system and the bonding arm are the two major modules contributing to the high accuracy bonding. The optical system delivers a 400X magnification to the automatic alignment system. It allows simultaneous viewing of the chip and substrate.

The special design of the bonding arm results in the capability of applying very low forces down to 10 g while also supporting forces of up to 200 kg. Low forces are required for bonding of sensitive components such as laser diodes while high forces are needed for thermocompression processes used for bonding large numbers of indium or gold bumps or using anisotropic conductive adhesive.