Semiconductor wafer-thin technology, now a reality with lasers

Laser World of Photonics India is coming up with its 3rd edition from 23-25 September 2014 in Bangalore International Exhibition Center (BIEC), Bengaluru. It is an important gateway for the growth and use of lasers and optoelectronics in the electronics industry in India.

The laser is the perfect answer to the ever-shrinking structural size and high integration densities, which characterize today's semiconductor industry. The tools that enable processing of semiconductor materials and dielectrics have to develop this technology. High-precision lasers work without contact and can be used for drilling, cutting and the ablation of thin layers. The semiconductor industry lives - and dies - by a simple creed: smaller, faster and cheaper. The benefit of being tiny is quite simple: finer lines mean more transistors can be packed onto the same chip. The more transistors on a chip, the faster it can do its work.

The rapid growth of consumer electronics in India and the growing demand for smartphones and tablets are the key growth drivers of the overall electronics market. As per research conducted by the Government of India, the domestic Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9 per cent and reach INR 5.6 Lakh Crore in 2015. The government also estimates the demand for electronics to increase to INR 24 Lakh Crore by 2020.

While the demand for electronic goods is rapidly increasing, there is a huge gap in terms of manufacturing. India needs a solid plan of action to bridge the gap. The first step towards addressing this issue has been the approval by the Cabinet to invest INR. 51,550 Crore towards two semiconductor units. With a certain mandate of development in the semiconductor industry, innovation in production cannot be far. The importance of precision and cost reduction is and will be the driving force behind this industry.

The manufacturing of semiconductors requires rapid and clean cutting of composite materials. Lasers fit this role perfectly. Their ability to cut irregular shapes to high precision, whilst minimizing surface roughness, makes them ideal cutting tools.

The laser marking of silicon wafers facilitates traceability of the manufacturing process for fault analysis of semi-conductor devices. A laser system designed for wafer marking must meet the most stringent requirements. Thus, the marking must be machine-readable, miniaturized and have no negative influence on the further manufacturing steps and still permit clear identification at the end of the process chain.

Mr. Bhupinder Singh – Acting CEO and CMO of MMI India Pvt. Ltd says, “In the manufacturing of semiconductor chips marking speeds of over 1000 characters/second and material penetration depths of less than 25µm/1 mile are common. It is only the precision and speed of laser that can make the process simpler and faster and thus cheaper”.

LASER World of PHOTONICS INDIA 2014 will feature companies that will showcase precision manufacturing across sectors. Laser Science has been representing Coherent Inc. in India since the past 25 years. Coherent is the world's leading manufacturer of different types of laser equipment such as Excimer Lasers, Diode Pumped Solid-state Lasers (DPSSL), Avia, Matrix & Dayatona and many more.