Produkt-Neuheit

Miniaturization in electronics is advancing steadily. At the same time, however, demands on packaging density, precision, and component quality are increasing. Traditional cutting methods are increasingly reaching their limits, particularly when it comes to ceramic substrates, which form the basis for sophisticated circuit carriers in sensor technology, hybrid electronics, and high-performance electronics.

With “NextGen Laser Scribing,” based on modern UKP laser technology, a smart process is now available that combines the highest precision with maximum quality while minimizing material damage.

In contrast to conventional laser scribing—the creation of a series of blind holes using CO₂ or fiber lasers—there is now no thermal damage such as microcracks, stresses, or spalling, and no contamination such as melt residues or burrs. This eliminates the need for time-consuming post-processing. Mechanical stresses, such as those associated with classic wafer dicing involving relatively wide cutting or sawing marks, are also completely eliminated.

Instead, the ultrashort-pulse laser creates a precisely defined predetermined break point in the substrate through continuous, precise, and narrow line ablation. This allows for the safe, clean, and reproducible creation of fine predetermined break points on multi-use substrates or the complete separation of delicate individual components—even on substrates that are already printed, patterned, or populated.

The Benefits at a Glance
• Virtually cold processing with no heat input into the material
• No microcracks, stresses, or chipping
• No time-consuming post-processing required
• Non-contact process with no force applied
• Capable of producing ultra-fine structures in the micrometer range
• Up to 25% higher area utilization due to narrower scribing lines
• Highest reproducibility

Wide range of materials can be processed
Materials that can be processed include aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, sapphire, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, glass, glass-ceramics, quartz, transparent ceramics, and ceramic multilayer substrates (LTCC).

“NextGen Laser Scribing” sets new standards for the smart processing of hard and brittle materials—cold, clean, and precise.