The technology company LPKF has now commissioned a new cleanroom factory for the production of thin glass components for use in the electronics and semiconductor industries. With the LIDE process (Laser Induced Deep Etching) developed by LPKF, it is possible to structure thin glass quickly and with high precision without impairing the surface properties. The original stability of the glass is fully retained. With this process, glass can be used for the production of microsystems, sensors, display components and microchips, among other things.
The cleanroom factory was built in record time. Due to the considerable interest in this innovative thin glass processing from the semiconductor and electronics industry, completion had to be fast. Despite the difficult circumstances this year with travel restrictions for service providers and delivery difficulties for some manufacturers, the fab was built within a tight schedule of just 13 months. Dirk Neizel, Operations Manager at LPKF, was the driving force behind organizing and driving forward the construction. "We now have a very flexible hall that we can equip according to customer requirements so that the production processes needed can be offered as quickly as possible. With a complete air exchange every 60 seconds and precisely controllable climate conditions, the Fab optimally meets all the requirements of a production clean room. We have also invested heavily in modern safety technology for all systems and laboratories," emphasizes Dirk Neizel.
Dr. Roman Ostholt heads the Electronics business unit, which also includes the LIDE service area under the Vitrion brand name. "In our foundry, we can now quickly and efficiently produce components and microcomponents made of thin glass in large quantities and supply our customers worldwide," he reports. He and his team will continue to intensify and expand their collaboration with customers and partners in the semiconductor and electronics industry. In addition to the traditional sale of systems, this foundry is a significant expansion of LPKF's business model.
CEO Dr. Götz M. Bendele sees the project as a signal of LPKF's innovative strength and customer proximity: "Our Fab gives a wide range of customers from various industries easy access to our technology: customers can now purchase structured thin glass components from us for mass production. This enables them to realize the value potential of our platform technology very quickly without having to make major investments in their own machines and without having to build up their own process capabilities. This gives them a competitive advantage in their markets."
Due to its properties, glass is one of the most interesting materials for many areas in the electronics and semiconductor sector. For a long time, the material was considered very difficult to process. Manufacturing-related surface defects have given glass the reputation of being susceptible to brittle fracture and therefore suitable for simple tasks at best. Thanks to Laser Induced Deep Etching (LIDE) technology, it is now possible for the first time to create deep microstructures in glass without causing microcracks, stresses or other surface defects. Machining is extremely precise and the process is fast. Interest in the use of this cost-effective material is growing accordingly. With the use of LIDE-machined glass, even more is possible than before in advanced IC and wafer level packaging in heterogeneous integration, for example. The process also offers new possibilities for the processing and use of display glass or microfluidic arrays.
