Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo and SUSS MicroTec to Develop Wafer Bonding Technology

SUSS MicroTec will collaborate with Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo to develop bonding technology and pattern transfer with the help of gold particles of sub-micron dimensions.

This joint venture will result in the technological development to transfer sub-micron gold particles of various patterns onto a silicon wafer at 150ºC in a single instant using industrial bulk manufacture. Gold particles with transferred patterns have a major impact in the absorption of wafer surface roughness.

Unlike traditional methods, it is feasible to attain wafer-level metal to metal bonding at 200ºC using the transferred patterns, thus delivering highly stable electrical connections and hermetic seals with high temperature resistance. Both the companies expect to commence marketing of the transfer and bonding devices and the transfer substrates in March 2012. The bonding technology can be utilized in assembly and packaging processes to help companies manufacturing LED chips, MEMS equipment and tiny electronic parts to enable development of fine patterns on wafers for effectively sealing electrodes and frames without any wastage and achieving a 100% rate of use.

Through this joint venture, Tanaka has developed fabrication techniques of a substrate to pattern transfer gold particles of sub-micron dimensions which deliver high heat resistance and low stress when compared to previous joints by soldering. It also allows bonding at low temperatures as a result of its size. SUSS MicroTec will develop a bonding and wafer-level transfer device with the help of such transfer substrates.