Primoceler Reports First Sale of New Laser-Based Welding Machine for MEMS

Microfabrication company Primoceler Inc. (http://www.primoceler.com) has finalized the first sale of its new laser-based welding machine for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). A company based in Europe purchased the machine, which produces an extremely small heat-affected zone (HAZ) during the hermetic sealing of sensitive or organic components, eliminating the risk of damaging those components.

"Confidentiality terms prevent us from disclosing the details of the sale, but the company indicated that they purchased our machine for a process that was not possible with their old techniques and equipment," said Ville Hevonkorpi, Primoceler's managing director. "The fact is, our technology is unique in the industry. Before this, manufacturers had to rely on fusion bonding and anodic bonding, both of which generate large amounts of heat, damaging sensitive components. Our new laser micro welding methodology and diminutive HAZ expands the potential for packaging fragile components, including under or inside glass, which has been a major challenge for manufacturers."

In addition to most types of glass, the machine is suitable for welding silicon. In all cases, the new process makes it possible to leave the surface of the material untouched while welding, which means that treated surfaces will not be damaged during the process.

The technology opens new possibilities for the production of electronic, engineering, medical and scientific research devices such as chips and sensors. "No other machine can generate the same results in the same fashion as ours, so we've had quite a lot of inquiries about it," said Hevonkorpi. "We are in middle of negotiations with several companies that should be closed soon. Most of the inquiring companies are from Asian countries such as Japan, South-Korea and Taiwan, but some are from Europe and the United States."

Besides producing a small HAZ, Primoceler's new technology makes it possible to bond silicon and glass hermetically without adhesives. The resulting welding seams have strong mechanical properties, and they retain their quality over time. "Any glue loses its strength in time, so the lack of adhesive materials has actually led to a seam that is stronger and permanent," stated Hevonkorpi. An additional benefit of the lack of adhesive material is that the micro welding operation is now a simplified, one-step welding process.

While it offers a range of new production options and innovations, the Primoceler micro welding machine is priced below one million euros. "The business opportunities and new revenue streams that our technology makes possible means that the machine's buyers will quickly generate a return on their investment," said Hevonkorpi. "As always, manufacturers are welcome to test their products at our research and development facilities."

For more information, interested parties should contact the company's sales manager, Antti Peltonen , at +358 40 556 5513 or Email.