Innovative bonding technologies for AI and electromobility

“Artificial intelligence and electromobility will be the main trends and drivers of technological and economic change in the coming years,” says Dr. Johann Weinhändler, Managing Director of ASMPT AMICRA and responsible for ASMPT’s Semiconductor Solutions Division in Europe. “These rapidly growing markets place special demands on interconnect technologies in semiconductor manufacturing. With hybrid bonding and silver sintering we are opening up new opportunities in these fields.”

AMICRA NANO: hybrid bonding for super-fine structures

Exploiting the power of future high-performance computers and AI systems to the fullest requires extremely fast fibre-optic data links. Co-packaged optical components, in which tiny light-emitting and light-receiving components must be placed with an exceptional degree of precision, are essential for such connections.

Hybrid bonding is the right technology for such highly miniaturised structures because it does not require any solder paste or adhesives. In a two-stage process, a chemical bond is first created between two silicon oxide layers, and then the underlying copper layers are activated through thermal treatment so that they form a mechanically stable and electrically conductive bond.

The highly flexible die and flip-chip AMICRA NANO bonder was developed for such tasks and will be on display at the booth. With a placement accuracy of ±0.2 µm, several integrated heating systems and a high-purity processing environment, the AMICRA NANO is extremely flexible and can be used for various bonding technologies.

SilverSAM: sintering instead of soldering

For power modules that must withstand high currents, conventional soft soldering is not always suitable. With videos and sample products, ASMPT will show at this year’s electronica how the sintering process can be used to create temperature-resistant and highly conductive connections in power electronics.

The versatile SilverSAM platform uses a combination of pressure, temperature, and time to bond silver particles in the previously applied paste. To protect the components, this is done at temperatures that are well below the melting point of silver (961°C or 1,762°F). The machine can process different materials such as DBC (direct bonded copper) and AMB (active metal brazing) and supports various processes such as wet and dry pastes as well as die transfer films (DTF). With an automatic tool changer and a bonding force of up to 588N, the SilverSAM delivers high productivity and scalability for the mass production of power modules. The SilverSAM platform thus combines flexibility, productivity, and high sintering quality, making it ideal for applications in modern power electronics.