ALSI LASER1205: patented precision for SiC wafers

“With its superior electrical and thermal properties, silicon carbide (SiC) is an indispensable material for the energy transition. It can be used to produce innovative and compact power electronics for things like high-efficiency inverters,” explains David Felicetti, Business Development and Product Marketing Manager at ASMPT. “Unfortunately, SiC wafers are very thin and sensitive, which has often led to low throughput and high scrap rates during dicing and grooving.”

Multi-beam technology improves quality and yields

The ALSI LASER1205 multi-beam dicing platform cuts precisely, gently, and efficiently thanks to its V-shaped patterned Diffractive Optical Element (V-DOE) developed and patented by ASMPT. The V-DOE uses multi-beam laser processes to separate semiconductor chips on a wafer. A DOE element splits the laser beam into multiple sub-beams that simultaneously work on different areas of the wafer. This makes it possible to efficiently cut through the layers of material, which drastically speeds up the process and increases its precision. In addition, the multi-beam technology minimises the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), which improves the quality of the diced chips and raises their die strength to between 450 and 500Mpa. With this proven process and continuous innovation, ASMPT has managed to increase yields significantly while maintaining high productivity.

The ALSI Laser1205 can process wafers with thicknesses ranging from 10 to 250 microns with a positioning accuracy of less than 1.5 microns. The system’s cutting width is less than 12 microns on 100 microns of silicon with the multi-beam process, all while being 50% faster than traditional methods.

“ASMPT has more than 20 years of experience in laser technology,” says David Felicetti. “With machines like the ALSI LASER1205, we can offer our customers the highest process quality paired with low operating costs.”