DEK delivers major process efficiency gains for infrared product manufacturer

A leading designer and manufacturer of intelligent infrared products in the areas of thermal imaging, people counting, queue management and security solutions, Irisys has been working in partnership with DEK for more than a decade to develop an optimised fine-pitch ICA interconnection process for its range of infrared people counting products. Most recently, the company upgraded its screen printing technology to DEK’s high-speed, high accuracy Europa platform in order to meet the requirements of its latest product generation.

In addition to calling on DEK’s print platform expertise, the project also required the mass imaging leader to deliver stencil support in order to extend Irisys’ fine-pitch process yield. In addition to printer alignment accuracy, stencil design considerations were also central to the fine pitch interconnect process optimisation. Having designed and manufactured an electroformed Nickel stencil to meet the precise demands of the process, DEK then worked with Irisys to refine performance even further.

Improvements included a new stencil surface texture, modifying aperture design from 200µm towards 85µm bumps to incur an increase of aperture total density in excess of 540,000 bumps per wafer. Heightening a combined complexity of controlling pitch over full array from 500µm to 170µm, processes were successfully implemented to control stretch, repeatedly at micron level. Apertures were further developed towards vertical, while the team also devised smoother sidewalls to optimise ICA roll. Process optimisation also involved managing common electroforming defects, such as nodules, debris, stress and stretch. The result was significantly enhanced release of the ICA.

Commenting on the successful industry partnership, Irisys’ Dr Alan Butler explains: “We’re delighted with the results of our long-term partnership with DEK; this particular project has seen us develop a reliable 47 x 47 array assembly process based on 170µm pitch for sophisticated people counting applications. The detailed yield engineering this partnership enabled provided an extremely high yielding process and also, a stable platform for shrinking to finer pitch.”

Dr Butler continues: “Working with DEK not only gives us access to state-of-the-art printing technologies and expertise, but also, a wider manufacturing knowledge base – a major advantage for a progressive industry leader such as ourselves. In addition to working with the DEK team to develop an optimal stencil technology for our fine pitch interconnection process, we were also able to access advanced tooling systems for the ultimate performance in ICA printing. We continue to work closely together to ensure we benefit from the very latest technology advances to keep us – and our customers - ahead in the field of fine pitch printing and infrared technology.”