Komes Strengthens Precision Machining Technology Based on Laser MicroJet
TECHWORLD ·
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Komes is developing precision machining equipment using Laser MicroJet for semiconductor wafer cutting and edge processing.
Laser MicroJet processes by delivering laser energy through a fine stream of water and applies water-based cooling to reduce residual heat effects.
Komes has completed development and shipment of semiconductor Laser MicroJet equipment and is expanding its application range.
As semiconductor manufacturing technology becomes more advanced, the importance of precision processing for thin and sensitive materials such as wafers is growing. As the use of SiC expands beyond silicon, demand is also rising for reduced product damage during processing and for accurately realizing desired shapes.
Komes, a company specializing in automated equipment, is developing precision machining equipment using Laser MicroJet in response. Komes' application areas are semiconductor wafer cutting and edge processing. Laser MicroJet is a combination of laser and waterjet, in which laser energy is delivered to the machining area through a fine stream of water.
Conventional laser processing offers the advantage of fast cutting based on high energy, but the heat generated during processing is often cited as a limitation because it can affect the material. By contrast, Laser MicroJet applies a cooling method that uses water at the same time as laser processing. The process consists of repeating heating, material removal, and cooling, and it aims to reduce residual heat effects in the machining area.
This technology targets processing of materials sensitive to thermal and physical shock, and is presented as a way to broaden the range of materials that can be machined, including hard or brittle materials. According to Komes' public materials, the materials that can be processed with Laser MicroJet include silicon wafers, SiC wafers, ceramics, and carbon-fiber-reinforced materials. The development direction is to expand its application to metals, semiconductor materials, and composites.
In the semiconductor sector, the relevant process is wafer edge processing. Wafers can undergo thickness reduction in subsequent processes, and edge damage can occur during that reduction. Accordingly, Komes developed equipment that pre-cuts part of the wafer edge with the aim of reducing the risk of breakage in later processes.
In line with this, Komes' Laser MicroJet equipment was designed for edge processing of silicon and SiC wafers and for precision cutting in various shapes. The equipment is configured to perform laser processing and cooling at the same time, and laser conditions can be changed depending on the material. In addition, the materials targeted for broader application are Si, SiC, and GaN, and the company is expanding its response range by applying the system to different materials.
If process automation is considered, a single flow can be formed, from removing wafers from storage equipment to wafer position alignment, transfer to the Laser MicroJet equipment, edge processing, cleaning, and return to storage. Accordingly, it is possible to build an integrated equipment flow covering removal, alignment, transfer, processing, cleaning, and return, and to create an automated system structure linking precision processing with product loading, movement, and cleaning processes.
Komes operates laser application technology as one of its core technologies. The company has precision hardware and optical technologies for laser equipment and has developed a range of processing technologies, including cutting. It is also applying Laser MicroJet-based wafer processing equipment in the semiconductor back-end process sector.
According to Komes, development of semiconductor Laser MicroJet equipment has been completed, and shipments of the equipment have also been completed. Based on its accumulated automation design and control technologies, Komes is expanding the scope of Laser MicroJet applications in manufacturing processes that require precision machining.
Komes has wafer cutting and precision machining technology using Laser MicroJet, and plans to continue developing equipment for semiconductor manufacturing processes based on that technology. The company also plans to expand its equipment technology direction so it can simultaneously achieve precision machining and automation by reflecting product materials, sizes, and processing conditions in line with its policy of broadening equipment technology to reflect customers' production environments.
Source: TECHWORLD · Kim Kyung-joo
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=407300
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Source: TECHWORLD
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