Micromaterial Processing with Lasers Project Planning, Prototyping, Job-Shop Production

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How can we assist you? LaserMicronics GmbH specializes in a whole

spectrum of industrial laser micromaterial processing activities. Established

back in 1989 as a service provider and job-shop production company,

LaserMicronics is called on for consulting, developing and manufacturing.

LaserMicronics works together with its customers to produce new solutions

and turn ambitious ideas into unique products.

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LaserMicronics boasts many years of experience in laser microprocessing. Its spectrum ranges from the selection of suitable materials and designs to process planning and prototype production. Physicists and application engineers support products through the production pipeline taking them from the original idea all the way through to optimized production processes.

Along the way, the company can also provide support with pre-series and series production, not to mention mass production – and all at attractive prices. LaserMicronics has LPKF Laser & Electronics AG’s whole range of state-of-the-art laser systems and measuring technology in use.

In terms of job-shop manufacturing, LaserMicronics provides highly qualified services:

Laser plastic welding using a range of different processes

MID, planning and production of molded interconnect devices

Laser cutting of rigid, rigi-flex and flexible printed cir-cuit board materials, micro components and ceramics

LDP, production of ultrafine track layouts using thin film structuring techniques

Sructuring of tin resists, laser direct structuring of etched or electroplated-resists, even three- dimensional

Drilling microvias in a whole range of materials Microprocessing of ceramics: cutting, drilling, routing

and engraving Opening up solder resists and protective films Repairing and reworking assembled and unassembled

printed circuit boards Structuring TCO/ITO coatings Laser cutting and structuring of MEAs and ceramics

for fuel cells

LaserMicronics works for clients of all sizes. Customers come from the telecommunication and automotive sectors, as well as from the medical technology industry and from research organizations.

LaserMicronics boasts DIN EN ISO 9001 certification validated by Bureau Veritas Certification.

Turning Ideas into Products

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PCB processingModern laser systems cut highly complex contours without exerting mechanical stress – and much more precisely than conventional methods.

The cutting channels on assembled printed circuit boards can be positioned very close to sensitive components or tracks. The forces generated by laser beams are reduced to a minimum. Laser cutting is ideal for all conventional materials used in printed circuit board manufacturing:

FR4-Multilayer Flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) Rigid-flex printed circuit boards Ceramics LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) HF materials (Rogers™ , Teflon™) Compound materials with thicknesses of

up to 1 millimeter

Precision and qualityBecause of the contact-free material processing, laser depanelling causes no distortion, even in very thin materials, and the cut edges are very smooth and vertical. This guarantees maximum dimensional stability, edge quality and throughput rates.

The benefits of laser cutting: Clean cut edges with no burring Cutting extremely fine contours, almost radius-free

internal edges Low thermal stress, no delamination Cutting different material thicknesses and

combinations in one step Flexible modification of cutting contours Contact-free material processing, and therefore

no material distortion High precision and positional accuracy of the cut

edges thanks to automatic registration

Laser systems have the real cutting edge. UV, IR and CO2 lasers really flex their muscles when

it comes to microprocessing. Lasers are capable of processing multilayers, rigid, rigid-flex and flexible

printed circuit boards, as well as ceramics. They are highly precise, gentle and fast.

Sharp Edges

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Micro metal component cuttingPrecision is essential when cutting micro components. Modern lasers cut components with thicknesses of up to 0.6 mm from conventional films and sheet metal – with extreme precision. LaserMicronics machines stainless steel, nickel, molybdenum and titanium, always with a repetition accuracy of ±2 µm and minimal radii of 10 µm. All of the work is done with laser systems, no additional tools are required. This even makes small and medium-sized series economical.

Ceramic materials suitable for laser processing: Silicon nitride (Si3N4) Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) Aluminum nitride (AlN) Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) Composite ceramic materials

Ceramic microprocessingCutting, drilling, routing, engraving and labeling: ceramics are valued because of their extreme hardness, dimensional stability and temperature resistance – properties which make processing more complicated. Lasers are ideal for direct structuring as well as the drilling and cutting of unsintered and sintered ceramics. Laser processing can be used to create complex geometries – with maximum dimensional stability, edge quality and throughput rates.

The most important laser sources for micromaterial processingIR, CO2 or UV laser systems are used for depanelling and processing work depending on the material. An overview of the most important laser systems used by LaserMicronics:

UV laser systems (355 nm) are particularly good for precise microprocessing of metals, polymers, ceramic materials and compound materials. A UV laser is a multifunctional laser tool for particularly fine and clean applications.

IR laser systems (1064 nm) are available in the form of diode-pumped solid-state lasers, diode lasers and fiber lasers. Areas of application are laser plastic welding, MID, metal cutting, copper direct structuring.

Excimer laser systems (248 and 308 nm) are particularly suitable for structuring thin metal layers in mask projection processes. Structures smaller than 10 µm are possible using roll-to-roll methods.

CO2 laser systems (9400 nm) are used for depanelling.

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MID technology has enormous potentialMIDs are injection-molded circuit carriers: a combination of mechanical component and circuit carrier. They are ideal for realizing the trend towards increasingly miniaturized components packed with more and more functions. When weight and installation space are an important factor, MIDs reduce the number of components, cut the number of assembly steps, and minimize production costs.

Laser direct structuring: the LDS method LaserMicronics uses the tried-and-tested LPKF-LDS method to manufacture MIDs. In laser direct structuring, the track layout is created directly from CAD data on the surface of three-dimensional single injection-molded components. These structures are then metallised in a currentless process. Unlike alternative methods such as 2-component injection molding or hot punching, LDS technology requires no additional product-specific tools.

Numerous series materials are available for the production of injection-molded circuit carriers using the LPKF-LDS method.

When mechanical and electronic functions are combined within one component they are called

molded interconnect devices (MIDs). These three-dimensional circuit carriers play a vital part in

miniaturization: tracks can be squeezed into tiny spaces running over the surface of molded

mechanical components – to create particularly small, precise and economical parts.

Three-Dimensional Multitalent

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Electroless plating in series Expanding LDS services LaserMicronics designed a plating line in 2010 adapted specifically to the special requirements of the LDS process. This expands the service spectrum by an service for specialty plating LDS components in mass production.

The benefits of the LPKF-LDS method: More flexibility. The laser transfers the three-

dimensional circuit layout directly without using any additional tools or masks onto the injection-molded component.

Tool costs are slashed because the laser-structurable MID is manufactured using a single-component injection molding technique.

Lasers are ideal for creating ultrafine structures. High cost efficiency with maximum flexibility –

particularly for ultrafine structures. High environmental compatibility because

the technique uses no etching chemicals. Broad range of LDS-compatible polymers.

The LPKF-LDS method is a flexible and economic technique for near-series prototyping and the series production of innovative products for the telecommunications, medical technology and automotive sectors.

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Laser plastic welding – the principleA thermoplastic material transparent to the energy of a laser beam wavelength lies on top of an absorbing material. A clamping tool presses the two components together. The laser light passes through the transparent part and melts the surface of the absorbing component. Thermal conduction then also plastifies the adjacent surface of the transparent material. After cooling, the contact zone is reliably and permanently welded.

Joining technique of the futureLaser plastic welding is the joining method of the future. This welding method reliably and permanently joins two plastic components, and also benefits from being particle-free and low-stress. Laser welding boasts many advantages compared to alternative methods such as ultrasonic welding and vibration welding, hot plate welding and hot gas welding, or hot melt molding and gluing:

Low mechanical stressing of the components Stressless welding of sensitive electronic components Absolutely particle-free High quality optical welding seam No melt blow-out Short cycle times Low equipment and tool costs Integrated online process monitoring

Laser technology is winning more and more admirers when it comes to joining two plastic

components together. Laser plastic welding goes well beyond the capabilities of traditional joining

techniques. Lasers are replacing classic joining technologies and opening up new areas of

application and markets.

Solutions for Perfect Joins

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New applications and material combinationsLaser plastic welding is hygienic, fast and safe. The systems used have integrated process monitoring which corrects and documents even the smallest deviations from set values.

The method is already used in many sectors such as the automobile subcontracting industry, telecommunications, entertainment electronics, medical technology and the food industry.

Economic benefits: Rapid product development High flexibility Short cycle times Simple product solutions

Processing versionsLaserMicronics GmbH boasts a broad spectrum of laser systems suitable for different welding techniques:

Contour welding Contour welding offers high flexibility and is particularly suitable for processing large three-dimensional components.

Simultaneous welding Simultaneous welding is used when high production numbers are involved. Simultaneous use of several lasers gives rise to short cycle times.

Quasi-simultaneous welding Quasi-simultaneous welding is a combination of contour welding and simultaneous welding, with short welding times. This method is very good at compensating for production tolerances during the production process.

Patented hybrid welding Hybrid welding combines laser energy with infrared radiation. The dual radiation reduces stress on the components, increases the process speed and enhances the quality of the welding seam.

Laser hot riveting Laser hot riveting combines riveting technology with laser plastic welding to fix components together which cannot be welded, directly.

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Structuring PCB coatingsShort laser pulses have extremely high peak outputs and can there-fore directly evaporate dielectrics without damaging the base material. The clean copper surfaces are suitable for reworking without further cleaning.

PCB reworking and repairFaulty assembled and unassembled printed circuit boards can be quickly and inexpensively reworked and repaired by lasers. Laser beams are used to structure printed circuit board materials in all manner of ways, and effectively remove solder resists and other dielectric materials.

The benefits of laser repair: Fast, inexpensive and flexible Ability to process assembled printed circuit boards Contact-free material processing, no material distortion High precision and positioning accuracy thanks to

automatic registration Track separation

Modern laser systems are easy to operate and flexible. They structure, cut and drill – directly from

the layout data, with no additional product-specific tools. The spectrum of applications for these

multitalents is growing by the day.

Applications for All-rounders

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UV laser drilling to create microvias Laser processing is an efficient technology for making microvias particularly in the high density interconnect

range (HDI). Microvias have a minimum diameter of 50 µm.

The UV laser drills through the covering copper layer as well as the epoxy resin, fiber glass and ceramic substrates – all in one step. The laser process has very precisely controlled energy inputs and therefore guarantees very good hole quality and fast throughput times. Microvias can be cut in RCC, FR4 and FR5, as well as Teflon™ and Thermount™.

The benefits of UV laser drilling: No delamination and minimized “red ring effect” Automatic position correction by fiducials and

online scaling Perfect hole geometries

Structuring TCO coatings with lasersThe laser structuring of TCO creates conductive structures on transparent carriers such as glass and plastic. These TCO coatings (Transparent Conductive Oxide) are used in applications such as modern display and touch screen technologies. TCO coatings can also be used for organic light emitting diodes, high frequency shielding, invisible antennae, heating elements or solar elements.

LaserMicronics has developed a particularly stress-free and precisely positionable method. The laser makes structures with structure widths of 25 µm in the carrier layer – in a completely invisible way without damaging the carrier material.

Ultrafine structuring with Excimer lasersThe LDP process (Laser Direct Patterning) is ideal for all applications where ultrafine structures in the < 15 µm range are required. Production uses the mask protection method and an Excimer laser. The laser technology guarantees the highest levels of productivity, particularly in roll-to-roll methods.

The benefits of the LDP process in detail: Ultrafine structures < 15µm High throughput using the roll-to-roll method High resolution, precision and speed

This method is used in sensory technology applications, medical applications, semi-conductor technology, security technology, electronic packaging, telecommunications and entertainment electronics.

Opening solder resists and protective filmsLasers are excellent tools for opening solder resists and protective films, especially in the HDI range of <50 μm. Processing with a laser removes the solder resists highly precisely in the zone specified for opening. Openings starting from a diameter of 30 µm can be created by laser processing.

The same applies to the opening of protective films. The material is gently removed in the specified area defined for the opening. Ultrafine openings can be very precisely created thanks to the fineness and precision of the laser beam. No additional costs for equipment such as stamping tools are required, so the method is economical even when only small numbers are involved.

The benefits of laser processing: Ultrafine openings in solder resists possible in

the HDI range < 50 µm Ultrafine openings in protective films, e.g. polyimide Residue-free copper surfaces Direct CAD data actuation High precision and positioning accuracy by automatic

registration of fiducials

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Profit from LaserMicronics’ comprehensive expertise and innovative laser technologies: prototypes, small and large series of the highest quality at attractive conditions. Highly qualified engineers and physicists are available to answer all your questions on individual applications. Our services include every step along the product development chain:

Material and design definition Assistance to ensure process-compatible

configuration Advice on material selection Feasibility studies

Prototype production Fast and inexpensive prototype production Parameter tests for product optimization Process optimization

Pre-series production Production of series run-up tests Production of near-series systems Quality inspection in our own laboratory by a

range of testing methods

Quality mass production Inexpensive mass production Continuous process monitoring and documentation Quality assurance pursuant to ISO 9001

LaserMicronics – Your Service Partner

LaserMicronics GmbH

Osteriede 9a D-30827 Garbsen Germany

Phone +49 (0) 5131 90 811-0 Fax +49 (0) 5131 90 811-29

info@lasermicronics.de www.lasermicronics.com

© LaserMicronics GmbH. LaserMicronics reserves the right to modify specifications and other product information at any time without notice. Systems and products supplied by LaserMicronics and its subsidiaries are covered by issued or pending patents registered in the US and other foreign countries. Product names are only used for identification and could be trademarks or registered brand names of the companies involved. Product names and logos are only used for identification and could be trademarks or registered brand names of the companies involved.

Deutsche ZertifizierungZertDeu

DIN EN ISO 9001:2008