High Density Through Wafer Via Technology

The Through Silicon Via (TSV) process developed by Silex offers sub 50 μm pitch for through wafer connections in up to 600 μm thick substrates. Silex via process enables MEMS designs with significantly reduced die size and true "Wafer Level Packaging" features that are particularly important in consumer market applications. The TSV technology also enables integration of advanced interconnect functions in optical MEMS, sensors and microfluidic devices. With several foundry customers using the process today and an extraordinary line-up of potential users, Silex aims at making the process a standard in the MEMS industry. The swift propagation of the technology will be facilitated by reasonable licensing agreements and technology transfer programs with customers and partners who may favor implementation in their existing manufacturing lines. This paper gives a brief introduction to the via formation process and focuses in more detail on the novel solutions made available by this enabling technology.