Laser material processing in microelectronics manufacturing: status and near-term opportunities

Lasers continue to gain ground in materials processing applications for microelectronics manufacturing. Printed circuit boards, IC wafers, substrates for blue/green LEDs, and various components in flat panel displays are all being processed with lasers. Some of these operations, such as microvia drilling in high-density circuit boards, are well established; others are under evaluation or in early stages of development. This paper summarizes the status of a number of key applications that currently or potentially add value to the complex manufacturing processes for state-of-the-art microelectronic devices. Particular attention is paid to flat panel display manufacturing, where the worldwide massproduction ramp currently underway is demanding innovative techniques that provide the speed, quality, or flexibility needed to reduce manufacturing costs.