LIFT

We're happy to interview 3D Micromac, as part of our series of interviews with MicroLED Industry Association members. Germany-based 3D-Micromac is the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems. The company offers laser equipment for µLED forward transfer, lift-off and repair process steps - ready for high volume production.

Hello, can you introduce your company and technology?

Frank Richter (Head of Sales at 3D Micromac): 3D-Micromac has established itself as a leader in laser micromachining and a pioneer of new production technologies for various industries for the last 20 years. This especially applies to the excimer and ultra-short pulse laser technology.

We have extensive experience applying innovative laser technology to new and emerging applications to support their volume-production requirements. For MicroLED production, ultra-high precision in combination with the highest reliability and stability is needed. These are core competencies of 3D-Micromac.

Our product portfolio includes several laser-based system solutions for various manufacturing steps in the MicroLED production process. All systems offer integrated process control and monitoring to assure stable and reliable operation, thus enabling high throughput and low yield losses. 

We're happy to interview Coherent, as part of our series of interviews with MicroLED Industry Association members. Coherent is one of the world's leading laser innovators and manufacturers, providing systems and components for the production of OLED and microLED displays.

Q: Can you introduce your company and technology?

Oliver Haupt, Director, Marketing, Display Vertical, Coherent Corp: For over 50 years, we have been providing high-performing, reliable photonics-based solutions that have become the enabling tool in many applications. Today, Coherent Corp. is one of the world’s leading photonics innovators and manufacturers.

Displays are getting larger and more interactive in our homes and cars. State-of-the-art displays are slim, bendable, and high-resolution, with a wide color gamut. Future displays will range in size from tiny ones for AR/VR applications, to more than 100-inch in diagonal for very large wall TVs.

Germany-based 3D-Micromac is the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems. The company develops and manufactures processes and laser systems delivering powerful, user-friendly and leading-edge processes with superior production efficiency. 3D-Micromac offers industrial laser solutions for the mass production of microLED displays.

We had the pleasure of talking to Frank Richter, Head of Sales and Product Management at 3D-Micromac. Frank explained 3D-Micromac's solutions and technologies for microLED production, and the company's views on the future of microLEDs.

Q: Can you detail 3D-Micromac's solutions for the MicroLED market?

Frank Richter, Head of Sales and Product Management: 3D-Micromac’s product portfolio includes several laser-based system solutions for various manufacturing steps in the MicroLED production process. All systems offer an integrated process control and monitoring to assure stable and reliable operation thus enabling high throughput and low yield losses.

TechBlick will soon host its virtual microLED and QD event, and here is a good preview of some of the technologies and advances that will be detailed during the event. MicroLED-Info readers enjoy a special discount to this interesting upcoming industry event.

We highlight important advancements in MicroLED and/or QD displays in this article using technology slides. These advancements of the art will be presented at TechBlick’s 2-day global conference on “Mini- & Micro-LED Displays: Markets, Manufacturing Innovations, Applications, Promising Start-ups” taking place online in TechBlick’s ‘in-person virtual’ platform on 30 Nov - 1 Dec 2022.

The agenda includes the likes of Samsung, Sharp, AUO, Coherent, ASMPT, Komori, CEA, Micledi, 3D Micromac, Allows Semiconductors, and many more. Full agenda can be seen here.

This conference is supported by the MicroLED Association.

This is an article by TechBlick, organizers of the upcoming MicroLED Displays virtual event. MicroLED-Info readers get a 100 Euro discount.

In this article, using select technology slides, we highlight several interesting advancements in MicroLED and/or QD displays. More specifically, we cover 3600PPI “Silicon” Displays | Gravure printed microbumps | Electrohydrodynamically printed QD color converters | Laser LLO and Transfer for MicroLEDs | QD vs Phosphors | Energy saving credentials of microLED

“Silicon” Displays with an incredible 3600ppi full color using microLED and QD technology?

Sharp (HIRANO Yasuakie et al) has developed this technology.

As shown in the slide below, first blue-only uLEDs are formed on a sapphire substrate. Here, one LED array contains 352 x 198 micro LED dies of 24 um x 8 um in size. In parallel, an LSI chip containing the driving circuitry is formed on a silicon wafer. Here, the cathode (N-type electrode) and anode (P-type electrode) are fabricated for each micro LED die to apply driving voltage independently to each die. The Au bump electrodes are fabricated in accordance with the pitch of the LED dies. The two substrates are flip-chip bonded using Au-Au bonding. Here one can already see the parallel to the silicon and optoelectronic industry (vs. the traditional thin film display industry!). Next, the sapphire layer is removed via laser lift off. Finally, Cd-free quantum dots (green and red) are deposited atop the microLED dies to enable R G color conversion. This way one achieves RGB colors.

This is a sponsored post by Coherent

Coherent is a leading global supplier of lasers and photonics technology. For the MicroLED industry, Coherent provides several solutions from a single laser source, optical systems up to an integrated system for the three vital processes in MicroLED fabrication – Laser Lift-Off (LLO), Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT), and Repair/Trimming.

Coherent recently published a new white paper that provides an update on how high-energy ultraviolet laser beams enable LLO and LIFT processes. The white paper shows the importance of a perfect combination of laser and optical design to a how these lasers ensure placement accuracy and mass transfer that will remain future-proof as microLED chip die size continues to shrink.

Germany-based laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser system developer 3D Micromac announced that Marko Gerlach will become the company's CFO, effective immediately. The previous interim CFO, Frank Jäger, will remain with 3D-Micromac AG for a period of time to help ensure a smooth transition before leaving the company.

Marko Gerlach began his professional career in tax consulting and auditing. For approximately 10 years, he provided services to small- and medium-sized companies in the fields of annual audits, management consulting and all tax matters. Since 2009, Marko Gerlach has held various management positions within the Jenoptik Group.

3D-Micromac announced a new microLED mass transfer tool, called microCETI. The company says its new technology can be used to transfer over 130 million microLEDs per hour.

MicroCETI is based on a laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) process that can support almost any microLED material and shape. The tool also includes optional modules - a laser lift-off (LLO) module, and a single LED die repair module.

Laser equipment maker Coherent says that its customer have expressed a "reasonable amount of interest " in its Micro-LED solutions. The company is taking orders for R&D tools, but it says that mass production of Micro-LED displays is "still years away".

Coherent offers several laser-based tools used to produce Micro-LED displays, including Laser Lift-Off equipment (LLO) used to separate micro-LEDs from the sapphire wafer and Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) used to move micro-LEDs from the donor to substrate.