Production equipment - Page 3

Aixtron launched a new fully-automated production system, the G10-AsP, targeting the microLED and laser markets. The company says that the G10-AsP ,the first system to offer a fully automated process, enables the highest throughput of its class with uniformity and defect levels never seen before.

Aixtron says that this system will allow, for the first time, the mass production of 10um (or lower) microLED chips, with high performance. The G10-AsP offers a 200mm AsP Batch reactor and comes with In-Situ Cleaning and an automated cassette-to-cassette (C2C) wafer loading.

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.

We're happy to interview Comptek Solutions, as part of our new series of interviews with MicroLED Industry Association members. Comptek, established in 2017 as a spin-off from the university of Turku, Finland, develops quantum technology (branded as Kontrox) that boosts the performance of devices such as microLEDs and lasers.

Q: Hello! Can you introduce your company and technology?

Vicente Calvo, Comptek's CEO and co-founder: Comptek Solutions is a forerunner in III-V compound semiconductor surface engineering. We have developed a novel surface treatment process - Kontrox - which effectively passivates the surface of the materials by forming a high-quality native crystalline oxide layer with very low surface defect state density.  In µLEDs, Kontrox is applied to the chip sidewalls to prevent non-radiative recombination mechanisms, effectively passivating the surface.  This drastically improves the performance and manufacturing yields of µLEDs, particularly at small chip sizes.

Q: Can you say why you joined the microLED association and what you hope to achieve?

The association is a perfect networking platform offering an excellent outlook on the current developments and trends in the µLED industry. We particularly appreciate the opportunity to connect to key industry players.

3D-Micromac announced that a leading optical solutions provider has purchased several microMIRA laser lift-off (LLO) systems to use in the production of microLED devices. The systems will be installed in pilot lines and production lines at its state-of-the-art LED chip factory in Asia

3D-Micromac says that the microMIRA laser system provides highly uniform, force-free lift-off of different layers on large-area substrates at high processing speeds without the need for costly and polluting wet chemical processes. The unique line beam system is built on a highly customizable platform that can incorporate different laser sources, wavelengths and beam paths to meet each customer's unique requirements. The system is capable of processing different substrate materials and sizes, and can achieve processing speeds (including handling) of up to 60 eight-inch wafers per hour.

Aixtron announced its financial results for Q2 2022, with the company's highest quarterly order intake since 2011. The company said that it received its first order for tools used in volume production of microLED devices.

Aixtron announced several microLED system orders in the past, but these were R&D or pilot line systems. In 2021 Aixtron said that a US Tier-1 LED producer has selected Aixtron's AIX G5+ C equipment for microLED device production. In February 2022 Wuhan-based HC Semitek selected Aixtron's Planetary AIX 2800G4-TM (IC2) and AIX G5+ C MOCVD systems to produce microLEDs.

Kulicke and Soffa Industries (K&S) announced that it has received two purchase orders, from two separate customers, for its LUMINEX, a disruptive laser-based mini and micro LED die-transfer solution.

K&S says that its highly flexible system is capable of single die transfer, multi-die transfer and mass transfer, supporting sorting, mixing, re-pitching and placement process steps. The broad flexibility of this system addresses the growing advanced display value chain and supports needs of LED, OSAT, panel and display suppliers.

During Aixtron's Q1 2022 financial results conference call the company's CEO made some interesting comments on its microLED business and the market in general.

Aixtron says that it sees the microLED display industry advancing "as expected". Demand for its microLED production tools has "started to kick in". The company is "increasingly confident" that we will 'soon' see commercial microLED displays on the market.

This is a sponsored post by STAr Technologies

With Micro-LED moving from Engineering to Production, a near-zero tolerance for bad pixel, ultra-small pitch probing, automatic electrical and optical measurement systems need to step up. With STAr’s enhanced Unicorn-LAIT II addresses these stricter testing requirements and with its unique parallel test architecture for electrical, driver functionality, RGB, optical testing capabilities.

STAr Unicorn-LAIT II Advanced Integrated Test System

Unicorn-LAIT II is an advanced high throughput LED test system, that caters for dies in hundreds of thousands to millions of LED per wafer. High Parallelization allows the customer to significantly reduce the Cost of Test and Test Time. The system provides critical measurements for Mini/Micro-LEDs and integrates parallel testing with the electrical, optical measurement with probe station and probe cards in one system, offering a comprehensive analysis result to industry users.

Aixtron announced that Wuhan-based HC Semitek is using Aixtron's Planetary AIX 2800G4-TM (IC2) and AIX G5+ C MOCVD systems to produce microLEDs. All of these systems, shipped in Q4 2021, feature a configuration of 8x6 inches.

Aixtron says that this AIX G5+ C system uses wafer-level control (based on Auto-Feed Forward) of the film surface temperature during the epitaxial process in combination with Ultraviolet (UV) pyrometry. This warrants, according to Aixtron, a very accurate control of the Indium incorporation into the Multi-Quantum wells (MQW), which will ultimately define the wavelength consistency among all produced wafers

Taiwan-based laser micromachining subsystem and equipment manufacturer Bolite Optoelectronics announced its new automated side-wiring system, the laser-based Bolite SW-L, which can be used for the production of tiled microLED displays.

This laser-based tool offers high-precision alignment, advanced process control, and full automation with robotic handling. The minimum line with and spacing is 5 um. Bolite says that this system is highly compatible with TFT production processes. The SW-L systems are now available, and Bolite is already accepting orders.