Laser Direct Write Fabrication

Rapid Fabrication & Manufacturing of Fine Scale Flex Circuits

MicroConnex is a pioneer of laser direct write processes. Methods which we have developed are useful for rapid fabrication of fine scale flex circuits and MEMS devices down to a 10μm feature size. We provide laser direct write services for advanced or research projects and limited production.

In general, direct-write processing refers to any technique that is able to create a pattern on a surface or volume in a serial or “spot-by-spot” fashion. This is in contrast to photolithography, stamping, directed self-assembly, or other patterning approaches that require masks or preexisting patterns.

Laser direct write allows for precise control of material properties with high resolution and enables structures that are either impossible or impractical from a cost standpoint with film-based photolithography or other traditional approaches.

“Direct Write prototyping allows tight feature registration for very small features by applying the very high accuracy of the lasers and their programming flexibility to the most difficult projects; generally this used in advanced development.”

High aspect ratio structures can be formed with typical flex materials for electronics applications that need to maximize cross-sectional areas, and are also available for MEMS applications using various polymeric materials.

Applications for Laser Direct Write Circuit Fabrication

MicroConnex has developed Laser Direct Write methods to perform:

• Positive direct write.  We’ll directly write a circuit pattern by selectively crosslinking photosensitive resist materials.
• Etch resist ablation. We directly write a negative of a circuit pattern in a resist layer.
• High throughput negative pattern ablation. We directly pattern base layer metals on polymer substrates down to 50μm.
• Combined laser direct write and photolithography.  We’ll reduce laser throughput times by using direct write methods only where required, and taking advantage of conventional methods for larger scale circuit features.

Close collaboration with our laser partner, Electro Scientific Industries, allows us to combine custom laser control software with advanced beam shaping optics as we continue to develop advanced direct write processes for specialized applications.

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