Enabling Fully Automated Testing of SiPh at Wafer Level
The economical mass production of silicon photonics (SiPh) components requires high-speed alignment with nanometer accuracies: With thousands of photonic structures on one wafer, the faster the alignment of the signal-carrying optical fibers to the photonic circuits, the faster and thus more economical testing becomes. Probing solutions must combine high speed and precision with adequate sensor technologies to avoid direct contact…
The Evolution of Photonics Alignment Techniques from Manual to Algorithm-Assisted, Automated Systems
The photonics industry is clearly trending towards rapidly increasing production scale, with three orders of magnitude expected in the near future. Whether the challenge is economical, scalable manufacturing of multichannel silicon photonic (SiPh) devices, assembling increasingly sophisticated miniature cameras, or transmitting high-speed data across thousands of miles of space: Alignment is crucial for effectiveness, performance, and practicality. As photonics increasingly…
Taking on Challenges in Integrated Photonics Packaging with Automated Assembly and Connection Technology
Testing, assembling, and packaging of photonic devices requires highly efficient systems. Alignment, especially array alignment, is one of the most significant cost factors, as it is essential at several stages of the production process to ensure throughput and manage production costs. For maximum performance, the optimal combination of accuracy, speed, and intelligent automation is needed. Positioning accuracies with submicron or…
Film Metrology in Wafer Inspection
For every type of wafer, key prerequisites include uniform substrate and device layer thickness, along with a minimal defect density. Moreover, the wafer’s electrical resistivity must closely align with specified standards. Certain films necessitate characterization, especially for assessing thickness, electrical resistivity, and surface quality and roughness. Reliable and fast measurement technologies help to prevent yield losses by detecting defects in…
Hybrid Piezo Motor Principle for Increased Range and Dynamics, with Integrated Wafer Lift
Dynamic positioning, scanning, and alignment with precision down to the subnanometer realm is critical to success in wafer inspection and metrology.As feature sizes in semiconductor manufacturing shrink and design complexity increases, the demands on the motion systems continue to grow. Metrology processes are therefore highly dependent on precise wafer positioning solutions to enable the fast and reliable analysis of defects…
Precision Motion Innovation for the Semiconductor Industry: Wafer Stages, Air Bearings
Innovative ideas around nanopositioning and precision motion control for wafer shaping, wafer stages with piezo performance, air bearings and granite-based multi-axis motion systems. Watch the video
A-322 Air Bearing XY Planar Stage used in Research on “Parallel Direct Writing of Nanoapertures”
Learn more [Picture source: PI BeNeLux B.V. on linkedin.com]
H-850 Hexapod and 6-DOF Force Sensor used in Bone Fracture Healing Study
Read more [Picture source: PI BeNeLux B.V. on linkedin.com]
Piezo Tubes Ensure a Higher Image Resolution in Scanning Fiber Endoscopy
In medicine, finest endoscopes are not only being used for diagnostics but also more and more frequently for the therapy of illnesses. Thanks to their compact and flexible design of just a few millimeters diameter, they ensure even gentler minimally invasive procedures. Contrary to the limitations of the image quality of common endoscopes, the new innovative design of scanning fiber…
EU-Funded Project 14ACMOS: PI Contributes to Technology Node Development for Semiconductor Manufacturing
Traditionally, key manufacturing technologies for semiconductor production have come from Europe. To ensure that this does not change in the future, the European Union is funding the 14ACMOS project to develop the next technology node. It is expected that this node will enable the production of chip structures with dimensions down to 14 angstroms. Physik Instrumente…