Novel Printed Circuit Boards - Innovative Solutions for flexible and stretchable Systems

Alina Schreivogel
R&D Manager
Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG

Abstract
In recent years great progress has been made regarding the development und realization of flexible and stretchable solutions. It is expected that flexible and stretchable technologies will especially find use in medical electronics, wearables, soft/smart robotics and bionics. Numerous functions and performances could be realized through integration of electronic components. High flexibility, stretchability, as well as freedom of forms make the novel technologies essential for the future electronics in smart applications. Würth Elektronik has researched novel technologies within several research projects. ECT (embedded component technology) with integrated silicon chips into thin foils and Stretchable Technology called TWINflex-Stretch are presented based on principles and examples. With the growing demand for mechanically flexible electrical systems and the increasing level of integration of electrical assemblies, hybrid build-ups combining polymer substrates and ultrathin flexible silicon chips are getting more important. These systems need thin chips which maintain their functionality even in bent condition as well as reliable handling and assembly processes. Those activities mainly have been driven by the means of miniaturization and the increasing integration density of outer layer assembly of PCBs. Novel assembly concepts like ECT are used to assemble these thin ICs having a thickness of less than 20 µm onto flexible substrates and to manufacture System-in-Foils. Stretchable electronic Systems enable new degrees of mechanical freedom in electronics and provide a new level for developers and product designers. The stretchability of the novel printed circuit boards can be realized by use of Polyurethane as a base material in combination with meander shaped copper conducting paths between the components. The innovative Stretchable Technology is based on conventional circuit board processes and is completely compatible with machinery and materials in the production.

Biografie
Alina Schreivogel studied Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and received the Diploma in 2004. In 2008 she was awarded Ph.D. from University of Stuttgart in the field of Organic Chemistry. After several years as Scientist and Academic Councillor she changed 2010 to Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co KG, Circuit Board Division. Since then she is a senior scientist and project manager in the Research and Development Department and responsible for different research focuses like Flex- and Stretch Foil Systems, Printingtechnologies, Embedding Technologies in Foils, Medical and Textile Electronics.

Michael Ciesinski
President, FlexTech Group
SEMI/FlexTech

Biography
Michael Ciesinski is SEMI's Vice-President of Technology Communities. Previously, he was President/CEO of FlexTech Alliance, an R&D consortium chartered with building the infrastructure for flexible electronics manufacturing. Ciesinski’s prior executive positions include President/CEO of US Display Consortium and Vice-President and Director of North American Operations for SEMI. Prior to joining SEMI, Ciesinski was appointed as Director, New York State Labor-Management Committee. Ciesinski is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany. He is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council (Engineering) at the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

Organic TFTs: Are They Ready to Disrupt the Display Industry and Enable Fully Flexible Devices?

Jean-Christophe Eloy
President & CEO
Yole Developpement

Abstract
This presentation will briefly review backplanes technologies for flexible displays and focus on the current status and potential of organic semiconductors TFTs (OTFTs). Organic semiconductors appeared in the mid 1980’s but their performance limited them to the status of R&D curiosities. By the mid 2000’s, performance had increased to be on par with industry standard amorphous-Si (a-Si). As of 2017, mobility comparable to oxides TFTs have been demonstrated. Organic TFTs enables truly flexible AMOLED displays with bending radius below 1mm (“wrinkable”). The technology can easily be implemented in older, fully depreciated a-Si fabs with minimum capex and produce high performance displays. Most panel makers are working on OTFTs. But each has a different view regarding how they fit on their roadmap, ranging from R&D curiosity to defensive project or strategic and differentiating technology. This presentation will sort through the hype and misconceptions and provide an update on the status and roadmap for organic semiconductor displays.

Biografie
Pars MUKISH holds a master degree in Materials Science & Polymers (ITECH - France) and a master degree in Innovation & Technology Management (EM Lyon - France). Since 2015, Pars MUKISH has taken on responsibility for developing LED, OLED and Sapphire activities as Business Unit Manager at Yole Développement. Previously, he has worked as Marketing Analyst and Techno-Economic Analyst for several years at the CEA (French Research Center).

Towards Scalable CMOS Flexible Electronics

Feras Alkhalil
Research Manager
PragmatIC

Abstract
The proliferation of smart objects required to truly harness the full capability of the Internet-of-Things (IoT) is enabled by the form-factor and cost-structure of flexible oxide electronics. In this sector, state-of-the-art is based on unipolar n-type transistors (NMOS) and is close to full commercialisation. PragmatIC is currently commissioning its FlexLogIC™ fab-in-a-box system, developed under the EU Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Programme (grant agreement No 696266). FlexLogIC™ transfers PragmatIC’s proven end-to-end flexIC production process into a self-contained, fully automated, modular “fab-in-a-box” for high throughput manufacturing. FlexLogIC offers capacity for billions of flexICs at a capital cost between 100 and 1000 times lower than a silicon fab. This will address many emergent application spaces e.g. proximity RFID tags, although the high static power consumption of unipolar logic precludes ultra low power applications and very complex circuit designs. Broadening the accessible applications requires complementary (CMOS) logic, where static power consumption is negligible. Here, we report on key considerations in moving PragmatIC’s flexible electronics technology from R&D to mass manufacture, wider market adoption and the ongoing advancement of oxide based CMOS logic (COSMOS, Innovate UK project Ref: 132201) to further extend the opportunities for this technology.

Biografie
Feras joined PragmatIC in September 2015 and leads PragmatIC’s research team. He received his MSc and PhD from the University of Southampton in Microelectronics System Design and Solid State Electronics, respectively. From 2013 to 2015, he worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Southampton developing single electron transistor and quantum dot architectures with research laboratories and universities in the UK and Japan. He also held a lectureship, teaching Solid State Physics and Semiconductor Devices at the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus.

SmartEEs, a “Sustainable Marketplace for the Adoption, Ramp-up and Transfer of Emerging Electronics Solutions”

Jérôme GAVILLET
EU programs Manager
CEA

Abstract
The market for organic & printed electronic products is growing at a high level (BUS$ 23-24 in 2014) with predicted annual growth rates of 20 % in all fields. Although the use of OLAE in products is still limited and only have been commercialized by large corporates, the number and type of products has grown significantly. These emerging markets are a huge opportunity for the EU industry. But EU small & mid-size companies have had only a limited access to technologies and often lack the capabilities needed to benefit from OLAE. These include the ability to fully understand the technological implications and the related business implications. They need support in the translation of the OLAE technologies into innovative products, assessing potential markets, finding investors, developing new business models and creating the right partnerships to optimally benefit from OLAE opportunities. SMARTEES will be the Digital Innovation Hub dedicated to OLAE, an organized European innovation network that provides both access to competencies and business support for innovation adoption. SMARTEES will help the European industry to create a competitive advantage within the global economy by providing access to disruptive OLAE technologies and innovation support in a pragmatic, operative and efficient pan-European manner. A 1-Stop-Shop will be set to establish a collaborative environment and to provide wider access to the technology at the same time as coordinating the bespoke services and efficiently and effectively linking them together. 20 Application Experiments will be conducted to explore the technology transfer into business, organization of cooperation, access to finance, services to be provided and act as showcases to raise awareness and activate potential users. The established eco-system will be harnessed by the consortium to propel the continuity of the initiative beyond SMARTEES. This will include the formulation of a comprehensive business plan as a strategic outcome.

Biografie
Dr. Jérôme GAVILLET received his PhD on material physics & surface processing from l’Ecole des Mines de Nancy (F) in 1996. As a researcher, he worked on hydrogen embrittlement of stainless steels for the petrol industry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (B), on zircaloy alloy coatings for the French nuclear industry and on copper interconnects for the semiconductor industry at the University of York (UK). He spent 7 years in microelectronics working as a process engineer for equipment suppliers in Cardiff (UK), Sunnyvale (US) and Grenoble (F). He joined CEA-Liten in 2005 as a project manager in the field of Renewable Energies and Nanomaterials, working on surface energy and thermal management topics. Since 2012, he works as an European program manager, contributing to the management of CEA-Liten’s EU projects portfolio and setting up new business opportunities in the fields of materials, renewable energies, energy efficiency and information & communication technologies. He has authored 10 patents and over 40 publications.

Flexible ultra thin silicon foil packages.

Indranil Ronnie Bose
Group Manager
Fraunhofer EMFT

Abstract
We report on a chip foil package technology for thin silicon ICs, wherein the bare silicon ICs are thinned down in the range 12-40 µm and are then packaged face-up in a polymer foil package. These packages are flexible yet offer superior reliability and stability for the fragile bare chips. This entire process is roll to roll process compatible and offers a economically viable solution due to the large scaleup possibility. The packages are subjected to bending and mechanical tests and the results thereof are shown in the paper. (A detailed abstract will follow in the next 2 weeks.)

Biografie
Universität der Bundeswehr München, Germany (University of the German Armed Forces, Neubiberg - Munich, Germany) Pursuing Habilitation and Teaching Assistant at the Institute of Physics Technische Universität Dresden, Germany Dr.-Ing. (summa cum laude), Electronics Packaging Laboratory (IAVT) from the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA Visiting Researcher at the Georgia Tech Research Network Operations Center (GT-RNOC) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München und Technische Universität München - CDTM Elitestudiengang Technology Management - Elitenetzwerk Bayern, Germany Honours Degree in Technology Management Technische Universität München TUM, Germany Master of Science M.Sc. West Bengal University of Technology, India Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communications Engineering

Christoph Kutter
Director
Fraunhofer EMFT

Biography
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christoph Kutter is the director of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFT since 2012. Additionally, he holds the professorship with focus on Solid State Technologies at the Universität der Bundeswehr München. His focus areas at Fraunhofer EMFT are research and development of sensors and actuators for people, the environment and the Internet of Things, utilizing Functional Molecules, Silicon Technologies, Devices and 3D Integration, Foil Technologies, Micropumps and Design, Test & System Integration. Prior to that, Christoph Kutter held various executive positions at Infineon Technologies AG and Siemens AG, such as heading the development of communication products, the chip card and central research. Christoph Kutter was responsible for several central improvement projects aiming at increasing efficiency in research and development, as well as leading the enterprise-wide innovation initiative.

Chip-Film Patch for Hybrid Systems in Foil – Technology and Applications

Christine Harendt
Head of Semiconductor Integration Business Unit
Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart (IMS CHIPS)

Abstract
Flexible, thin and bendable electronics have the potential to enable many applications by integrating digital and non-digital functionalities on flexible substrates. The desired system performance often requires the integration of different components such as thin and flexible silicon ICs, sensors and thin-film large-area components. Adequate integration technologies for chip embedding and interconnect are a key issue for these Hybrid Systems in Foil (HySiF). Chip-Film Patch (CFP) is an embedding technology for chip thicknesses ranging from a few microns up to 50 µm using wafer based processes. Fine pitch interconnects and multichip patches are feasible by semiconductor processing technologies and adaptive layout techniques. Due to the material properties of the polymers (polyimide and benzocyclobutene) the technology can be optimized for additional large area processes (printed sensors, organic transistors) and is suitable for medical devices or HF applications. CFP technology is used for single devices such as smart sensor patches or as an interposer for multichip modules in a large area foil systems. Applications ranging from embedded multichip modules for industry 4.0 solutions to bendable sensor foils for robotic gripper fingers are presented.

Biografie
Christine Harendt received her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Freie Universität Berlin in 1987. The following year she joined the Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart in Germany (IMS CHIPS) where she heads the Semiconductor Integration business unit. She is involved in the development and application of new technologies in combination with CMOS processes. She has participated in several national and international research programmes and coordinated a European Research Project focussing on the development of miniaturised video endoscopes. Within the cluster MicroTEC Südwest she was involved in the development of the platform PRONTO, a joint initiative of industrial-oriented R&D institutes in Baden-Württemberg for development and fabrication of microsystems. Recently she coordinated a research project developing flexible foil systems for applications in robotics and safety in industrial automation (KoSiF). Her current research interests are fabrication, packaging and characterisation of ultra-thin silicon chips and Hybrid Systems in Foil.

A novel process chain for the embedding and interconnection of ultra-thin chips in flexible substrates

Andre Zimmermann
Executive Board Member
Hahn-Schickard

Abstract
In order to truly make thin flexible systems smart the integration of ultra-thin Si-based chips is essential. This however requires the development of novel process chains for the reliable embedding and interconnection of the delicate chips. Here we present a novel, mask-less process chain based on conformal coating, laser direct imaging and inkjet printing of interconnections. As a completely digital process chain, this is particularly interesting for smaller batch sizes.

Biografie
André Zimmermann was born in Schweinfurt, Germany, in 1971. He studied chemistry and crystallography at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg as well as materials science with specialization in mechanical engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt. After several stays in the USA at NIST and University of Washington he received his PhD in 1999 at Technische Universität Darmstadt. He held positions as group manager at the Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart, and as senior manager for electronic packaging within the corporate research and development of Robert Bosch GmbH in Waiblingen. Since January 2015, he is professor for micro technology at the Institute for Micro Integration (IFM) of the University of Stuttgart. Simultaneously, he is the head of the Institute for Micro Assembly Technology at Hahn-Schickard in Stuttgart.

Near hermetic embedding of active components in thin flexible LCP substrates

Marc Hauer
Manager R&D
Dyconex AG

Abstract
A near hermetic packing technology of active components in a substrate based on liquid crystal polymers (LCP) technology is demonstrated and reliability measurements based on soak testing are presented. Liquid crystal polymers are chemically inert polymers with very low water and oxygen diffusion levels. The thermoplastic properties of these polymers allow the direct bonding of several thin, flexible polymer layers without the use of adhesives. Substrates, based on this material are very homogeneous and have proven stability in salt water immersion for extended periods (12+ months @ 77°C). The high heat resistance of the material set (MOT up to 180°C) suggests a possible use in high temperature applications. When exposed to even higher temperatures (>200°C) the material set can be thermoformed into a 3D structure. The flexibility of the material in an optimized 3D shape allows their use in stretching conditions. To further increase the functionalization of these substrates, active components have been embedded during the manufacturing process. The LCP substrate acts both to encapsulate and as a wiring interconnect which can be used in harsh environments. Resistance measurements of comb structures on a silicon die, encapsulated and interconnected in a LCP substrate and immersed in a salt water solution show very little resistance changes over time.

Biografie
Marc Hauer is R&D Manager and Engineering Manager at Dyconex. 13 years of experience in manufacturing of printed circuit boards, sensors and biocompatible substrates. As Engineering Manager he is responsible for medical implantable and hi-reliability products. In his previous functions he was application and product engineer. Marc holds a PhD in Laser material processing from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH) and author of 18 scientific papers

Biodegradable flexible conductor structures

Michael Hoffmann
Senior Scientist
Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP

Abstract
Biodegradable flexible conductor structures allow flexible electronics devices which decompose after an intended period of operation. Examples are medical implants which are absorbed by the living organism or devices that can be recycled by industrial composting facilities. Key components of such devices are suitable substrates and conductive tracks. As substrate material, polylactic acid (PLA) is a common choice since it is clinically approved for absorbable implants and it is established as being biodegradable according to EN 13432. As conductor material, magnesium is a well-established material for absorbable implants. We show how conductive tracks of magnesium can be produced by vacuum thermal evaporation onto PLA foils. A direct deposition onto pristine PLA foils does not yield any film due to poor sticking. The sticking behavior can be improved by seed layers, by high energy plasma pretreatment and by outgassing. We show how conductive tracks of down to 120 µm nominal width can be produced with a sheet resistance of 2 Ohm/square at 50 nm Mg layer thickness – comparable to planar magnesium layers on glass. We analyze the mechanisms limiting the structure quality and the mechanical properties of the conductor structures.

Biografie
Dr. Michael Hoffmann received his Ph.D. in physics at TU Dresden in 2000. He continued with basic research on optical spectroscopy of organic semiconductors at the Department of Chemistry, Princeton University until 2001 and at Institut für Angewandte Photophysik (IAPP), TU Dresden until 2006. Then, he joined Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, where we worked in the field of organic electronics. Currently, he is senior scientist at Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP in Dresden.

Jérôme GAVILLET
EU programs Manager
CEA

Biography
Dr. Jérôme GAVILLET received his PhD on material physics & surface processing from l’Ecole des Mines de Nancy (F) in 1996. As a researcher, he worked on hydrogen embrittlement of stainless steels for the petrol industry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (B), on zircaloy alloy coatings for the French nuclear industry and on copper interconnects for the semiconductor industry at the University of York (UK). He spent 7 years in microelectronics working as a process engineer for equipment suppliers in Cardiff (UK), Sunnyvale (US) and Grenoble (F). He joined CEA-Liten in 2005 as a project manager in the field of Renewable Energies and Nanomaterials, working on surface energy and thermal management topics. Since 2012, he works as an European program manager, contributing to the management of CEA-Liten’s EU projects portfolio and setting up new business opportunities in the fields of materials, renewable energies, energy efficiency and information & communication technologies. He has authored 10 patents and over 40 publications.

Electrically conductive adhesive attachments in flexible packaging

Laura Frisk
CEO
Trelic Ltd

Abstract
New flexible structures are used increasingly in electronics packaging. A product may be partially flexible, but more and more fully flexible structures are developed. Such structures often differ from traditional electronics structures and different materials are used in them. For example, in flexible electronics various printing techniques are commonly used for conducting structures. Additionally, new low temperature substrate materials are often used. These techniques and materials have many benefits and can be used in many different applications and packages. However, for electrical connections such structures may be challenging. Many new materials and structures used in flexible electronics cause restrictions to the methods and materials which can be used to electrically attach them. For example, soldering cannot be used with many of these materials due to material or temperature restrictions and other attachment techniques are needed. Electrically conductive adhesives (ECA) are very versatile attachment materials and can be used in low temperature applications. They are formed by mixing electrically conductive particles in a polymer binder. In isotropic conductive adhesives (ICA, silver pastes) the concentration of the particles is high and they can be used similarly to solders. In anisotropic conductive adhesives (ACA) the concentration is low and these materials conduct only after the attachment process. ACAs can be used in very high density attachments. In this presentation, the properties and limitations of the ECAs for flexible structures are discussed. Results for several studies, in which ICAs or ACAs have been used to attach flexible structures are given. The main focus of the presentation is on the properties and the attachment processes of both ICAs and ACAs. Furthermore, the presentation concentrates on the reliability of these materials in various demanding use conditions.

Biografie
Laura Frisk received her M.Sc. degree in materials sciences and her Ph.D. degree in electronics from Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Finland, in 2000 and 2007 respectively. In 2013 she was granted Adjunct professorship (TUT) in the field of Reliability issues in electrical engineering. She worked for several years in TUT, Department of Electrical Engineering as the head Reliability Research Group. From 2013 to 2015 she worked as an EU Marie Curie Visiting Research Fellow in Imperial College London (ICL). Dr. Frisk has authored over 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. In 2016 Laura Frisk started as a CEO of TReliC Ltd, a company which offers consultation and solutions for challenging electronics packaging, materials and reliability issues. Trelic (Ltd) is a spin-off company from Tampere University of Technology. Trelic offers services in electronics packaging, materials characterisation and reliability analysis including planning of reliability testing, failure analysis and accelerated life testing. Additionally, the company offers courses in several areas. The company works in many industrial areas including, for example, consumer electronics, industrial electronics, medical electronics and power electronics.

Latest advancements in flexible printed hybrid electronics

Wladimir Punt
Business Development Manager
Molex Deutschland GmbH

Abstract
Flexible electronics have been in market for many years by etched copper circuitry, using polyimide substrates (“copper flex”). Qualified hybrid printed electronics alternatives are already available and offer a new platform for flexible electronic products and sensor systems, based on a polyester substrate, printing of conductive signal traces and the assembly of electronic components; either sheet- or roll-based production. This talk will cover the introduction of the hybrid printed electronics silver flex technology and look forward to other electronic functions and features that can be supported and combined with the silver flex platform, for example: - Very fine line silver printing - Translucent capacitive sensing - Printing NFC features - Printed batteries - Bio- markers and electrodes

Biografie
Wladimir Punt, Business Development Manager With over 20 years’ experience in technical marketing and business development activities for semiconductors, embedded- and sensor systems, Wladimir joined Molex in 2016 as BDM for Printed Circuit Solutions. With an electronics background, he has been involved in multimedia platforms and sensor solutions at multinationals like Philips Semiconductors and Micronas. Wladimir was also active at several start-up companies, concerning reception of digital broadcast signals and energy harvesting solutions for the “internet of things” (IoT). Wladimir is located in Germany and supports the Molex Printed Electronics products.

Optimization of Al-doped ZnO films for flexible TFTs and piezoelectric sensors

Irfan Saadat
Professor Microelectronics
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology

Abstract
In this work, we use of a single material Al doped ZnO system for thin film device and sensor application using its electrical and piezoelectric properties to get the desired functionality of multi-purpose. Including the creation of a DOE to show how Al doped ZnO films conductive and piezoelectric properties can be finely tuned by adjustment of the Al doping levels and growth conditions such as films deposition temperatures, purging cycles, deposition (TMA/DEZ) /purging cycles and even thickness. This us allow for instance to minimize the piezoelectric effect in the flexible TFT channel while maintaining good conductivity or for the sensor where maximizing the effect is required. Fabrication of both test structures to measure and optimize these parameters along with the TFT and the sensor on flexible substrates using common deposition methods with low temperature steps to investigate their mechanical and electrical properties. Development of Al doped ZnO thin films for designing high quality flexible TFTs and piezoelectric sensors. ZnO (especially with Al doping) has a moderately high (very high for a semiconductor) electromechanical coupling coefficients which allowed it to be successfully used in thin film piezoelectric devices an TFT. The ability to make Al doped ZnO versatile for various applications. Especially with the rising interest in the Internet of Things (IOT) applications where flexible TFTs and sensor are now an important area of research.

Biografie
Rizk’s research involves new technologies in memories and sensors which will bring the low-power virtues of Internet of Things (IOT) applications.

Silicon Nanoparticle inks for RF electronic applications

Laura Kühnel
PhD student
University of Duisburg-Essen

Abstract
Today´s printable electronics applications are limited by the electronic performance of available semiconductor functional inks, mainly based on organic or metal oxide semiconductors. While this aspect can be tolerated for DC applications or applications with low switching speeds; high frequency or ultra-high frequency applications, which will play an important role in the future of the internet of things, will require low cost manufacturing, such as printing, and an electronic semiconductor thin film performance going beyond the state of the art. Our approach to address this issue is the use of silicon (Si) made printable. To achieve this, we have developed inks based on Si nanoparticles electrostatically stabilized in organic solvents. The nanoparticle doping type can be freely chosen between n- and p-type, and the doping levels well controlled ranging from intrinsic Si to concentrations of above 1%. To obtain electronic functionality from thin films printed with our inks, a temperature step is required to reduce the number of thin film grain boundaries. For our purposes, the layers are laser treated using a KrF2 excimer laser emitting at 248 nm and with a pulse duration of ca. 7 ns. Here we discuss a self-organized cone shaped Si µ-structure formed by this process, with its growth being controlled by such parameters as laser energy density and nanoparticle thin film thickness. The Si µ-cones are highly crystalline as substantiated using TEM and µ-Raman analysis and allow us to introduce a novel type of Schottky diode, where the cone structure is embedded in a polymer matrix between an ohmic and a rectifying contact. These printed Schottky diodes exhibit true mechanical flexibility and electronic properties at ultra-high frequencies. Potential performance limitations are currently explored using computational electromagnetics full-wave simulations and non-linear RF circuit modeling yielding first estimates for operation frequency cutoffs well above 10 GHz.

Biografie
Laura Kühnel has received her M.Sc. degree in Nanoengineering from the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany) in January 2017, placing an emphasis on Nanoelectronics/Nanooptoelectronics. During her master studies she has spent three months at the Purdue University (USA) working on nanoelectronic modeling. Currently, Laura Kühnel is pursuing her PhD at the Institute of Technology for Nanostructures (NST) at the University of Duisburg-Essen, researching the topic “Silicon µ-cone diodes for RFID applications”.

Andre Zimmermann
Executive Board Member
Hahn-Schickard

Biography
André Zimmermann was born in Schweinfurt, Germany, in 1971. He studied chemistry and crystallography at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg as well as materials science with specialization in mechanical engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt. After several stays in the USA at NIST and University of Washington he received his PhD in 1999 at Technische Universität Darmstadt. He held positions as group manager at the Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart, and as senior manager for electronic packaging within the corporate research and development of Robert Bosch GmbH in Waiblingen. Since January 2015, he is professor for micro technology at the Institute for Micro Integration (IFM) of the University of Stuttgart. Simultaneously, he is the head of the Institute for Micro Assembly Technology at Hahn-Schickard in Stuttgart.

Potentials of System-in-Package Technologies for Future Bosch Products

Martin Giersbeck
Vice President
Robert Bosch GmbH

Abstract
The pace of the increase in transistor counts for one processor unit generally described by Moore’s law holds on until today. However the growing complexity raises challenges on the energy supply, thermal management and reliability of these components. Aspects which are not only influenced by the processor architecture itself but by the technologies dealing with the packaging and the electrical interconnection with further peripheral units as well. Since these technologies do not scale by Moore’s law, they are often described by the term “More than Moore”. In order to address the above challenges System-in-Package (SiP) concepts are being developed integrating several electric components in a single unit. These new approaches help to fabricate compact circuits with enhanced features such as integrated user interfaces, sensors and actuators. Within Corporate Research of Bosch concepts to embed and interconnect various electric components in a flexible circuit carrier have been developed in strong cooperation with European research institutes. Since many processes were already established in the CE field, extensive studies have been performed to investigate the suitability of such integration technologies for the automotive and the industrial sector. The studies have been focusing on reliability issues of the packaging and the electrical interconnections under cyclic thermo-mechanical loading. Besides the integration of conventional electrical components new transducer technologies especially suitable for flexible packaging have been treated as well. Current research activities are focusing on technologies integrating sensor components such as projected capacitive and resistive touch sensors with transparent, electroactive polymer-based haptic transducers in one package together with the display unit.

Biografie
Martin Giersbeck studied Mechanical Engineering at Bochum University and at Aachen Technical University. From 1995 until 1999 he was a scientific research assistant at the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) at Aachen. In 1999 Martin Giersbeck joined Bosch. Entering as a trainee he held several leadership positions at the Bosch subsidiary Blaupunkt at Hildesheim for a period of 10 years. Within the field of navigation systems his scope moved from mechanical design via project management and customer acquisition to a general responsibility for aftermarket products. In 2009 Martin Giersbeck changed position to join Corporate Research and Advance Development of Bosch. Within this organization he has been responsible for Plastics Engineering from April 2010 on. The department used to be located in Waiblingen, but is now part of the Research Campus of Bosch at Renningen.

Flexible sensor systems for real time monitoring of aircraft structure fabrication

Alois Friedberger
Head of Sensor Integration
Airbus

Abstract
Over the last years, more and more metallic structures in airplanes have been replaced by lightweight composite materials, especially CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastics). This leads to weight reduction and hence reduced fuel consumption. Increased aircraft production rates require mature fabrication processes and adequate quality control. Therefore, real-time monitoring of CFRP processes is needed. We will briefly describe the major fabrication methods for composite based aeronautic structures such as liquid resin injection and autoclave curing. A major and critical step is resin curing which takes place e.g. at 180°C for several hours. The most important parameters during curing are temperature distribution, degree of curing and pressure distribution. The respective requirements will be presented. Several parameters need to be monitored at many positions. A single laminate layer is approx. 125 µm thick requiring very thin sensors. During curing, forces are acting which requires sufficient mechanical robustness or flexibility of the sensor. For all these reasons, an approach based on a large-area flexible PCB has been chosen. However, the sensors are not all based on printed electronics technologies. Instead, hybrid integration of standard silicon pressure sensors and SOI-based pressure sensors has been used to obtain high precision and for the sake of rapid prototyping. The results of extensive testing from room temperature up to 180°C and from 1 to 6 bar absolute pressure will be presented. In addition, the sensors have been embedded in a real structure and its fabrication has been monitored in real-time. We will show details of this flexible sensor system operating in the harsh environment.

Biografie
Alois Friedberger gained his PhD in physics on his work about porous silicon and its application to MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems). At Siemens, he worked in the field of microelectronics (CMOS) and surface-micromachining. He worked in the area of micro technologies, microsystems and surface micromachining for 1 ½ years at the Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center (BSAC) at the University of California at Berkeley. After returning to Germany, Alois was doing research on thermal microsensors at the Daimler Research & Technology Center in Munich. He is currently research team leader at Airbus Group Innovations. A major activity is in the development of detection systems and integration of micro technologies, especially sensor integration in composite materials. Alois has approx. 55 journal and conference contributions and approx. 60 patents and filed patents.

A Wearable Platform for Harvesting and Analysing Electrolyte Content in Sweat

Andrew Donohoe
Research, Insight Centre for Data Analytics
Dublin City University

Abstract
The biomedical diagnostics industry is currently evolving from large expensive lab based devices to small portable systems allowing personal sensing and point of care analysis. A key example of this is the integration of miniaturised chemical sensing with wearable technology, which is currently one of the fastest growing sectors in the world ¹. One of the main advantages of wearable chemical sensing is the ability to incorporate non-invasive sensing which uses readily available fluids such as sweat to test for a target analyte instead of traditional methods ². Here we present a fully integrated wearable platform for the detection of sodium and potassium in sweat. The platform accesses sweat emerging through the skin during exercise, which is drawn across the sensors by capillary action to a highly adsorbent material reservoir. The sweat electrolyte composition is monitored via an integrated solid-state ion-selective electrode that tracks concentration in real time. The sensor data is digitised, stored locally, and subsequently transmitted via Bluetooth to a mobile phone or laptop. The platform design has been optimised through several iterations and use of rapid prototyping technologies such as 3D printing. Results obtained during on body trials over a period of controlled exercise are consistent with previously published data³ on the use of wearable sensors for the real-time monitoring of electrolytes levels in sweat. 1. Seshadri, D. R., Drummond, C., Craker, J., Rowbottom, J. R. & Voos, J. E. Wearable Devices for Sports: New Integrated Technologies Allow Coaches, Physicians, and Trainers to Better Understand the Physical Demands of Athletes in Real time. IEEE Pulse 8, 38–43 (2017). 2. Glennon, T. et al. ‘SWEATCH’: A Wearable Platform for Harvesting and Analysing Sweat Sodium Content. Electroanalysis 28, 1283–1289 (2016). 3. Gao, W. et al. Fully integrated wearable sensor arrays for multiplexed in situ perspiration analysis. Nature 529, 509–514 (2016).

Biografie
Adam Porter is a member of the Adaptive Sensors Group at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, Dublin City University. He received his PhD (2015) from Dublin City University and his main research interests include the development of novel electrochemical sensors and biosensors, with particular emphasis on their incorporation into practical technologies.

NFC and printed electronics – a perfect match for flexible NFC sensor tags

Thomas Germann
R&D Project Engineer
Identiv GmbH

Abstract
Recently, more and more NFC tag chips have become available that exhibit functionality beyond pure identification or delivery of NDEF Messages (= NFC Data Exchange Format): Some with integrated sensors, GPIOs or I2C Master capabilities, up to full-blown microcontrollers. Since roll-to-roll NFC tag assembly machines rely on as little components as possible being placed onto flexible substrates, printed electronics is a perfect match in order to enable mass-production of novel NFC sensor tags: Each upwinding and unwinding process bears the risk of disconnecting a rigid discrete component from the flexible substrate, or even of breaking the chip. Therefore it is desirable to have as little machine passes in the assembly machine as possible, which are required for each component – preferably only one, but two at maximum. Especially printed resistors, sensors, batteries and indicator elements help Identiv build solutions based on next generation NFC tags for the logistics, industrial, pharmaceutical and medical area. Identiv has recently built and released the first fully flexible NFC sticker that carries an NFC ASIC chip with an integrated temperature sensor and a datalogging state machine that are connected to a printed battery. Together with an NFC enabled smartphone and a companion app, cold-chain monitoring can effectively be performed without the need to deploy expensive reader-infrastructure in a large scale. An updated version based on an NFC-enabled ARM Cortex M0+ has been launched this year. Another example is a passive sensor tag that communicates by means of an NFC-chip with I2C-Master capability with any kind of I2C-enabled sensor, whereas the pull-up resistors are printed to reduce discrete component count and enable mass production Identiv is taking a leading role in integrating printed electronics into their products, especially concerning upgrading Identiv’s production equipment for manufacturing and at testing every single produced unit.

Biografie
Thomas Germann joined Identiv in 2013 as Development Engineer in the R&D department of Identiv’s RFID transponder & reader business unit. He is mainly responsible for development of novel UHF & HF RFID tags, as well as NFC products with functionality beyond pure identification. Thomas brings a strong background in RFID label and printed electronics product development from his previous work, which enable the product & process development of cutting edge flexible RFID & NFC sensor tags and corresponding systems. Thomas holds a Diploma (M.Sc.) in Engineering Physics from the Technische Universität München (TUM).

Istvan Denes
researcher
Rober Bosch GmbH

Biography
Biography Dr. Istvan Denes (Ph.D.) is a researcher of the Robert Bosch Company, Project manager leading corporate projects on the field of polymer based functional materials. In 2011 – 2015 coordinated the publicly funded project EPoSil on Wave Energy Harvesting by Electroactive Polymers. His research field concerns the technological and economic aspects of polymer based electro-mechanical systems. Istvan Denes got his M.Sc. in mechanical engineering and holding a Ph.D. in power electronics being supervised by the IEEE Fellow Prof. Istvan Nagy. In 2012 he was completing his studies at the Steinbeis Business Academy receiving the MBA title. He has been granted the Scholarship of the Hungarian Republic in 1998 – 2000. He is a member of the European Scientific Network for Artificial Muscles (ESNAM), referee for project proposals of the funding announcement “Innovative Elektrochemie” of the German Ministry of Science (2016) and referee for the IOP Journal “Biofabrication” (2016).

Flexible Components are Setting the Stage for Dramatic New Capabilities and Applications

Michael McCreary
Chief Technology Officer
E Ink Corporation

Abstract
Impressive progress is being made in materials and processes for flexible displays, sensors, power sources, antennas, speakers, and thinning and handling of silicon processing and support chips. In addition to the extensive research and development under way with these, multiple categories of flexible components are already being combined in new commercial launches. Examples of some dramatic new commercial products using using flexible, reflective electrophoretic displays in combination with flexible power sources will be described as well as the outlook for future advances in such technology and applications.

Biografie
Dr. Michael McCreary is responsible for creating a portfolio of advanced technologies at E Ink that will enable new generations of novel display products. McCreary is a 44-year veteran of the imaging industry and previously held a number of leadership positions with Eastman Kodak Company prior to joining E Ink, including serving as the General Manager of the Microelectronics Technology Division, Kodak’s solid-state image sensor business. In addition to his E Ink responsibilities, McCreary currently serves on the SEMI FlexTech Governing Council. McCreary earned a Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with further studies in solid state and device physics at the Rochester Institute of Technology and business at the Wharton School.

Conformable organic LCDs on plastic enabled by high-performance OTFT technology

Mike Banach
Technical Director
FlexEnable

Abstract
Today there is an increased demand for flexible and curved displays for various applications (e.g. automotive, digital signage and consumer electronics) that will offer more design freedom, while enabling new use cases and improving user experience. Although display technology has come a long way in a short time, there is still a major challenge to be solved – the majority of displays today are glass-based which leads to form-factor constraints. Organic electronics will play a pivotal role in enabling flexible displays that break form factor constraints of glass and unlock new product applications and use cases. In particular, organic LCD (OLCD) technology opens a new avenue for LCD – it enables glass-free, conformable, high performance displays, combined with a low manufacturing cost that is driven directly by the uniquely low temperature process (sub 100ᵒC) afforded by OTFT. This low cost process has been demonstrated on commodity plastics which have been integrated into highly functional plastic LCD modules. The process has been designed so it can be easily transferred into existing display factories providing a quick route to high production capacity and yields. The organic transistors used are capable of driving full colour displays and operating at video rate. Performance is critical for the success of any display technology. A series of technological advances have led to TFT performance that is superior to amorphous silicon. For example, in terms of mobility, manufacturable OTFTs are now at least three times better than amorphous silicon, whilst having leakage currents nearly 1000X lower – both of which bring direct performance benefits to the display electro-optical performance alongside the benefits of flexibility. The presentation will describe the attributes of OTFT-based LCD technology, its readiness and scalability for mass-production and the value it brings to specific applications and markets.

Biografie
Mike Banach is the Technical Director at FlexEnable. He started his career as a researcher in flexible electronics at the Air Force Research Laboratories at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in USA. He initially joined Plastic Logic in 2003 and played an instrumental role in developing and industrialising its proprietary flexible electronic technology. At FlexEnable Mike and his team have delivered breakthrough technology developments with organic transistors including flexible displays (OLED and OLCD) and sensor arrays. He holds a doctorate degree from the University of Cambridge and a BA from the University of Cincinnati.

Flexible Energy Storage: Factors affecting the flexibility of a battery

Pritesh Hiralal
CEO
Zinergy UK Ltd.

Abstract
Flexible electronics requires flexible energy to power it. A growing number of applications such as medical devices, logistics, wearables and smart cards require a suitable energy source. However, there is no standard forms or sizes for flexible batteries, as there are in the bulk counterparts, and requirements for both electrical and mechanical characteristics vary significantly from application to application. Printing batteries naturally allows for this flexibility and we will share some of the experience and possibilities from our developments so far. For instance, flexibility requirements of vary with applications and we show how mechanical flexibility can be tuned with parameters such as formulation and layer thickness. This has resulted in what we believe to be the thinnest printed battery. Examples of integration with other devices will also be shown.

Biografie
Dr. Pritesh Hiralal, CEO/CTO, studied Physics and completed his Ph.D. in Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He has spent time in business in Spain and set up Casa Hiralal S.L. and Zendal Backup. He has spent time in industry at the Nokia Research Centre working on high power energy storage, and has published 30+ papers and 8 patents in the field. He has consulted for materials as well as energy storage device companies. He spent time as a Research Associate as well as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Cambridge and is now a founder and CEO at Zinergy.

Magnetic functionalities for flexible interactive electronics

Denys Makarov
Head of research group
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V.

Abstract
The flourishing and eagerness of portable consumer electronics necessitates functional elements to be lightweight, flexible, and even wearable. Next generation flexible appliances aim to become fully autonomous and will require ultra-thin and flexible navigation modules, body tracking and relative position monitoring systems. Such devices fulfill the needs of soft robotics, functional medical implants as well as on-skin electronics. Key building blocks of navigation and position tracking devices are the magnetic field sensors. We developed the technology platform allowing us to fabricate high-performance shapeable, namely, flexible, printable, stretchable and even imperceptible magnetic sensorics [1]. The technology relies on smart combination of thin inorganic functional elements prepared directly on flexible or elastomeric supports. The unique mechanical properties open up new application potentials for smart skins and wearables, allowing to equip the recipient with a “sixth sense” providing new experiences in sensing and manipulating the objects of the surrounding us physical as well as digital world. Combining large-area printable and flexible electronics paves the way towards commercializing the active intelligent packaging, post cards, books or promotional materials that communicate with the environment and provide the respond to the customer. For this concept, we fabricated high performance magnetic field sensors relying on the giant magnetoresistive (GMR) effect, which are printed at pre-defined locations on flexible circuitry and remain fully operational over a temperature range from -10°C up to +95°C, well beyond the requirements for consumer electronics. Our work potentially enables commercial use of high performance magneto-sensitive elements in conventional printable electronic industry, which, although highly demanded, had not yet been possible. [1] D. Makarov et al., Shapeable magnetoelectronics, Appl. Phys. Rev. (Focused Review) 3, 011101 (2016).

Biografie
Denys Makarov is head of the research group “Intelligent materials and devices” at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Germany. His work is influential for the topic of magnetism in curved geometries and opened up new research field of spintronics on flexible, bendable and stretchable surfaces enabling the magnetic field sensorics to be reshaped on demand after its fabrication. These so-called shapeable (flexible, printable and stretchable) magnetoelectronics have great potential for eMobility applications and in medicine. These activities are supported by major projects, such as ERC, ERC Proof of Concept and EU FP7-ICT FET Young Explorers Grants. Denys is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

Perovskite-based Solar Cells Towards Large & Flexible devices

Solenn Berson
Head of laboratory of organic photovoltaic modules
CEA

Abstract
Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) have recently emerged as one of today's most promising upcoming photovoltaic technology. Thanks to a unique combination of attractive features (high efficiency, low-cost, tunable bandgap, etc.) and their potential ease of processing, PSCs have drawn a tremendous research interest over the last few years. Record efficiency has then been quickly increasing and performances over 22% are now achieved. Yet, a number of challenges are still to be met to ensure a bright industrial future for PSCs. While few groups have been able to demonstrate large scale PSCs most of the worldwide current research is indeed focusing on small area lab-scale devices (ca 10 mm² or below). These latter are to a very large extent built on glass using spin-coating as the main fabrication method. No matter how promising their efficiency is, these devices are of course very far from any practical application. We here present the current developments of glass and foiled-based perovskite devices with respective power conversion efficiency of up to 18% on glass and 9% on PET foils. The effect of materials’ nature and processing is first investigated and related to devices’ characteristics. Special emphasis is put on planar low temperature processes (below 150°C) that allow for processing on virtually any kind of substrate especially plastic ones. Some of the issues that have to be overcome when increasing device active area and moving from single cells to serially connected modules are then discussed. Efficiency trend from 13 mm² up to more than 10 cm² is finally presented.

Biografie
Dr Solenn Berson (F) graduated from CPE Lyon, France (Lyon school of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics) with a master degree in Polymer Materials and Composites in 2004. She got her PhD degree in organic photovoltaic field at the Laboratory of Molecular, Organic and Hybrid Electronics, CEA Grenoble, France. After an industrial postdoctoral fellowship at the LIPHT in Strasbourg, she joined the Organic Photovoltaic group, CEA, INES, Le Bourget du Lac, France in 2008 as a postdoctoral researcher and since 2010 as a project manager for architectures and processes of organic/hybrid photovoltaic devices. Since 2013 she is managing the OPV group and since 2014, she is the Head of the Organic Photovoltaic Modules Laboratory.

Roll-to-roll printed thermal Energy Harvester: A autonomous energy source for IoT

Frederick Lessmann
CEO
otego GmbH

Abstract
Heat is everywhere – in many cases more than actually needed. otego develops innovative thermoelectric generators (TEG) that convert heat directly into electric power as soon as there is a condition of differences in temperature. As an independent energy supply for the Internet of Things otego’s TEGs work completely maintenance-free and can use even small differences in temperature. otego managed to bring together low-cost materials and industrial production methods for the first time. The cost advantage will enable otego to be the first manufacturer to produce TEGs suitable for broad mass applications. It is otego’s goal that future wireless sensors and IoT-devices such as smart home heating valves are operating energy self-sufficient. In many connected devices inconvenient battery changes will be a thing of the past. outstanding properties Conventional TEG are very expensive and therefore uncompetitive due to rare as well as toxic materials and complex production processes. The otego-technology makes use of inexpensive printable semiconductors (e.g. electrically conductive polymers) and processes them in large scale industrial production machines (roll-to-roll printing machines). This combination leads to a competitive price of TEGs for the first time. Variable There have never been as flexible and as all-round TEGs then otego’s. They can even be mounted on round surfaces like pipes! This is a handy feature since pipes are often an ideal heatsource. Non-toxic otego is convinced that heavy metals like lead and tellurium have no place in consumer or professional electronics. Therefore otego-TEGs are only made of nontoxic materials, that allow for an eco-friendly disposal. Flexible Vibration and shocks are unable to harm otego-TEGs. The TEGs are made of elastic materials and therefore meet the requirements for rough industrial environments.

Biografie
Frederick Lessmann is Co-Founder and CEO of otego. He and his team is pushing the boundaries of printed electronics and developed a completely new approach to make thermoelectric energy harvesting competitive. Prior to founding otego, Frederick was management consultant at a spin-off firm from AT Kearney and he held positions at Siemens and Fraunhofer. He holds an academic degree in industrial engineering and management from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) and McGill University (Canada).

Transparent and flexible moisture barriers as application driven manufacturing approaches

Luca Gautero
Senior Process Engineer
Meyer Burger (Netherlands) B.V.

Abstract
Marketability of wearable displays benefits from high throughput manufacturing of thin film moisture barriers. These are stacks of PECVD or spatial-ALD inorganics, and jettable or dispensable organics. Transparent and flexible barriers with low WVTR are manufactured strictly below 80ºC. we present production on R2R and S2S throughput above several square meter/hour. Handheld and wearable devices, developed in the last years have lowered the bar of accessibility to information and communication technology in many countries. Improvements of their functionality can therefore increase the wellbeing of a growing, connected, social network. These devices can benefit from lightweight and power-wise OLED displays and thin film batteries. These technologies are enabled by thin film barriers, also known as thin film encapsulation (TFE). Following its mission and technological competence, Meyer Burger B.V. has developed both sheet to sheet (S2S) and roll to roll (R2R) clusters for the fabrication of TFE as stacks of inorganic and organic layers. The individual equipment tool have a well installed base within institutes and industry (ie photovoltaic, display, plastic electronics and PCB applications). Inorganic thin film deposition and organic layer coating are therefore combined into single, fully automated, cluster tools with industrial manufacturing capabilities. Inorganic and organic layers, produced by our equipment have been studied to report the most salient properties for TFE applications. The overall TFE, created by stacking these inorganic layers will benefit from a moisture penetration lag time given by the tortuous path. During sampling activities, the results above have been confirmed by successful TFE applied to OLED displays and thin film batteries.

Biografie
Dr. L. Gautero has experience in thin film encapsulation technology as an innovation maker. This resulted in several publications and conference presentations. His academic path features a PhD degree in energy-related discipline obtained from EPFL, a leading education institution, in 2010 and a more recent graduation from the Executive Master in Energy Management at ESCP in 2015.

Polyester Films for the Next Generation of Flexible Electronics

Bill MacDonald
Business Research Associate
DuPont Teijin Films

Abstract
DuPont Teijin Films (DTF) is recognised as the technology leader in flexible substrates for flexible electronics and PV and DTF continues to work with the community to tailor films to meet cost and performance targets. Substrates are unfortunately often taken for granted by the community, yet considerable time and effort can be lost if the wrong substrate is worked on. It is essential to choose the appropriate and most cost effective substrate for a given application. This becomes even more important as this industry moves from demonstrators to commercialisation. It is clear from the feedback we receive when DTF presents that this message is not always understood, especially as new companies emerge onto the scene. The message needs to be continually repeated. This presentation will update the audience with the latest polyester film developments for flexible electronics, including: (i) Themoformable films for in mould electronics offering deep draw coupled with the inherent PET durability properties and the ability to cure conductive inks at higher temperatures (ii) Clear flame retardant films with UL94 VTM0 performance (iii) Ultra clean, cost effective substrates for barrier films; (iv) A new generation of heat stabilised UV stabilised films for frontsheets for flexible PV (v) Super clear, low haze, low iridescence films for Touch Sensors;

Biografie
Bill MacDonald graduated B.Sc and Ph.D in chemistry from the University of St Andrew. He is a Business Research Associate in DuPont Teijin Films (DTF), a 50:50 joint venture between DuPont and Teijin. He is currently actively involved in developing substrates for flexible electronic and PV applications and in understanding the material requirements required for these emerging industries. He has coauthored over 40 papers, several book chapters and regularly presents on the flexible electronic and PV conference “circuit”. He is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde.

Christof Landesberger
Group manager
Fraunhofer EMFT

Biography
Christof Landesberger received the diploma degree in physics from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. He joined Fraunhofer Institute in Munich in 1990 and is now heading the research group “Thin Silicon” within the department “Flexible Systems” at Fraunhofer EMFT. He has been working in the field of ultra-thin silicon since more than 15 years and prepared more than 20 patent applications in the field of handling and processing techniques for ultra-thin semiconductors. His current research topics are focusing on packaging technologies for ultra-thin semiconductor devices, including self-assembly and flexible chip foil packages. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization. With 24,000 staff and over 60 institutes throughout Germany as well as numerous international research centres and liaison offices in Europe, the USA and Asia, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has an established reputation for excellence at the front rank of applied research and development. All institutes perform contract research and development for industry and public authorities. Fraunhofer Research Institute for Microsystems and Solid State Technologies (EMFT) in Munich is active in the area of microelectronics and microsystems engineering. In the field of flexible electronic systems and related processing and manufacturing processes it focus on advanced techniques for wafer thinning, various carrier techniques for thin wafer handling, 3D-intgeration and thin die assembly. Furthermore, EMFT research is on foil-to-foil and chip-to-foil integration, roll to roll processing, ultra-thin chip interconnection as well as on testing and reliability analysis. Fraunhofer EMFT is equipped with state of the art machinery for wafer processing, micro-fabrication and characterization of electronics on both wafer substrates and plastic film substrates.

DPSS Laser Debonding for Thin Wafer Handling

Thomas Uhrmann
Business Development Director
EV Group (EVG)

Abstract
Thin and flexible wafers are often a challenge to process on standard semiconductor equipment; therefore temporary bonding for mechanical support is used and already well established for various applications. Especially UV laser debonding offers process characteristics like high throughput and debonding at room temperature, combined with the availability of high temperature stable materials. Solid state lasers provide several advantages in regards of maintenance and consumables costs and are therefore a reasonable choice for laser debonding. In this paper we will identify and examine critical process parameters for successful laser debonding with a solid state laser with a beam shaping optics for good process control. A successful debond is characterized by delamination between carrier wafer and device wafer with lack of carbonization, therefore the degree of carbonization is evaluated in dependence of the specific process parameters like radiant exposure and beam overlap. Different material systems from different suppliers are evaluated as the value of the parameters vary depending on the used system. The impact of each parameter is analysed during this study.

Biografie
Dr. Thomas Uhrmann is director of business development at EV Group (EVG) where he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of EVG’s worldwide business development. Specifically, he is focused on 3D integration, MEMS, LEDs and a number of emerging markets. Prior to this role, Uhrmann was business development manager for 3D and Advanced Packaging as well as Compound Semiconductors and Si-based Power Devices at EV Group. He holds an engineering degree in mechatronics from the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg and a PhD in semiconductor physics from Vienna University of Technology.

Plasma Dicing 4 Thin Wafers

Reinhard Windemuth
Sales Director Microelectronics Europe
Panasonic Automotive & Industrial Sales Europe GmbH

Abstract
Abstract: “Plasma Dicing 4 Thin Wafers” Recently many issues came up when using conventional dicing methods. Such conventional methods are mechanical sawing (blade dicing) or laser dicing or stealth dicing. Relevant applications are thin wafers, brittle materials and wafer singulation for very small devices or LED or discretes. Plasma dicing is a recommended method to overcome many challenges of wafer separation. Damage free, water free, particle free and high throughput dicing can be realized by using plasma trench etch (dry etch) technology for dicing. Several technical and equipment aspects will be presented and discussed accordingly. Plasma dicing technology can provide solutions for high rate dicing, beautiful chip shape without any chipping and high bonding strength. Cost aspects: The throughput of a plasma chamber depends mainly on wafer thickness and is quite independent from wafer size or chip size. By using plasma for dicing the throughput can achieve more than 4 or 5 wafers per hour. Such cannot be achieved by any line-by-line dicing method as long as small chips are required. Significant cost savings can be expected. Advantages of plasma dicing are described in detail such as a. Damage Free / Chipping Free. b. Increase quantity of chips per wafer c. Water Free process d. Flexible Chip Shape e. Etching speed and characterisation f. Total Dicing Process Flow New materials for semiconductor devices are recently coming up on the market. Such as SiC base material and GaN-on-Silicon for power devices and discretes. Future challenges such as SiC dicing or GaN-on-Silicon dicing will be discussed. Typical topics on Plasma Dicing equipment are explained

Biografie
Degree of Diplom-Ingenieur in Process Engineering on Technical University in Munich / Germany in 1988. Since then Project Management & Sales for different kinds of Industy, mainly in chemical Industry. Since 1998 Sales & Project management in Microelectronics & Semiconductor Industry for F&K Delvotec, Wirebonding and Diebonding Technology. Profund experience in handling packaging projects in both Semiconductor and Device-Manufacturing Industry. Since 2006 Sales Director for Microelectronics Equipment at Panasonic Factory Solutions Europe (PFSE). Main target is to establish new PFSE business fields in the Backend and Frontend Industry in Europe: Dieattach, Flipchip, Plasma Cleaning and Plasma Etch Technolgies.

Solutions for thin and tiny dies with high die strength and for thinning WLCSP and eWLB wafers

Chirstoph Epple
Sales Engineer
DISCO HI-TEC Europe GmbH

Abstract
DISCO Corporation is a leading manufacturer for equipment and tools for wafer thinning and dicing. “Bringing science to comfortable living by Kiru (Dicing), Kezuru (Grinding) and Migaku (Polishing)” is DISCO’s mission. This way DISCO provides total solutions to meet the more and more demanding requirements of the Semiconductor industry in terms of manufacturing thin dies with high die-strength and several new approaches for advanced packaging. Discrete devices and RFID dies, universally used in smartphones and mobile devices, tend to have narrow street widths (cut margins), partially covered with low-k and ultra low-k layers, in order to maximize the number of dies formed on the wafer. Furthermore, mobile and IoT consumer products incorporate an ever-increasing number of such circuit components. With low-k and ultra low-k layers on top singulation processes become very challenging. In addition a part of these applications require the use of DAF-layers on the backside of the dies. In order to fulfil all these requirements, DISCO proposes several solutions, also focusing on avoidance of side wall cracks and interfacial layer damages, such as Dicing before grinding, Stealth dicing, Reverse Dicing before grinding and Plasma dicing, combined with Ablation laser grooving by ns- or ps-laser technology. WLCSP and eWLB applications face big issues in wafer thinning, because the wafers, due to consisting of resin mold and Silicon dies and having high bumps on the front side, tend to easily break when thickness becomes lower than the bump height. Nevertheless such low thickness is required due to increasing bump thickness. DISCO offers a unique technology to grind wafers with 200 µm high bumps down to 50 µm wafer thickness. DISCO Hi-Tec Europe GmbH, having its facilities close to Munich airport, offers certified Dicing and Grinding Production Services, so that customers can utilize most of afore mentioned Disco technologies in production, even without investing into DISCO equipment.

Biografie
Christoph Epple is working as Sales Engineer for DISCO HI-TEC EUROPE GmbH since June 2013. He received his Master’s degree in Engineering and Management from University of Applied Sciences in Munich in March 2013.