In the technology landscape, chip packaging is a critical process. If the chip is the “heart” of electronic devices, then packaging provides its protective armor. Packaging safeguards the chip’s circuitry and enables efficient connections to external components. From smart devices to high-tech applications, chip packaging is essential everywhere.
Han’s Laser is dedicated to advancing chip packaging technologies and has developed a 0.1mm high-precision tin ball soldering process to meet the stringent requirements of chip soldering, boosting chip performance. Let’s explore how chip packaging empowers technological advancement and why it plays such a vital role in the industry.
What is Chip Packaging?
Chip packaging involves assembling chips and components onto a carrier substrate, creating electrical connections and encasing them to form a complete, functional unit.
The Role of Chip Packaging
Chip Protection: Packaging fixes and seals the chip, shielding it from external damage.
Performance Enhancement: Packaging improves the chip’s electrical and thermal performance, ensuring circuit stability.
Connectivity: Packaging bridges the internal chip circuitry with external connections, facilitating integration with other devices.
Chip Packaging Process
The chip packaging process has two stages: front-end and back-end. The front-end connects the chip with the lead frame or substrate, completing internal assembly, while the back-end covers external treatments and final testing. As a critical step in semiconductor manufacturing, packaging ensures chip performance, reliability, and longevity.
Chip Packaging Techniques
In chip packaging, two primary forms of bare chip packaging are commonly used: Chip-on-Board (COB) and Flip Chip.
Chip-on-Board (COB): A basic bare-chip mounting method with relatively low packaging density.
Flip Chip: Also known as bump bonding, Flip Chip is an advanced packaging method that uses tin balls to form electrical and mechanical connections between the chip and circuit.
Key Steps in Flip Chip Packaging
Wafer Preparation: Circuitry is etched on the wafer, ensuring cleanliness and proper humidity.
Chip Metallization: Tin balls are deposited onto the I/O pads.
Wafer Dicing: The wafer is cut into individual chips.
Chip Flip and Placement: The chip is flipped so the solder balls face the external circuit connections and aligned on the substrate.
Tin Ball Soldering: The tin balls are heated with a laser until molten, then directed onto the soldering area using inert gas, where they cool rapidly to form reliable solder joints.
Underfill: A special material is added under the chip to enhance mechanical strength and thermal stability.
Testing and Dicing: Chips undergo functional testing, and successfully packaged chips are separated from the wafer.
With advantages like enhanced performance, miniaturization, and improved electrical characteristics, Flip Chip packaging has become a staple in the semiconductor industry.
Han’s Laser Tin Ball Soldering Technology
Han’s Laser offers high-precision tin ball soldering technology featuring rapid ball placement at up to five balls per second and tin ball diameters as small as 0.1mm (100μm). This capability is ideal for modular electronic devices and complex circuit substrates, enabling fast and precise soldering.
Advantages of Laser Tin Ball Soldering
Core Benefits
Non-Contact Soldering: Prevents mechanical damage, protecting components during soldering.
High-Precision Control: Advanced ball control systems enhance placement precision.
Low Thermal Impact: Localized heating reduces heat spread to surrounding components.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces material costs by minimizing frequent consumable changes.
Enhanced Safety: Reduces harmful emissions, controls soldering temperature, and minimizes hazardous byproducts.
Additional Benefits
Rapid Heating and Droplet Formation: High-energy laser beams enable quick heating, rapidly melting tin balls to complete the soldering process and boost production efficiency.
No Solder Splatter: Reduces splatter, keeping the work area clean and ensuring product reliability.
No Flux or Pollution: Eliminates flux residue, extending the life and stability of electronic devices.
Selectable Tin Ball Sizes: Accommodates various solder joint sizes, offering flexible soldering solutions.
Consistent Solder Quality: Precise control ensures uniform solder quality, reducing defects.
High-Volume Production: Paired with CCD positioning, this technology supports high-volume production with improved efficiency and consistency.
Han’s Laser Tin Ball Soldering Products
Single-Station Tin Ball Laser Soldering Machine
This system’s compact, integrated design offers high-speed, stable ball placement, ideal for flexible production and experimental testing. It is primarily used in the 3C electronics sector, particularly in wearable devices such as TWS earbuds, smartwatches, VCM, CCM, and BGA chip packaging.
Dual-Station Tin Ball Laser Soldering Machine
Featuring a fiber laser integrated with a control system, this setup combines ball placement and laser soldering functions. A dual gantry system enables synchronized loading, unloading, positioning, and soldering, significantly enhancing production efficiency. This system is well-suited for 3C electronics, including camera modules, VCM modules, contact brackets, and magnetic head soldering for small precision components.
Conclusion
In today’s rapidly advancing semiconductor landscape, precision and reliability in chip packaging are crucial. Han’s Laser’s 0.1mm high-precision tin ball soldering technology meets these demands with non-contact, high-speed, and adaptable solutions that ensure consistent quality. By minimizing thermal impact, avoiding mechanical stress, and supporting large-scale production, this technology empowers manufacturers to meet stringent standards in performance and durability. As electronics continue to evolve, Han’s Laser’s innovations in tin ball soldering are set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of high-performance, miniaturized chip packaging.
