Inseto supplies STFC with a semi-automated mask aligner

STFC’s investment in the mask aligner was made for two reasons. Firstly, it is being used by STFC’s Interconnect Group, which designs and manufactures advanced packaging solutions for semiconductor die needed for scientific instruments. The MA8Gen4Pro will soon be used for the placement of millions of 20μ diameter bumps on a 50μ pitch onto a wafer containing more than 100 die; with each die set to measure just 196mm² and to 65,000 bumps.

Secondly, the MA8Gen4Pro has become the latest piece of equipment STFC’s Innovations Technology Access Centre (I-TAC) makes available to start-ups under an innovative service to incubate SMEs. I-TAC has nearly 100 companies and groups leasing their facilities for projects ranging from sensors for gas turbines, lab on chip and devices for head-up displays.

Matt Brown, Director of Inseto, concluded: “We’re delighted that the SUSS MicroTek equipment is playing a vital role in the manufacture of the chips for the STFC’s particle physics experiments and that I-TAC’s customers will have access to the latest generation aligner for their development and manufacturing purposes.”