IMT adds sixth bond option to its arsenal of hermetic wafer level packaging

SANTA BARBARA, USA: IMT, a pioneer in the development and implementation of wafer level packaging, introduced its hermetic gold-to-gold (Au-Au) thermo compression bonding today. In development for nearly a year, this bond is being actively used in production, and it represents one of the lowest cost methods of achieving a hermetic wafer level package (WLP) bond available in the market.

In addition to the Au-Au thermo compression and the other bond technologies supported, IMT’s flagship remains its proprietary low-temperature hermetic eutectic bond. With sealing temperatures below 190oC and support for reflow temperatures of more than 500oC, this bond is ideal for temperature-sensitive sensors or electronics that require a hermetic package. The bond line width is controlled at less than 50 microns maximizing space for application functionality while keeping the package small and product costs lower.

“Packaging is now the critical element involved in reaching the level of integration being demanded, and to match customers’ volume and specifications requirements,” according to Dr. Eric Mounier at Yole Développement. “For example, new approaches in low temperature wafer bonding could change the way MEMS are currently produced.”

“We introduced WLP into our first production product in 2002 and now see more than 80% of our total business making use of wafer level packaging,” said John Foster, IMT’s Chairman and CEO. “We have developed multiple options that cover nearly all packaging scenarios our customers have. Since price sensitivity is always near the top of our customers’ concerns, we have bond technologies that can address that at multiple levels.”