Invenios slashes micro-technology packaging costs and time-to-market with 3D Direct Write etching technology

SANTA BARBARA, USA: “High precision or low cost?” Until now, that has been the difficult choice facing the OEM executives, designers and system integrators of micro-technology components.

Traditional high-quality etching techniques such as DRIE (Deep reactive-ion etching) are costly with long lead times involving expensive tooling and processes. In addition, because of the high tooling expense during the prototyping process, budget overruns are common and time-to-market is often delayed by design changes.

Invenios’ proprietary and environmentally friendly 3D Direct Write laser patterning microchip manufacturing technology is a significant departure from the traditional DRIE etching techniques in both precision and expense. At a fraction of the cost of other processes, and of specific interest to biochip buyers, their new microchip manufacturing technology is capable of producing high angle walls on channels with sub 3-degree wall angularity (on a vertical plane) and port etching greater than 100 microns deep.

Invenios’ true 3D Direct Write process naturally integrates optical, mechatronic and housing functionality into the substrates. The new manufacturing process eliminates costly and time consuming mask generation, wafer processing and assembly process development. As a result, the prototype delivery cycle and high volume production run is compressed from months to days.

The company, with locations in the USA and Europe, has built state-of-the-art laser machining foundries dedicated to true 3D microfabrication of glass-ceramic structures. Eliminating all mechanical tooling, their Direct Write laser etching technology leverages the unique properties of optical quality Foturan photo-structurable glass with the benefits of low-cost production.

Additionally, prototyping costs are minimized since design modifications can be immediately executed on the structure bypassing both the cost and time of creating a new mask.

Raymond Karam, president and CEO, said: "At Invenios, our mission is simple. We are driving down the cost of high-precision micro-manufacturing by lowering the cost-of-packaging for 3D micro-fabrication.” He added, “We have created a paradigm shift towards rapid production of integrated solutions for a broad range of applications including micro-replication, micro-robotics, MOEMS and microfluidics."