The semiconductor industry is vital in our modern lives, providing us with the technology that powers our computers, cell phones, and more. Behind the scenes, NSW Automation plays a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless operation of these tiny yet powerful chips, known as semiconductors, which are used in a wide range of products, from smartphones to medical equipment. NSW Automation specializes in precision fluid dispensing systems tailored to the microelectronics and semiconductor industries, making it a crucial player in this high-tech field.

Understanding Microdispensing

Microdispensing might sound complicated, but it’s like carefully putting tiny drops of liquid onto semiconductor chips before they’re finished. Imagine it as putting together a small jigsaw puzzle. This precise process is essential to make sure semiconductors work perfectly.

Companies like NSW Automation are experts at this. They specialize in making sure these microscopic drops of liquid land exactly where they should on the chips and wafers.

In simple terms, microdispensing, with the help of NSW Automation, is like the glue that holds the pieces of a semiconductor chip together with material such as conductive or non-conductive fluid. It ensures that everything inside the chip can work together smoothly. Without this careful work, the heart of semiconductor manufacturing wouldn’t function as it should, and our modern gadgets wouldn’t be possible.

Let’s delve deeper into why microdispensing is so crucial in the semiconductor and electronics industry.

Extreme precision

In the world of technology, making things smaller and more powerful is the name of the game. Microdispensing helps by putting tiny drops of liquid on chips with incredible accuracy. We’re talking droplets a few times thinner than a human hair. This precision is a must because it helps us build smaller yet more powerful devices. Imagine building a tiny city, where every building must fit perfectly into its spot, or else the whole city won’t work. That’s where microdispensing comes in.

Rework process in quality control

Imagine if your smartphone stopped working because it was poorly manufactured. The issue might be something tiny happening within the microchips. Detecting and fixing such small problems manually can be nearly impossible. However, microdispensing machines can apply liquid and simultaneously check if everything is in order. If manufacturing flaws are found, rework can be performed during chip manufacturing via dispensing machines. This automated quality control results in fewer mistakes and better, more reliable products.

Reaching tight areas of chips

Microdispensing machines can reach even the trickiest spots on chips. It can dispense fluid into spaces between targeted gaps, uneven surfaces, cavity, and even tiny deep holes for complicated applications such as 3D-SIP. 

This capability applies fluids in a three-dimensional space, ensuring that every component, no matter how intricately placed, is dispensed precisely as needed. This capability represents a monumental leap forward in manufacturing technology, allowing for the creation of highly sophisticated electronic devices. In the world of electronics, where every millimeter space counts, microdispensing becomes a crucial tool to use that space efficiently. 

Solder paste micro-dispensing

In semiconductor manufacturing, a conductive material – solder paste – is crucial for securely bonding small components. While stencil solder is a common method for applying solder paste, it can pose challenges when dealing with exceedingly tiny components. Solder paste micro-dispensing addresses this issue by precisely depositing the requisite amount of solder paste exactly where it’s needed. This ensures that even the tiniest electronic components are securely connected at every solder point.

Underfilling – enhancing chip durability

When you look closely at a semiconductor chip sitting on a circuit board, you’ll notice a tiny gap between the chip and the board. This gap might seem insignificant, but it’s a crucial area that needs special attention. It’s here that underfilling comes into play, and it’s a bit like giving your chip a safety net.

This gap can be a problem because chips and boards expand and contract as they heat up and cool down. This constant movement can create stress and even tiny cracks, which are bad news for the chip’s health. Think of it like a bridge with gaps – if there are holes in the bridge, it becomes weaker.

Micro-dam as light barrier

Layers of highly viscous liquid are stacked into layers to form a microstructure reminiscent of dam-like barriers, effectively constraining the passage of light. These microscopic barriers within photonics devices give precise control over how light moves in these devices. It’s a game-changer for optical communication, sensors, and imaging systems. 

Protecting chips

Microdispensing also plays a crucial role in protecting semiconductor chips from moisture and physical damage. This protection is especially important when chips are exposed to the environment, such as when they’re stored inside electronic devices or positioned near electrical sources. Proper epoxy coating through microdispensing helps make electronic devices longer lasting and prevents unnecessary electronic waste.

Adhesive application: ensuring structural integrity

In semiconductor manufacturing, chips consist of multiple components, including the silicon die, wire bonds, and various passive components. These components must be securely bonded together to ensure the structural integrity and functionality of the chip. Microdispensing plays a pivotal role in this process by precisely applying adhesives at critical bonding points to glue these parts together.

The adhesive material used in semiconductor assembly is chosen for its high strength and reliability. Through microdispensing, this adhesive can be accurately placed in tiny, specific areas, ensuring that all components are firmly bonded together. Unlike solder paste, adhesive is usually non-conductive and is not used for conducting electricity.

High-end applications

Microdispensing’s significance extends beyond everyday consumer gadgets. It plays a critical role in the manufacturing of advanced technology and sensitive products, such as military devices, satellites, aerospace sensors, telecommunication modules, biotech devices, and medical laboratory equipment. These high-tech applications demand the same level of precision and reliability as consumer electronics, if not more.

Core process of chip manufacturing

Microdispensing serves as the backbone of chip manufacturing. Without it, precision manufacturing tasks, such as micron-level soldering, cavity filling, material deposition, protective coating application, and LED encapsulation, would be virtually impossible. In essence, microdispensing is at the core of creating the building blocks of modern digital information and devices.

How Microdispensing Can Help Solve Challenges in Chip Manufacturing

Semiconductor manufacturing faces significant challenges due to the ever-increasing demand for smaller, faster, and more powerful electronic devices. These challenges have grown more complex as technology advances.

One of the primary challenges is achieving unprecedented levels of precision. Semiconductor components have become so tiny that they are measured in nanometers, and even the slightest deviation from their precise specifications can lead to catastrophic failures. Traditional manufacturing methods often struggle to meet these extremely tight tolerances. NSW Automation’s microdispensing solutions have emerged as a valuable solution to address this precision requirement effectively.

Take stencil solder as an example, microdispensing technology outshines it in chip manufacturing. It solves the stencil solder issue, by providing heterogeneous chip manufacturing solutions, it can dispense continually as accurately as 5 to 10µm (depending on material properties). In addition, it can draw tiny repeatable dispensing dots and lines of 80µm. This is something that surpasses the capability of a stencil solder system. This is a much bigger possibility to be used in miniaturization or high-end applications. Despite stencil printing’s lower initial equipment costs, microdispensing offers long-term savings due to reduced waste and upkeep. It also minimizes rework and can maintain consistent material viscosity.

Semiconductor and chip manufacturers contend with the demands of highly detailed and exceptionally miniaturized chip designs. The complexity of modern electronic devices necessitates semiconductor components that are not only smaller but also densely packed with advanced heterogeneous design.

Furthermore, environmental concerns have gained prominence in semiconductor manufacturing. The materials used in chip fabrication must align with sustainability goals and minimize the industry’s environmental impact. Many traditional manufacturing methods fall short in this regard. Despite this, NSW Automation’s equipment are always ready to adapt to these material changes and are future proof for advanced microdispensing application.

In essence, the challenges confronting semiconductor manufacturing are formidable but not insurmountable. NSW Automation’s microdispensing solutions play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by providing the precision, accessibility, and sustainability required to propel the semiconductor industry toward a future characterized by smaller, more powerful, and environmentally responsible electronic devices.

Conclusion

Microdispensing, including solder paste micro-dispensing, is a game-changer in the semiconductor and electronics industry. It ensures that our gadgets are not only smaller and more powerful but also more reliable. Whether it’s the precise placement of liquid on chips, protecting them from environmental factors, or contributing to advanced technology, microdispensing plays a vital role.  Deeper insights into microdispensing equipment and solutions, can be found at the NSW Automation website, a company standing at the forefront of microdispensing innovations. 

About The Article:

NSW Automation provided the contents of the article. The company, headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, is a global leader in precision liquid dispensing systems for the microelectronics and semiconductor industries with a diverse clientele. The company provides solder paste micro-dispensing solutions to achieve tiny, dispensed dots or lines sizes from as small as 80μm. 

Microdispensing solution has huge demand in today’s microelectronics packaging industry, including electric vehicle components, 5G devices, MEMS, SiP or PoP packages as well as active and passive components like 01005, 008004 assemblies in hybrid SMT assembly process. Aside from solder paste, its microdispensing solution is also applicable for various materials such as liquid metal, conductive silver epoxies, UV adhesives, silicone gel, epoxies, and others.