Chemnitz, Germany, April 12, 2023—3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, glass and display markets, today introduced the microPREP™ PRO FEMTO laser micromachining system for high-speed Atom Probe Tomography (APT) and cross-section sample preparation.

Fulfilling a critical need for atomic-scale materials analysis, the microPREP PRO FEMTO system features a femtosecond laser and optimized optical setup, which enables micrometer-precision removal of material in minutes versus many hours with focused ion beam (FIB) milling while avoiding mechanical and thermal damage to the sample. The microPREP PRO FEMTO enables APT microtip coupons to be prepared directly from the sample material with automated workflows. This frees up valuable FIB resources to be utilized more cost effectively for final preparation steps only, such as final annular focused milling and polishing of the microtips.

The Department of Materials Science at Montanuniversität Leoben (the University of Leoben), a leading research university in the fields of mining, metallurgy and materials science, has purchased the first microPREP PRO FEMTO system and is now using it for the preparation of APT specimens, focusing on a variety of different materials. According to Dr. Michael Tkadletz, Chair of Functional Materials and Material Systems at Montanuniversität Leoben, “APT is a crucial technique for the knowledge-based development of modern high-performance materials. For example, it can help to illuminate the segregation of impurities and tramp elements at grain boundaries of green steels, to reveal the complex elemental distribution within multifunctional coatings and nanostructures, or to investigate the effects of local chemistry on the performance of energy storage and conversion materials. Yet, the major bottleneck for APT experiments is the elaborate and time-consuming specimen preparation. Femtosecond laser preparation using the microPREP PRO FEMTO helps to overcome this bottleneck by reducing the complexity of the process, significantly reducing the time-to-sample and FIB utilization, while at the same time, the number of prepared specimens can be substantially increased compared to a standard lift-out-procedure.”

New Approaches Needed for APT Sample Prep

Traditionally, APT sample preparation processes have been based on electrolytic or ion-based thinning workflows. Both workflows require mechanical preparation steps that introduce mechanical stress to the specimen, which can affect the overall quality and yield. Using FIB milling for the preparation process to avoid mechanical stress can take many hours to complete and requires specialized lift-out of the specimen, which introduces risk of damaging the specimen. Since FIB systems are costly, this approach also ties up FIB resources and results in very high operational costs for the user.

Some systems combine a laser for high-speed ablation and an FIB for final polishing in a single platform. However, this approach creates capacity bottlenecks since only one process can be used at a time. In addition, since laser preparation ablates high volumes of material, particle contamination inside the analytic area of combination laser/FIB tools becomes a much bigger issue and its removal is difficult due to the vacuum conditions inside the isolated laser or process chamber. Short pulse lasers can also cause large heat-affected zones (HAZs), which can not only damage the sample but also can modify the structure of the probe tips, leading to inaccurate measurement results.

Unlike these other approaches, the microPREP PRO FEMTO is a dedicated laser micromachining solution that utilizes a femtosecond laser to provide the high speed, accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and versatility that research labs and universities require for APT sample preparation and cross-section analysis.

Dedicated Femtosecond Laser Micromachining

The microPREP PRO FEMTO can mill samples down to two microns from the final pillar – reducing APT sample preparation time from many hours to just minutes compared to FIB milling. Its femtosecond laser source limits the HAZ of the working sample to a few nanometers, compared to sub-micrometer-range HAZ with picosecond lasers. The system also features an optimized optical setup that includes a telecentric objective, which enables higher precision when preparing APT microtip coupons. This is especially important for coupons containing many APT pillars. The optical setup also features a shorter focal length and smaller laser spot size, adding to its high precision.

In addition, the microPREP PRO FEMTO features 3D-Micromac’s integrated proprietary CO₂ Snow Jet contactless, non-abrasive cleaning system, which uses compressed air and dry ice in a normal atmosphere to safely remove particles from the surface of the sample following the laser preparation process. The microPREP PRO FEMTO also includes multiple pre-defined workflows, which facilitate setup and operation, and enable its use for a variety of use cases and applications.

“As materials science progresses deeper into the sub-nanometer and atomic scale, the demand for atom probe tomography for high-resolution and 3D-imaging-based materials analysis continues to grow. Prefabrication of microtip arrays for APT specimen preparation using a dedicated femtosecond laser ablation system can provide tremendous savings in time, effort and expense compared to mechanical sawing, FIB milling and short-pulse lasers,” stated Dr. Boris Arnold Rottwinkel, product manager microdiagnostics at 3D-Micromac. “By leveraging our expertise and technology leadership in laser micromachining solutions as well as in laser-based sample preparation through our microPREP PRO family, 3D-Micromac can offer research labs and universities a highly cost-effective, scalable and versatile approach to APT specific preparation to meet their growing and more demanding materials analysis needs.”

3D-Micromac is exhibiting at several leading international conferences on microscopy where attendees can learn more about the microPREP PRO FEMTO. Among these are: Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) in Minneapolis, Minn., July 23-27; the 20th International Microscopy Conference (IMC20) in Busan, Korea, September 10-15; and ISTFA in Phoenix, Ariz., November 12-16.

In addition, Dr. Tkadletz of the University of Leoben will be presenting on the benefits of using the microPREP PRO FEMTO in his research at the 57th Metallography Conference (ASMET) in Leoben, Austria, September 13, and at the 93th IUVSTA Workshop in Seggau, Austria, October 15-19.

For more information on the microPREP PRO FEMTO, visit: www.microPREP.pro.

Chemnitz, Germany, December 6, 2022—3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, glass and display markets, today announced that it has entered into a joint-development partnership (JDP) with SCHOTT, a leading international technology group and inventor of specialty glass, to improve the processing performance of SCHOTT RealView^® high refractive index wafers used in manufacturing waveguides for next-generation augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets.

The JDP builds on an existing multi-year relationship between the two companies, and will focus on two key areas: the development of a dedicated laser cutting process for SCHOTT RealView^® glass wafers that increases glass edge strength for improved production yields; and the development of a high-volume-manufacturing-capable laser micromachining tool that can achieve a throughput of nearly 600 AR eyepieces per hour, or approximately five million AR eyepieces annually in 24/7 production. While the laser micromachining process and system will be optimized for SCHOTT RealView^®, 3D-Micromac will ensure its compatibility with other materials and sell the system to any end customer for any glass product.

According to Matthias Jotz, Head of Product Management for Augmented Reality at SCHOTT, “High refractive index glass is a key component for achieving optimum field of view and first-class image quality for AR headsets, providing the ultimate user experience. To scale up manufacturing on our patented SCHOTT RealView^® high refractive index glass products, it is critical that we partner with the right equipment suppliers that can support our manufacturing goals with enabling process solutions. SCHOTT has worked with 3D-Micromac over many years, and their expertise in laser micromachining make them an ideal partner for developing a dedicated laser cutting technology for our augmented reality products.”

“3D-Micromac has been offering innovative laser machining solutions for the AR device market for several years, and this strategic partnership with SCHOTT, one of the foremost leaders in specialty glass, will further position us as a leading solutions provider for this high-growth-potential market,” stated Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Micromac. “We believe that SCHOTT’s strong know-how and expertise in glass processing and material science, coupled with our leadership in laser micromachining, will enable us to develop new process solutions that can improve the bending strength of high refractive index glass to optimize yields while reducing production costs.”

For more information on 3D-Micromac’s innovative laser processes for the display and smart glass market, visit:
https://3d-micromac.com/laser-micromachining/markets/#glass-and-display-industry.

Chemnitz, Germany, November 7, 2022—3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, glass and display markets, today announced that a leading optical solutions provider has purchased multiple microMIRA™ Laser Lift-Off (LLO) systems from 3D-Micromac for use in the production of microLED devices. The customer will install the new microMIRA systems in pilot- and production lines at its state-of-the-art LED chip factory in Asia.

Laser Lift-Off an Enabling Process for microLEDs

MicroLEDs have the potential to revolutionize the display industry, promising a variety of advantages such as superior viewing angle, high dynamic range with perfect black luminance and high brightness, wide color gamut, fast refresh rates, long lifetime, and low power consumption. Potential applications include very large displays for indoor and outdoor use, as well as high-resolution displays for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) wearable devices.

However, the microLED fabrication process is vastly more complex than LCD and OLED manufacturing, and faces several technical challenges that must be overcome before microLEDs can be readily available in the mass market. Among these challenges is detaching and transferring the processed microLED chips from the donor or growth substrate (e.g., sapphire) to an intermediate substrate for subsequent testing without damaging the expensive growth substrate, allowing it to be repurposed for future use. The microMIRA system from 3D-Micromac precisely addresses this task with superior performance.

3D-Micromac’s microMIRA system provides highly uniform, force-free lift-off of different layers on large-area substrates at high processing speeds without the need for costly and polluting wet chemical processes. The unique line beam system is built on a highly customizable platform that can incorporate different laser sources, wavelengths and beam paths to meet each customer’s unique requirements. The system is capable of processing different substrate materials and sizes, and can achieve processing speeds (including handling) of up to 60 eight-inch wafers per hour.

According to Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Micromac, “This multiple system order is a testament to our ability to provide innovative and enabling laser micromachining solutions for industrial applications serving both mature and emerging markets. It also represents an important milestone for 3D-Micromac as we continue to expand our product offerings and services into the display industry, addressing the production needs for exciting new display technologies, including microLEDs. To date, 3D-Micromac has sold more than 10 laser processing systems for microLED applications, including our industry-benchmark microMIRA laser-lift-off system as well as our recently introduced microCETI™ micromachining platform.”

The microMIRA LLO system has been used successfully in mass production by electronics manufacturers globally for years. In addition to gallium nitride (GaN) lift-off from glass and sapphire substrates in microLED display manufacturing, the microMIRA system can also be used for layer separation in semiconductor and sensor manufacturing, as well as for laser annealing and crystallization for surface modification.

More information on microMIRA, including our latest white paper “Laser technologies for microLED production,” can be found at https://3d-micromac.com/laser-lift-off/micromira/

Is laser micromachining the solution for everything? Can any laser source machine any material? Which accuracies can be achieved with a laser micromachining tool such as the microPREP PRO? And what do you need to watch out for in order to achieve best results?

This free webinar will bust some of the most common laser micromachining myths and give you hands-on advices on how-to handle. Amongst others the following topics will be covered:

• Which materials and material combinations can be processed by laser?
• How can contamination be prevented while working with lasers?
• Which laser sources are available? And which laser source is suited for what?
• What kind of micromachining is possible with the microPREP PRO? What are the limits?
• How accurate can you work while using lasers?

You can now watch the recording of this webinar online.

With climate change being a concern for many around the world, huge efforts have been made over the years to find and establish other sources of energy than burning coal and oil. Solar cells are among the first to cross one’s mind when thinking about alternative energy sources. One approach is the CIGS solar cell (copper indium gallium selenide) that can be manufactured on flexible thin-films.

The webinar will give you insights in:

• The driving forces behind the processing of flexible solar cells
• The requirements on laser sources, beam path, and production equipment
• Laser scribing in process steps P1, P2, P3 and P4
• The benefits of 3D-Micromac’s microFLEX platform for 24/7 production