Chemnitz, Germany, Sep. 29, 2026 — 3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, medical device, and electronics markets, today announced that it will highlight its microPREP® L laser-based sample preparation system at SEMICON West, the premier microelectronics exhibition in North America, October 13-15, in San Francisco, Calif. Designed for advanced semiconductor failure analysis and quality assurance, microPREP® L supports sample sizes ranging from individual dies up to whole 12-inch (300-mm) wafers and system-level boards.

3D-Micromac will discuss microPREP® L’s capabilities during the Test Vision Poster Session on Wednesday, October 14 from 3:10-5:00pm in its presentation “Large-Format Laser Processing for Targeted Defect Access and Removal Following System-Level Testing.” The presentation will address how targeted laser access and defect removal meet emerging requirements in system-level failure analysis, including board-level preparation, wafer-level processing, multi-site workflows, reduced mechanical sample handling, and faster response to quality issues.

New Sample Preparation Requirements for Advanced Packaging

Driven by AI and other high-performance computing applications, semiconductor devices and systems are becoming increasingly complex as heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging bring more functionality into tightly integrated designs. At the same time, advanced packages and system-level boards are becoming larger and thicker, while the individual layers and structures within them are becoming thinner and more difficult to access selectively. This combination of increasing scale and complexity creates new challenges for conventional sample preparation methods. Mechanical techniques can affect specimen integrity, while focused ion beam (FIB) and broad ion beam (BIB) milling require significant time for coarse, large-volume material removal.

microPREP® L addresses these challenges with a dedicated laser-based sample preparation platform that bridges the gap between high-speed, large-volume material removal and precise, selective processing. Its large-format capability enables engineers to process regions of interest directly on full wafers and system-level boards without first cutting them into smaller pieces. Depending on the application, laser processing can provide sufficient access for inspection or serve as a high-speed front-end step, offloading material removal from costly analytical tools such as ion beam systems so they can focus on final polishing, imaging, and high-resolution analysis.

“The growing complexity of advanced semiconductor devices and systems is changing what failure analysis and quality assurance teams need from sample preparation,” stated Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Micromac AG. “The range of applications we are seeing for microPREP® L shows that sample preparation increasingly needs to accommodate the scale and complexity of the device, package, and system, rather than forcing it to fit the limitations of the preparation tool. We collaborate closely with customers to understand their specific failure analysis requirements and help them develop and optimize the right preparation approach for their application. That combination of flexibility and expertise helps customers accelerate sample preparation and make more effective use of their downstream analytical resources.”

microPREP® L further increases productivity through recipe-driven automation that enables multiple preparation tasks to run sequentially and unattended at different locations across the same wafer or board. Real-time in-situ depth sensing monitors material removal during processing, reducing iterative process-measure-reprocess cycles and helping speed time-to-sample. Integrated 3D imaging and measurement enables topographic mapping between processing steps, allowing users to precisely target areas for laser processing, verify resulting dimensions and geometries, and continue processing based on the measurement data. An optional sealed process chamber also supports processing under vacuum or an inert atmosphere for applications requiring controlled environmental conditions. Additional options include cryogenic processing for temperature-sensitive materials and chemically assisted laser processing aimed at improving surface quality and process efficiency.

Meet 3D-Micromac at SEMICON West 2026

To speak with a 3D-Micromac representative and learn more about the company’s laser solutions for failure analysis and sample preparation, as well as other semiconductor applications, visit 3D-Micromac’s booth 1245 (South Hall, Germany Pavilion) during exhibition hours.

For members of the media interested in learning more about 3D-Micromac’s microPREP® L solution, please contact David Moreno, Open Sky Communications, at dmoreno@openskypr.com.

Left: selective defect removal on a wafer. Right: selective defect removal on a board. Both applications enabled by microPREP®L.
Copyright: 3D-Micromac AG.

Meet 3D-Micromac at SEMICON West 2026

To speak with a 3D-Micromac representative and learn more about the company’s laser solutions for failure analysis and sample preparation, as well as other semiconductor applications, visit 3D-Micromac’s booth 1245 (South Hall, Germany Pavilion) during exhibition hours.

For members of the media interested in learning more about 3D-Micromac’s microPREP® L solution, please contact David Moreno, Open Sky Communications, at dmoreno@openskypr.com.

Chemnitz, Germany, Nov. 13, 2025 — 3D-Micromac AG, the industry leader in laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the semiconductor, photovoltaic, medical device, and electronics markets, today introduced microPREP^® L—the latest addition to its microPREP family of laser-based sample preparation systems, which is designed to support sample sizes up to whole 12-inch (300-mm) wafers and system-level boards. This new platform enables fast, precise, reproducible, and non-destructive material removal at scale, delivering significant productivity gains for failure analysis, process development, and quality assurance in the semiconductor and electronics industries. Multiple samples can be prepared at different locations on the wafers or system-level boards within a single workflow, without process restarts.

The new microPREP L system will be featured at the upcoming International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA), taking place Nov. 16-20 in Pasadena, California. Attendees are invited to visit 3D-Micromac at Booth 318 to learn more and speak with company representatives about this breakthrough technology.

Overcoming Sample Preparation Bottlenecks

Sample preparation remains one of the most time-consuming and costly steps in semiconductor failure analysis. Traditional preparation methods like mechanical polishing and focused ion beam (FIB) milling cannot meet the stringent needs of today’s advanced applications. Mechanical polishing introduces mechanical stress to the specimen, which can affect the overall quality and yield. FIB milling is constrained by limited ablation rates, very small sample sizes, high tool operating costs, and the need for highly trained operators, making it impractical for large-scale or production-adjacent use.

Integrated sample prep systems that combine laser and FIB tools in a single platform introduce capacity bottlenecks, as only one function can operate at a time. These systems also suffer from particle contamination, which can compromise the integrity of the sample and downstream analysis.

microPREP L: A Dedicated, Scalable Alternative

Unlike hybrid platforms, the new microPREP L system is a dedicated, standalone laser micromachining solution that delivers precision, speed, and sample size scalability without compromise. Leveraging selective laser ablation and newly integrated real-time process monitoring, the system enables micrometer-level targeting and non-destructive removal of material—even from large and complex assemblies such as advanced semiconductor packages, printed circuit boards, and whole 12-inch wafers.

By supporting system-level preparation without cutting up the sample into smaller pieces, this platform helps preserve device integrity, accelerating failure localization and analysis. These capabilities also enable failure analysis to be extended beyond the lab and into fab environments, where rapid root-cause analysis is critical to improving yield and uptime.

In direct comparison with other sample preparation methods for failure analysis, the new microPREP L provides a multitude of advantages.

Key Features and Benefits

• Sample Scalability: Supports whole wafers up to 12 inches and large board-level devices—enabling failure analysis in both lab and fab environments—while offering a roadmap for even larger samples in future system extensions
• Selective Laser Ablation: Enables precise, localized material removal without destroying or damaging the regions of interest
• In-Situ Process Monitoring: Real-time depth sensing and ablation control ensures high accuracy—reducing rework and improving overall yield in failure analysis workflows
• Automated Workflows: Designed for high-throughput and repeatable operation with minimal operator intervention
• Multi-Sample Workflow Efficiency: Since the microPREP L can handle much larger sample sizes, customers can prepare multiple samples directly on the wafers or system-level boards in a single workflow without process restarts
• FIB/SEM Workflow Integration: Offloads bulk removal to the laser system, optimizing downstream tool use
• Customizable Recipes: Flexible for diverse materials and geometries

Significant Productivity Gains

In benchmark tests, a single operator using the microPREP L was able to prepare up to 32 samples per day, sufficient to feed up to seven plasma FIB systems—dramatically increasing throughput and reducing overall time-to-sample. In another case, a task that took just 23 minutes on the system would have taken up to six months using traditional gallium FIB milling.

“As semiconductor devices become more complex with the rise of heterogeneous integration, multi-layer architectures, and tighter development cycles, traditional sample preparation methods are no longer sufficient for advanced process development and failure analysis,” stated Uwe Wagner, CEO of 3D-Micromac AG. “Our new microPREP L system addresses these challenges head-on by enabling fast, precise, and damage-free sample prep at the wafer and system level. With its unmatched scalability and automated workflows, microPREP L is designed to meet the evolving needs of advanced semiconductor sample prep in both R&D and production environments.”