Technology delivers high-precision digital lithography for advanced packaging

Texas Instruments is advancing the next generation of digital lithography with the introduction of the DLP991UUV digital micromirror device (DMD), the company's highest-resolution direct imaging solution to date. With 8.9 million pixels, sub-micron resolution capabilities, and a data rate of 110 gigapixels per second, the device eliminates the need for expensive mask technology while delivering the scalability, cost-effectiveness, and precision required for increasingly complex packaging.

Maskless digital lithography machines, which project light for etching circuit designs on materials without a photomask or high-end stencil, are becoming increasingly popular for the manufacturing of advanced packaging. Advanced packaging combines multiple chips and technologies into a single package, allowing high-computing applications, such as data centres and 5G, to have systems that are smaller, faster, and more power-efficient.

With the DLP technology, system assembly equipment manufacturers can employ maskless digital lithography to achieve the high-resolution printing at scale necessary for advanced packaging. The new DMD acts as a programmable photomask, offering precise pixel control with reliable high-speed performance.

"Just as we redefined cinema by enabling the transition from film to digital projection, TI's DLP technology is once again at the forefront of a major industry shift," said Jeff Marsh, vice president and general manager of DLP technology at TI. "We're enabling the creation of maskless digital lithography systems that empower engineers around the world to break through the current limits of advanced packaging and bring powerful computing solutions to market."

Improving advanced packaging needs lithography technology to be more cost-effective, scalable and precise. By eliminating mask infrastructure and its associated expenses, DLP technology significantly reduces manufacturing costs while providing the flexibility to make real-time design adjustments without requiring physical mask changes. The technology can achieve sub-micron precision on substrates of any size, which directly translates to higher throughput, improved yield, and fewer defects. These are notable advantages as advanced packaging manufacturers seek to meet escalating demands for high-bandwidth, low-power components in AI systems and 5G networks.

The DLP991UUV is the latest and leading device of the company's direct imaging portfolio. Key features of the device include:

• Highest resolution in the portfolio, offering more than 8.9MP
• Fastest processing speed of up to 110 Gigapixels per second
• Power levels of 22.5W/cm² at 405nm
• Ability to operate at wavelengths as low as 343nm
• Smallest mirror pitch in the portfolio of 5.4um

The company's DLP technology harnesses the power of millions of microscopic mirrors to deliver leading high-resolution displays and advanced light control solutions. The technology enables applications ranging from the projection of brilliant 4K content in home theatres to enhanced road safety with intelligent automotive lighting, as well as high-precision lithography and machine vision systems for next-generation industrial manufacturing.