Global 5G deployment and datacenter applications over the next five years are expected to have exponential growth rates. This drives the demand for high-performance optical communication devices as one of the most critical building blocks. Specifically, these critical components are supporting 5G wireless fronthaul and the shipments of next-generation Ethernet modules, including 2x200GbE, 4x100GbE, and 400GbE, as well as CWDM/DWDM transceivers.
This major market growth of new high-performance optical devices has generated new requirements, including much-smaller packaging housing, smaller chips/dies with higher density in the package, rapid technology innovation, quick product iterations, higher-volume manufacturing, and at an economical price point. The new requirements are also needed in LIDAR, AR/VR, and advanced photonic sensors, as well as MEMS and even the highly integrated silicon photonics devices.
One of the greatest challenges in the manufacturing of these devices is the ability to successfully deploy flexible die bonding solutions to meet the wide range of needs for high-volume production with high post-bonding accuracy and great long-term stability. Historically, the post-bonding accuracy has been evolving from 10–15 µm to 7–10 µm, to 5–7 µm for each previous generation of photonic devices. The newest generations of high-performance photonic devices require a <3 µm post-bonding accuracy, without sacrificing high throughput or high flexibility for a high mix of product types in high-volume manufacturing.
