Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TOGB20250130016
- Term of Validity
- 25 February 2025 - 25 February 2026
- Company's Country
- United Kingdom
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Investment agreement
- Targeted Countries
- France
- Netherlands
- Taiwan
- Switzerland
- Germany
- Japan
- Sweden
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General information
- Short Summary
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A UK-based company specialising in applied laser solutions for advanced manufacturing, looking for commercial collaborations and partnerships. Focused on the semiconductors and electronics industries, the SME offers two patent protected solutions:
(i)AquaLase®: utilises active liquid cooling, for laser dicing and drilling thick and brittle wafers and devices.
(ii)UltraSleeve®: utilises ultrahard materials for encapsulation of commercial-off-the-shelf microelectronics in extreme environments. - Full Description
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The company provides technological solutions based on advanced laser processing techniques to semiconductor and electronics manufacturing sector.
The solutions are:
AquaLase®:
Dicing and drilling thick and brittle wafers are commonly performed using mechanical and laser techniques in the semiconductor industry for instance laser scribing and breaking, mechanical blade dicing using rotary abrasive discs or wire saws (e.g. diamond) are used for thicker wafers (e.g. ≥250µm). These processes are limited to basic component form factors (i.e. straight horizontal and vertical lines) and have major drawbacks in brittle or thicker single or bonded wafer materials or devices that have more complex form factor. These drawbacks include poor cut edge quality and low
yield resulting from chipping, cracking, and wafer delamination.
AquaLase® is a laser processing solution, that utilises active liquid cooling, for dicing and drilling thick and brittle wafers and devices. AquaLase® has demonstrated that it is feasible to significantly improve the production yield for devices made from thick and brittle wafers (e.g. Lithium Niobate, Lithium Tantalate, Silicon Carbide, Gallium Nitride and Glass).
This improvement is achieved by the elimination of cut-edge chipping and collateral damage such as fracturing of surrounding material.
UltraSleeve®:
Conventional encapsulation methods for protecting electronic circuitry in harsh environments, such as conformal coating, low pressure moulding and potting can provide a basic level of protection for electronic components, but they are not suitable for extreme environmental conditions where the components are subject to, for example, high dosages of ionising radiation, excessive forces, mechanical wear and chemical degradation, and at the same time require high rate
of thermal conductivity and heat dissipation.
These solutions are also typically bulky and heavy. Using alternative options for electronics that are suitable for extreme environments often require full redesign of the on-board electronics, sensing and even the actuation system, which is normally time consuming and costly.
UltraSleeve® a laser-based encapsulation process utilising ultrahard materials (i.e. Diamond and Boron Nitride) for protecting commercial-off-the-shelf microelectronics for applications in extreme environments. The solution provides a quick and adaptable method, reduces the size of electronic systems and accelerates deployment of electronics systems and devices within extreme environments by providing an opportunity for the designers to use the vast pool of commercial-off-the-shelf components and circuitry.
UltraSleeve® provides mechanical robustness, chemical resistance, high thermal conductivity, high radiation hardness and shielding. The company with the aim of building a long-term commercial relationship is seeking to partner with companies across various industry sectors, such as semiconductor, photonics, space, aerospace, marine, nuclear and automotive, with challenges around either dicing or drilling of brittle wafers or protecting microelectronics and circuitry in extreme environments.
Through collaborations and partnerships, the company is looking to identify target applications, refine its solution-application fit, and conduct pilot trials. - Advantages and Innovations
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AquaLase®: improves the production yield for dicing and drilling thick and brittle wafers such as Lithium Niobate, Lithium Tantalate, Silicon Carbide, Gallium Nitride and Glass wafers with thicknesses beyond 250 micrometres by the elimination of cut edge chipping and collateral damage such as fracturing of surrounding material. It also enables high quality high aspect ratio cuts and drills.
UltraSleeve®: It provides mechanical robustness, chemical resistance, high thermal conductivity, high radiation hardness and shielding in a single solution. It also provides a quick and adaptable method, reduces the size of encapsulated electronic systems and accelerates deployment of electronic devices within extreme environments. - Stage of Development
- Lab tested
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- IPR status
- IPR applied but not yet granted
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
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The UK based SME is seeking companies from various industry sectors in particular semiconductor, photonics, space, aerospace, marine, nuclear and automotive.
(i) to build partnerships in order to develop further its solutions to address target industries specific application requirements; and
(ii) to collaborate on R&D projects and initiatives where its solutions are complementary to the partners.
The SME is also seeking corporate or venture capital investors particularly those with background or expertise in electronics and semiconductor manufacturing technologies to support its growth journey. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME 50 - 249
- SME 11-49
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Investment agreement
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 01002001 - Micro and Nanotechnology related to Electronics and Microelectronics
- Market keywords
- 03004003 - Other electronics related equipment
- 03004001 - Semiconductor fabrication equipment and wafer products
- 03008001 - Military electronics (excluding communications)
- 03005 - Laser Related
- 03007003 - Other analytical and scientific instrumentation
- Targeted countries
- France
- Netherlands
- Taiwan
- Switzerland
- Germany
- Japan
- Sweden