An industrial inkjet printer applies the particle-free silver ink selectively where protection against electromagnetic interferences (EMI) is required, for example on sensor, antenna, or radio frequency packages. The selective printing process does not require masking or etching anymore and essentially saves material, time and energy compared to traditional processes such as physical vapor disposition (PVD) sputtering. With Prexonics®, Heraeus Printed Electronics has developed a full system solution providing the equipment, material, and process from a single source.
Selective printing enables design freedom for packaging designers
The protective silver layer is printed with an accuracy of a twentieth of a millimeter and thermally cured. This way, the system solution supports the trend towards miniaturization. The digital printing system optimizes EMI shielding and ensures, for example, that high-frequency chips can transmit data ultra-fast - a requirement that is becoming increasingly important with the 5G standard in mobile communications.
The process allows chip designers extended freedom of design. This means the exact layout that a customer needs for a specific application can be printed. It is based on a CAD drawing that is flexible to modify. Therefore, designers are less limited by restrictions. "We are convinced that our inkjet process can give them more liberty to create innovative designs," says Franz Vollmann, Head of the Heraeus start-up Printed Electronics.
