Advanced semiconductor packaging requires precise formation of conductive interconnects at scales ranging down to the micrometer size. Current manufacturing approaches rely predominantly on subtractive processes (lithography, etching) or additive nozzle-based dispensing. Subtractive methods generate significant material waste and require extensive chemical processing. Nozzle-based additive methods, while reducing waste, are limited to sequential deposition rates, creating production bottlenecks for high-volume manufacturing.
Impulse Printing addresses this throughput limitation through a mask-based parallel deposition technology. The technology enables simultaneous transfer of metallic materials from a printing plate to a substrate, achieving deposition rates of over100,000 interconnects per second. This represents a throughput increase of four orders of magnitude compared to sequential dispensing methods.
The project objectives are structured around two product categories: (1) Impulse Printing plates, which serve as the consumable transfer medium containing the deposition pattern, and (2) Impulse Printheads, which provide the controlled energy input for material transfer. The grant-funded activities target technology readiness level advancement from TRL 5 to TRL 7, focusing on scalable plate manufacturing processes, printhead productization, and industrial validation with semiconductor packaging customers.
The expected impact includes enabling European semiconductor manufacturers to adopt additive interconnect deposition without throughput penalties. Environmental benefits derive from reduced material consumption, elimination of chemical etching steps, and lower energy requirements per interconnect compared to conventional lithography-based processes.
