Dyconex adds Hitachi CO2/UV tool for PCB laser drilling

Bassersdorf, Switzerland -- Dyconex, a Micro Systems Technology company, has purchased a CO₂/UV Combi-Laser from Hitachi which the company says will "considerably increase" its processing of high-density interconnection (HDI) printed circuit boards (PCB).

HDI PCBs enable electrical conduction between wirings on each layer through interlayer vias; CO₂ lasers are used extensively in processing these holes (typically ≤100 μm dia.). ILS' September-October issue, available in mid-September, will have a technical feature on CO₂ laser-drilling of high-density PCB materials.

The new system, which comes with an automatic loading and unloading station, is particularly geared to boosting productivity and quality of blind-via formation for rigid substrates, which becomes "considerably faster" than conventional UV laser drilling, the company says.

Selective ablation rates of the system's two lasers (UV and CO_w) result in quality improvements. The CO₂ laser's superior absorption properties in glass fibers leads to consistent and complete via opening in inhomogeneous glass-reinforced dielectrics. It also offers significantly improved accuracy when stopping the creation of a blind via exactly on the landing pad, thus avoiding electrical shorts caused by pad shoot-through, Dyconex explains.

(Image via Dyconex)