ED photo resist technology becomes a manufacturing process

The ever-increasing miniaturization and integration of additional functions in the electronics industry – in particular in the next generation telecomm technologies – needs a paradigm shift in manufacturing technologies in order to achieve the results along the roadmaps of the industry. Handling of thin substrates, doing finest line circuitry, working on non-flat surfaces and having to protect metallized holes during etching processes, are asking for conformal resist coatings. Electrophoretically deposited positive working photo resists encompass these requirements. The principles of electrophoretic photo resists, the necessary equipment, the cooperation between customer, the supplier of process chemistry and the supplier of the equipment to start such a complex project, and start-up results of the new major production line for ED-resist in Europe are discussed.