Founded in 2018 in Newport, South Wales, Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult is the UK’s authority on compound semiconductor applications and commercialisation. CSA Catapult collaborates with start-ups, SMEs, large organisations and academia across power electronics, RF & microwave communications, photonics, and advanced packaging.
Compound semiconductors have some superior properties to traditional silicon semiconductors and significantly enhance product efficiency, size, and cost. In photonics, they enhance sensor capabilities.
As the market for compound semiconductors is still new and lacking developed infrastructure, CSA Catapult provides comprehensive support, technology and expertise to help UK industries leverage this technology to gain a competitive advantage and commercialise new products.
FINEPLACER® femto 2: exactly the tool they were looking for
In 2020, CSA Catapult wanted to enhance their die packaging, finding their current equipment limited.
They sought a die bonder with high accuracy and automation, adaptable for various applications. Finetech secured the bid, despite CSA Catapult’s unfamiliarity with their advanced automated machines, choosing the FINEPLACER® femto 2.
This machine came fully equipped for all kinds of hybridization and high-complexity applications and featured upgradable modules for evolving needs.
The FINEPLACER® femto 2’s flexibility, accuracy, and automation made it an ideal, future-proof choice for CSA Catapult, supporting diverse and complex customer projects.
Application support and trustful cooperation
Today, the FINEPLACER® femto 2 is extensively used in CSA Catapult’s advanced packaging division for R&D, prototyping and pre-production, due to its ease of use and quick automation capabilities.
It’s employed for precise automated die packaging across various bonding techniques like eutectic, epoxy, ultrasonic bonding and thermocompression, accelerating customer projects from R&D to production in markets as diverse as imaging, power electronics,
optoelectronics, datacom and quantum processing.
CSA Catapult values Finetech for its deep technology expertise and three decades of industry experience. Finetech also provides extensive training as well as prompt on-site or online support, frequently aiding CSA Catapult in initial process setups.
For example, Finetech was able to help with a demanding IR Thermal Imaging Device application in defense & security without CSA Catapult having to disclose any IP information.
Over time, a very close relationship and communication has developed, in which knowledge and basic information is exchanged regularly.
