TAMPERE, Finland, 16 Jan. 2015. Primoceler in Tampere, Finland, won a new contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), with headquarters in Paris, to design and manufacture complete complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) sensor packages for orbital missions. Working with Primoceler on this contract is ON Semiconductor in Phoenix.
Based on ON Semiconductor's HAS3 hermetic design, CMOS sensors are encased in an impermeable seam of glass using laser welding technology, which helps to avoid any problems due to thermal changes, ensuring long-time stability.
The primary challenge with orbital missions is fabricating hardware that can protect sensitive electronics for the long term while also enduring rapid temperature and pressure changes, not to mention the vacuum of space. Glass offers a fully hermetic seal of all components, along with an extremely small heat affected zone during the welding process. The finished seam requires no adhesives and provides excellent mechanical properties and durability.
"Hermeticity testing from a U.S. laboratory proves that our glass weld [well exceeds] the current military and aerospace standards," explains Ville Hevonkorpi, general manager at Primoceler. "Our new ESA contract marks the continuation of a fruitful and productive relationship. We're pleased to be involved with missions that will advance scientific knowledge and inspire humanity's quest for a better understanding of the universe."
In February 2014, Primoceler celebrated its selection as the developer and fabricator of optical sensor packages for ESA orbital missions. Primoceler partnered with ON Semiconductor to engineer a solution that far exceeded the agency's exacting requirements for hermeticity. Together with Primoceler, ON Semiconductor is developing a new hermetic package design for a coming HAS3 CMOS sensor and for future products.
"We are excited to work together with Primoceler on this exciting new opportunity which will further expand our IP and knowledge about advanced packaging technologies," says Chris McNiffe, vice president of the image sensor business unit at ON Semiconductor.
"Laser and glass welding have intriguing possibilities for optical device packaging, as well as other applications in the hi reliability markets. The process has already shown its potential effectiveness in solving problems for which there has never been a practical solution,” explains Liam Murphy, representing ESA and remarking that Primoceler's precision technologies hold promise for a range of applications.
Outside of CMOS sensors for ESA orbital missions, Primoceler's welding technology has practical applications for the healthcare, military, and consumer electronics sectors, among others. Partnering with ON Semiconductor presents a chance to further explore new industries around the world.
ON Semiconductor offers a portfolio of energy-efficient power and signal management, logic, discrete, and custom solutions to help design engineers solve their unique design challenges in military/aerospace, automotive, communications, computing, consumer, industrial, LED lighting, medical, and power supply applications.
Founded in 2010 and located in Tampere, Finland, one of the leading European hubs for laser and photonics industry and research, Primoceler partners with its clients to create success through new business opportunities. The company's tailor-made microfabrication solutions have not only improved manufacturing processes but also revolutionized microscale bonding of transparent materials and enabled completely new product portfolios and business opportunities in semiconductor industry and medical technology.
