December 6, 2011 - PRNewswire - SEMICON JAPAN -- Asahi Kasei E-Materials Corporation, the core operating company of the Asahi Kasei Group for electronics materials, energy materials, photosensitive materials and epoxy resins, purchased an IQ Aligner UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) system from EV Group (EVG).

The IQ Aligner performs multiple wafer-level camera manufacturing steps. It will be used by Asahi Kasei to develop materials for high-resolution wafer-level optics. Materials research and development is needed to create high-clarity, high-heat-resistant materials for optical and display components used in mobile electronics equipment, noted Shoichi Furukawa, GM, Electronics Materials Division, for Asahi Kasei.

With wafer-level cameras incorporating optical polymer lenses and glass carrier and spacer wafers, material characteristics are limiting resolution and image quality. The IQ Aligner includes EVG's Monolithic Lens Molding (MLM) process to eliminate glass substrates, freeing up the optic and lens stack design. The polymer is molded between two stamps and UV-cured for thinner lens wafers and shorter optical stacks. The room-temperature molding achieves more accurate lens alignment than thermal imprinting.

Target devices for high-resolution cameras include mobile devices like smartphones, pico projectors, and more consumer products, said Paul Lindner, executive technology director, EVG.

Asahi Kasei E-materials is the core operating company of the Asahi Kasei Group, making electronics materials, energy materials, photosensitive materials, and epoxy resins.

EV Group (EVG) makes wafer-processing solutions for semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology applications. More information is available at www.EVGroup.com.

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• ULVAC CVD-Co, -Ni system suits 3D gate, MEMS fab
• AMAT BSI image sensor CVD tool operates at low processing temps
  
• AMAT debuts SEM for automatic 20nm defect inspection