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PRESS RELEASE For More Information, Call: Rob Santilli on 01235 833 934 e- mail: [email protected]

For Release 12:00 noon, 30 October 2006 http://www.aml.co.uk/

Radical moves by AML! After waiting patiently AML’s customers can finally Activate, Align and Bond insitu, in one chamber, but not only that, they will have the new AML ‘Radical’ activation technology which provides benefits over the existing crude plasma activation used by competitors. The new ‘RAD’ system was pre-ordered by QinetiQ plc in the UK who will be the first company in the world to have the new ‘RAD’ system. Other customers have been waiting for it to be available before purchasing a wafer-bonding machine. This follows the sale of AML’s first 8” machine, which was recently commissioned at IME in Singapore, and a high profile sale to ISSY is the USA, a leading MEMS manufacturer. The AML pipeline also contains many new developments including a new hot embossing tool for the fabrication of polymer micro-nano structures for micro fluidic devices and bio sensors and the launch of their new BONDCENTRE which provides wafer bonding process development & services to support the machines…who knows they might even start making mask aligners! The ability to bond wafers together at lower and lower temperatures has been a prime requirement for many in the MEMS, IC, III-V and optical industries. It simply gives you more design freedom and possibilities. The introduction of the only in-situ, single machine process that can Activate, Align & Bond in one chamber will make introducing such techniques much more feasible. AML have now introduced this into their acclaimed range of Aligner-Wafer Bonders. The use of Radicals, to activate a surface to enable low temperature bonding, offers many advantages over the use of plasmas. E.g. plasma roughens the surface and this can actually making bonding more difficult, and because of this the plasma process has a very small process window. Radicals are less damaging to any existing structures that may be present on the wafers, and also offer a more stable, reliable, better bond and bond strength than plasma activation. Because the process is carried out in one chamber, it also offers advantages in terms of yield. Technical Director Tony Rogers and Nick Aitken of AML are presenting a paper describing this at the prestigious Electrochemical Society conference in Cancun, Mexico at the end of October. Rob Santilli says “this is just a reflection of what AML stands for i.e. we come from a process background rather than just being an engineering or ‘metal bashing’ operation that look to their customers to develop their machines. We put a huge effort into R&D and I think this pays off in the machines we produce and the processes we can offer.

He went on to say, “If anyone now buys a competitor’s machine, then they are doing their organisations a disservice and their purchasing departments could be seen as being negligent, the AML machines are that far ahead.” Combine this with AML’s new BONDCENTRE which offers bonding process development, and a commercial bonding service, technology transfer and training and you have an unbeatable, world class capability. Rob also added “We used to compete on price because our simple, elegant design and ability to provide two machines (aligner & bonder) for the price of one enabled us to do this. However we now focus on just providing the very best machine on the market in terms of performance (including industry best throughput & best vacuum encapsulation) and value for money (lowest cost per bond) – so we may no longer be the cheapest, which was especially difficult when the opposition were having to practically give their machines away to compete with us! If you haven’t got an AML bonder you’re not serious about bonding. “ Wafer bonding is a technique that originally had limited applications when it was first used in MEMS but now the use of the technique has exploded into many new areas e.g. mainstream IC, III-V, and optical devices and applications e.g.: • MEMS devices - Pressure Sensors, Accelerometers, Microfluidic devices • • • • • • • •

Vacuum encapsulation (absolute pressure, IR detectors…) 1st Level Packaging to isolate package induced stresses. Wafer scale Packaging – MEMS & IC III-Vs e.g. high performance LEDs bonded reflector - heat sink 3D Interconnects Temporary bonds for handling thin wafers Advanced bonded substrates e.g. SOG, SOI, SOS, GaAs on Si… Smart cut - Layer transfer

AML’s continued success has enabled them to move into a brand new building, which they decided to buy rather than rent. Tony Rogers of AML is seen below accepting the keys. The new building is a few yards away from the new Diamond Light Synchrotron and the Rutherford Labs that are also on the Harwell site, which Lord Sainsbury has identified to become one of the UK’s most important science and Technology Centres.

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