Speciality glass manufacturer Schott is to buy Finnish micro bonding group Primoceler.
Schott said the acquisition would enhance its core competence in the field of hermetic packaging
The new company will be called Schott Primoceler and be based in Tampere, Finland, as part of Schott’s Electronic Packaging division. The deal will be completed by the end of the year.
Schott Electronic Packaging division offers hermetic packaging technologies to protect sensitive electronics in automotive, aerospace, medical, and energy applications.
Hermetic packaging refers to the sealing of electrical contacts with glass or ceramics.
The inorganic and virtually non-aging materials are used as insulators that prevent the intrusion of moisture and other contaminants.
The challenge lies in achieving a perfect bond between the electrical metal conductors and glass – a core competence Schott has mastered over the course of many decades. Its signature technologies in this field are glass-to-metal and ceramic-to-metal sealing.
Primoceler has developed a ‘glass-only’ micro bonding method based on laser technology that can be completed without any heat or added materials.
The bonding process allows for the reliable manufacture of vacuum-tight, ultra-miniature electronic or optical devices. Even electronics with extreme heat sensitivities can be safely encapsulated.
Glass micro bonding enables new packaging concepts for devices that demand high reliability including medical implants, aerospace, automotive, optical devices, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for the Internet of Things.
Primoceler used various glass types and products from Schott, such as HermeS glass wafers.
These substrates come with hermetically sealed miniature connections that go through the glass (also known as ‘through glass vias,’ or TGV), that enables packaging for micro-sensors and other MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems).
Peter Kniprath, Head of Schott’s Business Unit Electronic Packaging said: “Electronics are entering more areas of our daily life and demand for safety and durability have increased.
"Schott Primoceler will focus on tackling these challenges and working with our customers towards completely new applications.”
