At OFC 2001 MRSI has introduced its new MRSI-505 PHOTONICS, Optical Assembly Work Cell, a system specifically designed for optical applications required for telecommunications and data communications. The MRSI-505 PHOTONICS can be configured for several component-attach technologies and applications including epoxy die attach, eutectic, and flip chip bonding. Typical applications include transmitters, receivers, switches, amplifiers, filters, photo detectors, laser submounts, and tunable devices.

The system's design is based on the award-winning, industry standard MRSI-505 platform. A solid granite platform supports the placement head from above, so that no mechanisms are cantilevered; this makes the MRSI-505 PHOTONICS thermally and mechanically stable with extremely fast settling times and +/- 0.0005 inch (12.5 microns) or better placement accuracy required for photonic applications.

The MRSI-505 PHOTONICS is configured for the particular eutectic bonding requirements of photonic applications, such as building submounts and photodetectors. Unique capabilities include a heated assembly station with fast closed-loop temperature ramping. The system is available with in-situ eutectic bonding performed either in a hotplate, directly in a boat or in a chamber.

The MRSI-505 PHOTONICS handles tedious and critical tasks, a constant challenge for the optical industry, e.g., laser submount manufacturing. The MRSI-505 PHOTONICS routinely places small delicate InP and GaAs die with delicate surface features and picks and places small thin preforms.

In making the announcement, Daniel Crowley, Vice President Sales & Marketing, stated "The Optoelectronics market - driven by the Telecom revolution - is literally exploding. It's not just time-to-market that counts, but also time-to-volume production. Because the MRSI-505 PHOTONICS has the flexibility needed to handle both current and future products, short product cycles are no longer a problem, giving manufacturers the edge they need to meet their production goals, no matter how challenging."

The system's software automatically tracks key die and substrate information to keep a pedigree of each device. Plus the MRSI-505 PHOTONICS combines this tracing ability with its automatic barcode reading and program changing abilities.

MRSI is a leading supplier of dispense and assembly systems for the semiconductor and microelectronics industry.