Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries (ESI) is a leading
supplier of innovative laser-based manufacturing solutions for the microtechnology
industry. ESIs integrated solutions allow industrial designers and process
engineers to control the power of laser light to transform materials in ways
that differentiate their consumer electronics, wearable devices, semiconductor
circuits and high-precision components for market advantage. Founded in 1944,
ESI is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with global operations and subsidiaries
in Asia, Europe and North America.
Laser microfabrication is comprised of a set of precise micron-level processes,
including drilling, scribing, dicing, singulation, cutting, ablating, trimming,
and precision marking on multiple types of materials. These processes require
application-specific laser systems that are able to meet our customers’
exacting performance and productivity requirements. Our laser-based systems
are utilized in the production of consumer electronics, flexible and rigid printed
circuit boards, semiconductor devices, advanced semiconductor packaging, electronic
sensors, touch-panel glass, flat panel liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and other
high value components and devices to enable functionality, increase performance
and improve production yields.
Additionally, we produce high-capacity test and inspection equipment that is
critical to the quality control process during the production of multilayer
ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). Our equipment ensures that each component meets
the electrical and physical tolerances required to perform properly.
The microelectronics, printed circuit board (PCB) and semiconductor industries
continue to be driven by demand for advanced features and improved functionality
in increasingly smaller and smarter consumer devices. The technologies for consumer
electronic devices such as smart phones, tablets, personal computers, mobile
computing devices, video game systems and high-definition televisions have developed
rapidly as increasingly affordable products have been introduced that offer
more functionality in smaller packages. In addition, semiconductor and other
advanced technologies are being used in a broadening set of markets and applications,
including automotive, aerospace, medical, security and general lighting.
These dynamics in turn are driving the need for faster, smaller, more complex,
less expensive and higher-quality electronic devices and components. To achieve
these improvements, component and other device manufacturers are increasing
the circuit and feature densities in these devices and investing in new technologies.
For example, smaller and lighter semiconductor devices are driving the need
to shrink the physical dimensions of the semiconductor packaging and the high
density interconnect (HDI) circuit board on which they are mounted. In addition,
integrated circuit (IC) designers are moving high level interconnect from silicon
to the package (ICP) to reduce overall cost in consumer devices. Higher operating
speeds of computers and communication products require more input and output
channels within packages and between the packages and the HDI circuit board.
These trends require smaller, more accurate, and precisely tapered or shaped
holes, known as vias, to create connections between layers and interconnecting
devices. The continual trend toward smaller and smarter devices also requires
the use of an increasing amount of flexible interconnect material between PCBs
and other components. These flexible circuits require the smallest and most
accurate vias to create the connections between these devices.
In addition, the ability to shrink the actual dimensions of a device is becoming
increasingly more difficult, and producers are investing in new technologies,
such as stacking thin silicon wafers to create advanced three dimensional (3D)
chip packages. We believe this trend may drive additional applications for laser
processing, including scribing and dicing of ultra-thin wafers, drilling of
through silicon vias (TSV) and scribing of next generation thin films.
Smaller and more complex devices also require more capacitance to be designed
into circuits. This has resulted in an increase in the use of smaller, higher-capacitance
passive components such as MLCCs. In calendar year 2014, estimated production
of MLCCs was approximately 3 trillion units. These MLCCs must be tested electrically
and optically to characterize performance and ensure reliability. Automated
equipment to test these MLCCs in the manufacturing environment, like our high
capacitance tester, can test and sort up to one million parts per hour on parts
with dimensions as small as 0.4 by 0.2 millimeters.
Our business is also comprised of specialized microfabrication applications.
Any material that can be cut, drilled, marked or joined using a mechanical process
can be microfabricated with greater precision and accuracy using a laser-based
solution. As consumer electronics and other products or devices become more
compact, mechanical processes will not be able to meet the stringent specifications
demanded by producers. We believe the capabilities of laser-based solutions
for microfabrication will enable our customers to continue to move beyond the
limitations of mechanical processes and generate growth for us in the future.
We believe our products address the needs of microelectronics, PCB and semiconductor
manufacturers by providing them with a high return on their investment due to
measurable production benefits such as lower cost of ownership, higher performance,
continued miniaturization, greater reliability, and improved production yield.
Our core competencies enable us to design, manufacture, and market a variety
of integrated laser-based solutions for microfabrication applications in high-volume
manufacturing environments. These core competencies include a deep understanding
of laser-material interaction, laser beam positioning, optics and illumination
including image processing and optical character recognition, high-speed motion
control, small parts handling, proprietary laser technology including laser
power control and systems engineering. We combine this technology expertise
with a thorough understanding of our customers’ processes, and our manufacturing
agility to respond rapidly to customer demand to develop and deliver integrated
solutions and products that address multiple markets and applications.
Our customers manufacture components, interconnect/packaging devices, semiconductors,
displays, casings or other parts and devices that serve a wide range of electronic
applications. Our systems enable the manufacturing of these components and devices.
The primary end-market applications for our customers are in consumer electronics,
including smart mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, computers and
semiconductors. These devices and applications are also utilized in a variety
of other industries including automotive, aerospace, medical, security and general
lighting.