Five-axis laser system targets ±0.5µm drilling for co-packaged optics

E&R Engineering has detailed a five-axis laser micromachining platform for drilling fibre-array units used in co-packaged-optics assemblies.

The company claims drilling accuracy of ±0.5µm and support for different hole geometries and processing angles. Development is focused on two-dimensional fibre arrays intended for optical links operating at 3.2Tbps, 6.4Tbps and 12.8Tbps.

A fibre-array unit holds and aligns multiple optical fibres with the photonic interfaces inside a module. As channel counts and aggregate bandwidth increase, small positional or angular errors can reduce optical coupling efficiency and introduce variation between channels.

Five controlled axes

E&R combines laser processing with precision positioning across five axes. This permits holes to be formed at controlled angles as well as locations, rather than limiting the process to a perpendicular two-dimensional pattern.

The company has not disclosed the laser wavelength, pulse duration, supported substrate materials or production throughput in its announcement. Those parameters will affect heat-affected zones, debris, taper and whether the quoted positional accuracy is maintained across a complete production panel.

E&R is also showing an advanced-packaging process portfolio covering blind-via drilling, marking, thermal laser cutting, ABF grooving and laser debonding. It quotes ±5µm accuracy for blind-via drilling with a bottom-to-top diameter ratio of up to 90%.

The laser tools are being presented alongside plasma cleaning and surface-activation systems for 2.5D and 3D packaging. E&R says the plasma processes achieve a process capability index above 1.33, but has not published the underlying measurement distribution in the announcement.

The systems will be shown at SEMI West in San Francisco from 13 to 15 October 2026.