Panel-Level Packaging Engineer

Project

Work done for a product or program.

• Develop panel-format process flows for die placement, molding, RDL lithography, plating and singulation on rectangular carriers.
• Control across-panel uniformity for plating thickness, lithography critical dimension, mold thickness and dielectric cure, where edge-to-centre variation dominates yield.
• Manage panel warpage and handling strategy, including carrier material selection, glass versus metal panels and rigid frame support.
• Adapt lithography from steppers to large-field direct-imaging or projection systems and manage stitching and overlay across panel fields.
• Optimise panel layout and utilisation to maximise good units per panel while preserving edge exclusion and test coupon space.
• Develop panel singulation processes — laser grooving, blade sawing, plasma dicing — with acceptable kerf and edge chipping.
• Establish panel-level metrology and inspection strategy, since wafer-format tools cannot accept rectangular substrates.
• Model and demonstrate the cost advantage of panel versus 300 millimetre wafer format including yield penalty and capital cost.
• Qualify panel-capable equipment with suppliers such as ASM, TOWA, SCREEN, Atotech/MKS, Applied Materials and LPKF.
• Transfer panel processes from pilot to production while holding uniformity and yield parity with the wafer-level baseline.

Function

Work that keeps the discipline running: methods, tools, suppliers and people.

• Maintain process specifications, control plans and work instructions.General
• Work with equipment and material suppliers on performance and quality.General
• Improve cost, cycle time and yield across the operation.General

Project

1. Produce and hand over the role's key deliverables
   • Panel-level process flow and equipment set definition
   • Across-panel uniformity capability report
   • Panel warpage and handling control plan
   • Panel layout and utilisation optimisation study
   • Panel versus wafer cost comparison model
   • Panel equipment qualification reports
2. Introduce new productsGeneral
   • Set up and qualify the process
   • Transfer it to production
   • Support the ramp
3. Keep production in controlGeneral
   • Monitor statistical process control charts
   • Contain excursions
   • Close corrective actions

Function

1. Maintain the process baselineGeneral
   • Keep specifications and control plans current
   • Manage changes through change control
2. Improve the operationGeneral
   • Reduce cost and cycle time
   • Work with suppliers on quality