Our company has further improved the technology for forming high-density wiring in our core business of electronic substrates, specifically in flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs). In recent years, electronic devices such as medical equipment and industrial machinery have been advancing in miniaturization and lightweight design. To incorporate many functions into limited space, there is a demand for increased wiring density on the substrate. Therefore, we have been working on establishing filled via technology and improving the M-SAP method. The filled via structure involves filling vias (holes) made by laser in the insulating layer with copper plating, ensuring electrical connections on both sides of the substrate while reducing the recesses of the vias, which allows for component mounting on the vias and leads to high-density mounting. On the other hand, the M-SAP method significantly improves line width management by laminating copper to form circuits, enabling high-density wiring. This time, based on the pattern via fill method that leverages these characteristics, we successfully formed wiring with a pitch of 30μm on a double-sided substrate with a filled via structure. We will continue to aim for further improvements in high-density wiring formation technology through ongoing development, prototyping, and verification.

Our company has decided to participate in the "Space Town Development Promotion Project (Kii Space HUB)," which aims to create new industries and revitalize the region with a space theme, promoted by Wakayama Prefecture, in our core business of electronic substrate. Taking this opportunity, we will actively advance our technological development and business enhancement in the space field. The Space Town Development Promotion Project is a project aimed at the accumulation of the space industry, human resource development, and regional revitalization in Wakayama Prefecture, where the private rocket launch site "Spaceport Kii" is located, and it has garnered national attention. We aim to contribute to the lightweight and high functionality of space equipment by leveraging the manufacturing technologies of flexible printed circuit boards and electroforming that we have cultivated so far. In the future, we will actively engage in human resource development for those involved in the space business, starting with the provision of technology for satellite-mounted equipment and communication modules. We will also consider collaboration with private space companies, promoting value creation and business development in this new field of the space industry, while striving to balance technological innovation and social contribution, and continuing our challenges toward realizing a sustainable future.

◆FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board)◆ ~Tayo Technorex's Strengths in the FPC Manufacturing Process~ The manufacturing of FPC requires multiple critical processing steps. Improving the "strengths" of each process directly leads to advancements in technology and quality, as well as new product development. This time, we will introduce the "strengths" we have cultivated over many years in each process! <Design> Circuit design, artwork, S-parameter analysis <Layer Connection> Build-up FPC, filled vias, small-diameter vias <Circuit Formation> MSAP method, thin copper, thick copper <Insulation Treatment> High-precision openings ±20μm, LCP coverlay <Surface Treatment> Standard NiAu to special plating options (Ni-Pd-Au, direct Au, etc.) <Post-Processing> High-precision outline processing ±50μm, diverse tools <Assembly> Solder mounting, ACF bonding, wire bonding, ultrasonic joining, EMS support ◆Various Substrates and Ceramic Material Systems◆ Introduction of AI technology, final appearance inspection equipment, and electrical testing equipment ◆Efficiency and Automation◆ Proposals for utilizing FA and collaborative robots

Our company is working on the development of build-up substrates using polyimide for the insulating layer, aimed at miniaturizing, thinning, and lightening multilayer substrates in our core electronic substrate business. We are pleased to announce that we have established the core filled via technology. In electronic devices that are becoming lighter, more compact, and high-functioning, substrates (build-up substrates) capable of high-density wiring and high-density mounting are in demand. However, typically, the core layer of build-up substrates uses rigid boards, which increases the thickness of the substrate and hinders the lightweight and compact design of electronic devices. The filled via technology we have established involves filling holes (vias) made by laser in flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) with an insulating layer of polyimide with copper, and flattening the surface of the filled areas. By using this FPC as the core layer or outer layer of build-up substrates, it becomes possible to achieve both high-density wiring and high-density mounting along with thinning. We plan to start providing build-up substrates using this technology within the fiscal year 2022, and furthermore, by applying this technology to our strength in high-frequency compatible FPCs, we will respond to the demand for miniaturization of communication devices.