Plasma Printing of an AISI316 Micro-Meshing Punch Array for Micro-Embossing onto Copper Plates

Abstract

Packaging using thermoplastic molding for hollowed GaN chips were requested for a leak-proof micro-joining between plastic molds and copper-based substrates. The design and engineering of micro-textures is a key technology for putting leak-proof packaging into practice. In the present paper, a micro-meshing punch array was prepared using plasma-nitriding-assisted printing. Two-dimensional original patterns were screen-printed onto an AISI316 die substrate and plasma nitrided at 673 K for 14.4 ks (or 4 h). The unprinted surfaces were selectively nitrogen super-saturated to have more nitrogen content than 5 mass% and a higher hardness than 1200 HV. The printed surfaces were selectively sand blasted to fabricate the micro-meshing punch array for micro-embossing. A computer numerically controlled stamping system was utilized to describe the micro-embossing behavior onto copper substrates and to investigate how the micro-textures on the array was transcribed onto the copper. Reduction of takt time as well as flexibility in the micro-grooving were discussed with reference to the picosecond laser machining and mechanical milling processes.

Keywords

• plasma printing
• micro-texturing
• screen printing
• low-temperature plasma nitriding
• selective anisotropic nitrogen embedding
• selective hardening
• sand blasting
• AISI316
• micro-meshing punch array
• copper plates