Manufactured and developed in Switzerland, the VA-200 Wafer Mounter from Powatec is the ideal device for precisely bonding substrates to films, carriers, other wafers, and more..

The VA-200 was originally developed for a Silicon Carbide application and thus named the V-150 SiC, but it has since been rebranded as the VA-200 as its capabilities make this device an ideal solution in countless applications. 

Key Features

A unique setting of the VA-200 bonder is the adjustable duration of the mounting step. This setting ensures that the contact surface between the tape and wafer reaches a predetermined temperature when pressed together before moving on. This not only generates an extremely high-quality mount, but it also makes the process highly repeatable and consistent.

At the heart of the device is its precision-controlled vacuum chamber, which ensures an environment that optimizes wafer placement and adhesion, reducing defects and improving yield.

Operation

1. Place the wafer and tape-mounted frame into the chamber and set the desired temperature for each chuck, up to 150°C.
2. Once the “start” button is pressed, the device will proceed to execute the user-defined process steps automatically.
3. After pre-heating is complete, a vacuum is quickly created in the chamber and the wafer, frame, and tape are brought into contact with each other free of any air enclosures.
4. The tape and wafer are brought together at two different temperatures, so the device will hold the stack together for a period until the ideal temperature gradient is reached by the contact surface.
5. The mounted assembly is then lowered to the original position, the chamber is refilled with air, and the device opens the chamber for the removal of the sample.

Recipe System

The VA-200 can store up to 10 process recipes directly on the device, so a proven set of parameters is ready to run again with a single selection — no need to re-enter settings between jobs or operators.

Software & Process Modes

The VA-200’s control software runs in two distinct modes, so the same machine supports both process development and day-to-day production without compromise:

• Develop Process mode gives engineers full manual control over every process step — chamber timing, chuck speed, pressing force, and temperature gradients — for tuning a new process or qualifying a new material before it goes to the floor.
• Select Recipe mode locks operators into running a saved, validated recipe with a single selection, removing the chance of an operator changing a parameter mid-run. This is the mode used in production, where repeatability matters more than flexibility.

Access to Develop Process mode and recipe editing is protected by a configurable PIN, so production operators can run saved recipes freely while process changes stay limited to authorized personnel. The system also monitors for lid-mechanism obstructions during the automated cycle and will pause and alert if it detects a fault, so issues get caught rather than forced through.

Flexibility

The device’s flexibility allows the user to even control the duration of the pre-heating step, the speed at which the chamber opens and closes, the speed at which the bottom chuck lifts and lowers, and the force used to press the wafer and tape together.