Fabrication of high-density pitch adapters by laser ablation

Abstract

High Energy Physics experiments make extensive use of micro-strip silicon sensors for tracking purposes. However, the high granularity of the modern detectors makes the connection between the segmented sensor channels and the readout electronics very complex. Enhancing the complexity, a direct connection is not possible in most of the cases due to the mismatch between the detector pad pitch and the electronics. A new method based on laser technology is presented for the fabrication of pitch adapters. In this new method the high-density metal traces are manufactured by means of laser ablation of the metal layer deposited on top of a substrate. Glass, Kapton and Silicon substrates were metal coated and tested for the fabrication of pitch adapters. Finally, a metal-on-glass prototype has been successfully manufactured and tested for electrical conductivity, bondability and metrology. Detectors have been assembled using this pitch adapters design and tested in particle beams at CERN.