Plasma Replaces KOH in LCP Metallization — Why Malaysia's Packaging Hubs Should Care
A Semiconductor Engineering demonstration shows dry plasma treatment can prepare liquid crystal polymer surfaces for metal adhesion without caustic wet chemistry — a shift with direct relevance to Penang and Kulim's advanced packaging industry.
Semiconductor Engineering has published a technical demonstration showing that optimized plasma processing can achieve effective surface roughening and activation on liquid crystal polymer (LCP), making plasma a viable alternative to potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet etching in LCP metallization. In plain terms: the chemical-heavy preparation step that makes metal stick to this advanced packaging material can potentially go dry. For Malaysian chip packaging and flexible circuit manufacturers — concentrated in the Penang–Kulim corridor — this is process technology worth evaluating now, as the country pushes from assembly and test into higher-value advanced packaging under the National Semiconductor Strategy.
AI Summary
Semiconductor Engineering has published a technical demonstration showing that optimized plasma processing can achieve effective surface roughening and activation on liquid crystal polymer (LCP), making plasma a viable alternative to potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet etching in LCP metallization. In plain terms: the chemical-heavy preparation step that makes metal stick to this advanced packaging material can potentially go dry. For Malaysian chip packaging and flexible circuit manufacturers — concentrated in the Penang–Kulim corridor — this is process technology worth evaluating now, as the country pushes from assembly and test into higher-value advanced packaging under the National Semiconductor Strategy.
Key Takeaways
- Plasma treatment — a dry process using ionised gas — has been demonstrated to achieve the surface roughening and activation that LCP needs before metal can adhere, doing the job KOH does today.
- KOH is a caustic wet etchant. It works, but it brings chemical purchasing, handling, safety controls, and wastewater disposal obligations that a dry plasma step largely removes.
- LCP sits in high-frequency and flexible electronics packaging — a segment growing alongside AI hardware, where advanced packaging carries an increasing share of chip value.
- Malaysian packaging
Sources & References
AIBlog summarises and analyses published information. We do not reproduce full source text. Analysis is editorial and not financial or legal advice.
