Our Growth Foundation

R&D Activities and Intellectual Property

Basic R&D Policy
By developing functional materials and related processing technologies thatfuse our four core technologies in a sophisticated manner and conducting

Adhesive
applications

research that emphasizes dialogue with markets regarding user needs, we areworking to resolve customers’ technological issues, and through this process
are developing many innovative, market-leading products.
As a technology-centered company, we realize that strengthening R&DSystemdevelopment

Surface
improvement

capabilities is one of our most important management strategies for achieving
sustainable growth. Therefore, we are developing new high-value-added
products and environmentally friendly products with a particular focus on
growth businesses while also working to accelerate LINTEC’s globalization.

Specialty papers
and releasematerials
production

R&D System
The LINTEC Group’s R&D function is focused in the Research Center within theResearch & Development Division, which has approximately 200 research personnel.
With a complete array of the very latest analytical equipment, pilot coaters, and cleanroom facilities, the Research Center collaborates closely with production engineering
divisions to develop a range of coatings and other products. In the ﬁscal year 2014,
we plan to invest in the further construction of Research Center buildings to bolster
our R&D system. Our Ina Technology Center, also part of the Research & Development
Division, develops and manufactures a wide variety of equipment, particularly semiconductor-related equipment, and also label printing machines and labeling machines.
The Group also has an R&D base in Boston, in the United States, which mainly studies
creative technologies with possible application to adhesive products and industrial-use
multilayer materials, and researches the commercialization of these technologies. We
are not only conducting in-house R&D but are also proactively furthering technologicalalliances between industry, government, and academia. Our goal is to develop newtechnologies and products by integrating different technological areas.
Successful R&D Initiatives in the Fiscal Year under Review
In the ﬁscal year under review, the R&D expenses incurred by the Groupamounted to a total of ¥7.3 billion. The following is an overview of the principal
R&D activities conducted by each operational segment.

R&D Expenses by
Operational Segment in FY2013
8.5%
32.1%

R&D Expenses¥ Billion
8

7.3

59.4%

6
Printing and Industrial Materials Products

4¥2.3 billion
Electronic and Optical Products

2014¥4.3 billion
Paper and Converted Products
2004

2005

2006

2007

LINTEC ANNUAL REPORT 2013

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 FY¥0.6 billion

Printing and Industrial Materials Products

Printing and variable information products
In order to meet demand for labels, such as POP and eye-catching labels, that allow
easy reuse or recycling of containers after being removed, we developed labelmaterials using new adhesives. We launched these label materials, which arestrongly adhesive yet leave little glue when removed, as the REPOP brand. We also
added silicone low-adhesion items, which make sticking easier, to our REPOP
series lineup, making possible expansion to a variety of other applications.
In printing equipment-related products, we are developing printing machinesthat are optimally suited to the special characteristics of the Company’s labelmaterials. In the year under review, we continued to improve the LPM-300

REPOP

intermittent letterpress and develop low-priced printing machines for the Chinese
market. We also worked to develop equipment that combines roll-to-roll web
handling technologies and processing technologies.
Industrial and material products
We developed new manufacturing technologies for PV backsheets, used to protect
the backs of PV modules, launching the highly durable Reﬂekt series, which does
not use any adhesives in forming the multilayer structure. We also developed thenew product LAG JET U-IJ E-2203RC, a material for large-sized digital printing
used for glass decoration purposes. It is a silicone low-adhesion item that makes
possible clean and easy sticking through the release of air bubbles and water.
In industrial equipment-related products, meanwhile, our development activities
are centered on labeling systems for the automated application of adhesive labels
using LINTEC’s label materials. In the ﬁscal year under review, we continued tofocus on the development of equipment for the automobile, distribution, and mailorder industries.
Electronic and Optical Products

Semiconductor-related materials
Through the DBG+LE system that combines dicing before grinding (DBG) systemtechnology with LE tape technology, which can create tape that functions as bothdicing tape and die bonding tape, we made possible even thinner large-scale
integration (LSI) chips with more layers, which are suitable for solid state drives(SSDs) that are an alternative to hard disk drives.
In electronic equipment-related products, our development activities are centeredon application equipment that facilitates the efﬁcient use of the protection tapes
for wafer surfaces and dicing tapes used during semiconductor chip manufacturing
back-end processes. In the ﬁscal year under review, we continued to focus devel-Semiconductor-related equipment

opment efforts on equipment compatible with ultrathin silicon wafers as well as onprocessing methods and environmentally friendly equipment.

LINTEC ANNUAL REPORT 201315

Our Growth Foundation

R&D Activities and Intellectual Property

Optical functional materials
We developed adhesives for polarizing ﬁlms and touch screens used in mobileproducts. We also developed special ﬁlms that can control the region of diffusion
through proprietary optical design. We have expectations that these materials will
be used in displays and digital signage applications.
Paper and Converted Products

In specialty papers, we developed the new high-grade white printing paper Nuage,
which is suitable for offset printing, mimeograph printing, and a wide variety ofimprinting such as laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer, as well as being optimal for
on-demand printing. We also developed parking ticket paper that excels in being
easy to feed, punch, and apply magnetic coating to.
In release materials, with the goal of enhancing our lineup of environmentallyfriendly products, we launched two new release papers that are produced with nonsolvent formulations. We also developed a coating that curtails decreases in opticalproperties by preventing compounds leaking from polyester ﬁlms in hot

Nuage

environments.
Intellectual Property Activities
The LINTEC Group aims to increase corporate value by developing original productsthat meet customer needs. We therefore realize that intellectual property, such aspatents, trademarks, and design rights, are important management resources.

Patent Applications andApprovals (Japan)
500

290

Further, we have established the Intellectual Property Department within theResearch & Development Division. This department promotes strategic Companywide intellectual property activities that are absolutely essential to our existence

300240400336300

18020012010060

as a technology-centered company by handling patent application processes, vigilantly monitoring these rights to prevent infringement, participating in productdevelopment from the ﬁrst stages, and seeking to uncover new invention candidates at R&D sites.
The Company places the utmost emphasis on observing the intellectual property

2009

2010

2011

rights of other companies as well as increasing the number and quality of patent

Total Applications

applications and rights acquisitions. Accordingly, we are working to expand andApprovals (right scale)build our portfolio of patents for foundation businesses and growth businesses, toprovide intellectual property support for operations shifting to overseas locations,and to train more employees with a view to advancing and accelerating development
processes. Through those efforts, we aim to improve proﬁtability based on our
intellectual property.

160

LINTEC ANNUAL REPORT 20132012 2013 FY0

R&D Topics
At the forefront of semiconductor-related tape development
LINTEC’s semiconductor-related business began in 1984 with the development of a ﬁxing tapeproduct to be used in the wafer cutting process. It was a tape called dicing tape that held the wafer
ﬁrm with great adhesive strength at the time of cutting and then after cutting was irradiated withultraviolet rays to reduce the adhesive strength, making it possible to cleanly and easily pick up thechips one by one. LINTEC’s technology, which allowed predictable control of adhesiveness, createda revolution in the industry, and the Company has since launched many such high-performance
products onto the market under the Adwill (Adhesion Level at Will) brand. LINTEC boasts thehighest market share in the global dicing tape market and is also establishing a strong positionin the surface protection tape ﬁeld.
Semiconductor chip manufacturing back-end processes

Wafer following
circuit formation

Lamination of
surface protection tapeDicing(wafer cutting)

UV irradiationof tape

ReverseBack grinding(wafer thinning)

Lamination ofdicing tape

Picking up

Die bonding

Recently in the semiconductor industry, in order to make the semiconductor package even smaller

ReverseRemoval of
surface protection tapeMolding

Various methods for mounting chipsand slimmer and to simplify processes, rather than using the wire bonding method whereby chips

Chip

are connected to the substrate with wires, it is becoming common to use either the ﬂip chip

Wire
Adhesivemounting or the through-silicon via method. In the ﬂip chip mounting, bump electrodes are formedon the circuit side of the chip, and the chip is ﬂipped so that the circuit side is facing downward

Wire bonding

when it is mounted on and connected to the substrate. In the through-silicon via method, holes

Substrate

Chip

are made in the chips themselves and electrodes passed through the chips, which are layered, so
as to connect each layer to the substrate. Accompanying the common use of these methods, aslarge bump electrodes are formed on the circuit side and reverse side of the wafer, development

Flip Chip

Bump electrodeAdhesive
Substrateof surface protection tape and dicing tape able to withstand unevenness on both sides has becomeChipa major research theme.

Through-silicon via
Bump electrode

LINTEC is also expanding its development to include the ﬁeld of materials directly used in

Adhesivethe composition of semiconductor packages. An example is adhesive used for chip mounting

Chipand stacking. As mounting technologies evolve, demand is arising for adhesives that allow bumpelectrodes to completely break through and come into contact with lower layers. We are also

Substrate
Through-silicon via

developing and proposing unique products based on our entirely proprietary ideas and technologies,
such as back surface protection tape with improved heat dissipation for use in ﬂip chip mounting
and sealant tape that can be used in a wider range of ﬁelds than difﬁcult-to-handle liquid resins.
We will continue to leverage the special features of our adhesive tapes and bring innovation toBack surface protection tapefor ﬂip chip mounting
Tapesemiconductor manufacturing processes going forward.

LINTEC ANNUAL REPORT 201317