Applied Materials, IME Join Hands For Advanced Packaging Centre

 

The centre will focus on developing new capabilities in advanced packaging which is a key growth market for the semiconductor industry.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011:  Applied Materials, a manufacturing solutions provider for the semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic industries, has entered into an agreement with the Institute of Microelectronics (IME) to set up a centre of excellence in advanced packaging in Singapore. Located at Singapore's Science Park II, the centre will focus on developing new capabilities in advanced packaging which is a key growth market for the semiconductor industry. It will have a full line of Wafer Level Packaging (WLP) processing equipment and will conduct research in semiconductor hardware, process, and device structures.

A growing number of chip manufacturers have been adopting WLP, a type of chip packaging done at the wafer level to streamline the manufacturing process. Typically, multiple chips are vertically stacked in a single package, called a 3D-IC, and connected using through-silicon via (TSV) technology - to deliver higher performance and functionality in a smaller area package. Applied expects many advanced logic devices at the 40nm and below technology nodes to be packaged at the wafer level.

Russell Tham, regional president, Applied Materials South East Asia, said, "This collaboration is part of Applied Materials' strategy to expand our global R&D network and extend our leading position in advanced packaging, bringing our development activities closer to our customers in Asia."

According to Professor Dim-Lee Kwong, executive director of IME, "The centre is an excellent example of strategic partnerships fostered between two critical players in the global semiconductor value chain. Such a close collaboration will spur the growth of next-generation equipment and translate into greater share of the semiconductor market in Asia and the world for Applied Materials, and position Singapore as the country of choice for global semiconductor R&D."

IME boasts of advanced R&D capabilities in 3D-ICs using TSV technology which is expected to drive future generations of mobile electronic devices. IME's capabilities in this area and its expertise and commitment to building the 300mm facility - one of the most advanced semiconductor R&D facilities in Asia - will enable IME to support Applied Materials' product development initiatives.