Did you get your ECTC Advanced Program and Registration in the mail yet? Mine arrived yesterday, and I was pleased to see that this year’s Electronics Components and Technologies Conference (ECTC 2018), which takes place May 29-June 1, will be all about the new technology darlings driving development in heterogeneous integration: artificial intelligence, the human-machine interface, wearables, Big Data, with only small dose of autonomous vehicles thrown in for good measure. I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown weary of automotive electronics keynotes and panel discussions. It’s time to move on. I’m also happy that this is the year ECTC is at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Personally, it’s my favorite of the three rotating locations, the other two being Orlando and Las Vegas.
Get ready for information overload, with more than 360 technical papers in 36 sessions and five interactive poster sessions presented by speakers from over 20 countries. Topics cover the latest developments in fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP), wafer-level and flip-chip packaging (WLP), 3D TSV technologies, design for RF performance and signal and power integrity, thermal and mechanical modeling, optoelectronics packaging, materials, and reliability. Add to that 18 professional courses, six special sessions featuring industry experts that take us well into the evenings, not to mention the Women’s Panel and Reception (men are welcome to attend the women you may even learn something!) If that’s not enough to keep you busy, ITherm, is co-located with ECTC this year and has its own packed line up.
My focus, as always, will be on the keynotes and special sessions that are will impact heterogeneous integration and 3D integration technologies. This year, it looks like that means all but the first: Soft Material-enabled Electronics for Medicine, Healthcare, and Human-Machine Interfaces. For those of you working on the development of flexible hybrid electronics, however, this session is not to be missed as it will talk about recent advancements enabling the design of unusual electronics in wearable and implantable configurations.
Tuesday, May 29, from 2-3: 30 pm, I’ll be learning about new assembly methods that enable heterogeneous integration of miniaturized, high-performance semiconductor devices, followed by a panel session in the evening on IC/package co-design for heterogeneously integrated systems, from 7:45-9pm.
Wednesday, I’m looking forward to two events focused on AI: the luncheon keynote by Boon Chye Ooi, Senior VP, Global Operations, Broadcom Ltd. Ooi will discuss the cost and supply chain implications of packaging advancements that enable AI, autonomous cars, and wearables. He will explain why it’s important for 2D enhanced, 3D and fan-out to be cost-competitive and multi-sourced, while also keeping up with performance and reliability requirements.
We will continue the AI conversation during the evening plenary session led by Intel’s Kemal Aygun, during which panelists from GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM, Microsoft, Samsung, and Georgia Tech will talk about the requirements and challenges for future AI hardware systems, as well as its impact on electronic system design and manufacturing.
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Thursday evening from 8pm-9:30, be sure to catch the EPS Seminar Co-chaired by Yasumitsu Orii, Nagase, Japan; and Sheigenori Aoki, Fujitsu. The topic of discussion will be high-density packaging technologies in the era of Big Data. Panelists from Fujitsu, IBM Research, JCET StatsChipPac, Shinko and Hitachi Chemical will talk about how the paradigm shift from chip scaling to system scaling will re-invent microelectronics and help sustain Moore’s Law.
Will all that content to process, it’s a good thing the ECTC committee balances things out with an exhibitors reception Wednesday and the annual Gala Reception Thursday, where attendees can relax, unwind, enjoy food and drinks, and exchange ideas with their peers.
If you didn’t get your advance program, you can download it here. A program this packed requires careful strategy to make the most of your week. Good luck and hope to see you there! ~ FvT
