When I was first asked why I had not yet covered the “US Joint Consortium” I responded “tongue in cheek” that I would leave that for Cheech and Chong. However, with the recent announcement of 3M joining the consortium and my subsequent understanding of the involvement of my old friend, Hidenori Abe of Resonac, and other major Japanese players like Namics, TOK and Toppan, IFTLE decided that a closer look was indeed warranted.
The US-JOINT consortium, formed of semiconductor suppliers looking to advanced packaging and back-end processing technologies in California’s Silicon Valley, has welcomed 3M as its newest member.
3M has been a supplier of materials and processing aids for semiconductor polishing, advanced packaging, and chip transport applications.
Formed in 2023 by semiconductor and electronics specialist Resonac, US-JOINT supports end-customer collaboration to verify requirements for semiconductor packaging of advanced devices and validate new concepts in development. The consortium drives research and development in next-generation semiconductor advanced packaging and back-end processing technologies
The group has a research and development (R&D) site in Union City, California, which was set up through co-investment with the partners. The new US-JOINT Consortium R&D facility is expected to be unveiled later this year.
The companies in the US-JOINT Consortium represent US and Japanese innovation leaders in a range of advanced packaging technologies. Other members of US-JOINT include Azimuth, KLA, Kulicke & Soffa, Moses Lake Industries, MEC, ULVAC, NAMICS, TOK, TOWA, and Resonac.
US-JOINT expands the activities of Japan-based open consortiums “JOINT” and “JOINT2”
led by Resonac into the U.S. and includes the participation of five U.S.-based companies. US-JOINT R&D will take place in Union City, Calif., set up through co-investment with the partners. The construction of cleanrooms and equipment installation is expected to be fully operational in 2025.
“Today’s rapidly expanding next-generation semiconductors for generative AI and autonomous driving require new approaches to advanced packaging technologies, such as 2.5D and 3D……. In recent years, major semiconductor manufacturers and fabless companies in Silicon Valley, have been designing semiconductors in-house and creating new concepts in back-end packaging. This is where the US-JOINT consortium can contribute significantly with our leading technology in materials and equipment on-shore in the U.S.” said Hidenori Abe, CTO of Electronics Business at Resonac.
Abe continued “Advanced packaging and back-end processing of semiconductors has traditionally been located primarily in Asia. Bringing packaging R&D closer to major semiconductor device makers in Silicon Valley will help to further advance the technology and solve technical issues, especially in the areas that other U.S. consortiums do not cover enough, including advancements in the substrate, interposer and fabrication of the package”
Intel: Is the End Near?
Intel has scrapped product launches and slowed its process technology roadmap as it embarks on a path toward a rebound that will take years, according to analysts surveyed by EE Times.
Last week, Intel reported that the company swung to a loss of $126 million in Q4 2024 from a profit of $2.67 billion in the same period a year earlier.
EDN reports a Bloomberg report about TSMC in talks for a controlling stake in Intel Foundry at the Trump administration’s request. The Wall Street Journal threw another stunner about Broadcom considering a bid for Intel’s CPU business.
Pat Gelsinger, the company’s former CEO, made an ill-fated bid to take Intel into the chip contract manufacturing business, which eventually became a semiconductor giant.
Meanwhile, it continued to lose market share in its bread-and-butter CPU business to archrival AMD and largely ceded the artificial intelligence (AI) chips boom to Nvidia. According to Bloomberg, the previous U.S. administration reportedly considered Intel Foundry’s merger with GlobalFoundries (GF), which produces older generation chips and abandoned cutting-edge process nodes years ago.
The present U.S. administration reportedly is engaging TSMC to take partial ownership of Intel’s fabs.
However, Bloomberg reports that these talks are in an early stage and it’s not clear what’s in it for TSMC. While TSMC expressed its lack of interest in Intel’s foundries a few months ago, its about-face on this matter seems to be linked to the current geopolitical turmoil and reported eminent tariffs. It will be interesting to see where this leads.
Broadcom eying Intel’s CPU business
The Wall Street Journal, (citing people familiar with the matter) is reporting that Broadcom is studying the possibility of acquiring Intel’s chip design business. If this matures alongside TSMC’s potential takeover of Intel Foundry, it’ll be the end of the road for the Intel brand as we know it.
Like the TSMC matter, Broadcom’s talks regarding Intel are reportedly preliminary and largely informal. Furthermore, Broadcom will only proceed if Intel finds a manufacturing partner.
Some may say that this could not be possible. However, having lived through the demise of Digital Equipment, and the unraveling of Motorola, IBM and NEC, IFTLE takes the position of “anything is possible” …..
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