March buzzed with innovation and collaboration in the semiconductor industry, as key players across the globe joined forces to advance technology, foster education, and address sustainability challenges. From groundbreaking product launches to strategic partnerships and workforce development initiatives, here are the highlights of 3D InCites members’ industry news, events, and advancements from the past month.
Intel’s Distinguished Supplier Award
Congratulations to six of our member companies who were selected to receive the prestigious Intel Distinguished Supplier Award:
“As one of the 27 Distinguished Supplier Award recipients in 2024, (each of these companies) stand out among suppliers in Intel’s trusted supply chain,” said Keyvan Esfarjani, chief global operations officer at Intel. “Through their relentless drive to improve, they have achieved a level of performance that consistently exceeds Intel’s expectations and serves as a benchmark across the ecosystem.”
Anniversaries and Events
Indium Corporation celebrated its 90th anniversary on March 13, 2024. Founded in Utica, NY, U.S. in 1934 by Dr. William S. Murray, the company has evolved into a premier supplier to various markets worldwide. Its innovative products, including advanced soldering solutions, are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, medical devices, and 5G technology. President and COO Ross Berntson emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, reflecting on its achievements and envisioning a prosperous future. Indium Corporation’s contributions extend beyond industry-leading products, encompassing community support and STEM education initiatives. Through its philanthropic arm, The Indium Corporation & Macartney Family Foundation, the company impacts thousands of lives annually.
SEMI’s SEMICON China hosted its inaugural Heterogeneous Integration International Conference (HIIC). The event featured a keynote from ASE‘s Ingu Yin Chang, who discussed the role of Heterogeneous Integration in the AI economy. Chang highlighted AI’s transformative impact and explored how complex silicon architectures and advanced packaging technologies are driving AI proliferation. He also discussed 3D integration technologies, emphasizing their role in advancing intelligence, connectivity, bandwidth, and performance while reducing latency and power consumption.
IMAPS celebrated its 20th Annual Device Packaging Conference in Fountain Hills Arizona. This conference serves as a dynamic platform for scientists, engineers, professors, students, and industry professionals to engage in conversations regarding innovation within device packaging. As official Industry Partners, 3D InCites and our members played a big role in the week of activities. Learn more here.
Collaboration:
Cadence announced an extensive expansion of its ongoing collaboration with NVIDIA, covering various domains including electronic design automation (EDA), system design and analysis, digital biology, and artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership, spanning over a decade, has seen NVIDIA heavily utilizing Cadence’s technology, particularly in AI-driven digital and custom integrated circuit (IC) design and verification solutions. The recent expansion introduces two new solutions aimed at revolutionizing design through accelerated computing and generative AI. Among the notable announcements are the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform for data center design in Omniverse, the Orion collaboration with BioNeMo for drug discovery, and collaboration in designing the NVIDIA GPU-accelerated Cadence Millennium AI supercomputer for multiphysics simulations.
Deca and Arizona State University (ASU) partnered to establish North America’s first fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) research and development center. The initiative aims to drive innovation in semiconductor manufacturing, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence and automotive electronics. The center will provide state-of-the-art technology and training, fostering new capabilities from proof of concept to pilot scale. ASU’s implementation of Deca’s M-Series™ fan-out and Adaptive Patterning® technologies aligns with the Department of Defense’s CHIPS and Science Act, bolstering America’s microelectronics leadership. Tim Olson, Deca’s CEO, highlighted the collaboration’s potential to accelerate innovation and strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry.
Veeco installed one of its WaferStorm Wet Processing Systems at Adeia’s San Jose, CA facility, for advanced packaging applications. The tool enables key hybrid bonding cleaning processes for 2.5/3D package technology development.
Dr. Laura Mirkarimi, Sr. Vice President of Engineering at Adeia, praised Veeco’s high-pressure spray technology for low defectivity and scalability. According to Yole Group, the advanced packaging market is projected to exceed $78 billion by 2028, driven by flip-chip, 2.5D/3D, and silicon phosphide technologies. Mathew Abraham, Vice President of Marketing for Veeco’s Wet Processing Product Line, highlighted Veeco’s role in enabling advanced packaging adoption.
In a joint announcement, SEMI and TechSearch International unveiled the latest edition of the Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database. This updated version boasts expanded coverage, now encompassing 670 facilities, marking a significant 33% increase from its predecessor. Among these facilities are 500 outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) service providers, alongside 170 integrated device manufacturer (IDM) facilities. Notably, the database stands as the sole commercially available listing offering comprehensive updates on packaging and testing services within the semiconductor industry.
Sustainability:
The Chief Operating Officer at Brewer Science shared insights with The Wall Street Journal regarding ongoing innovations in manufacturing to maintain the highest quality of materials and sustainability. Brewer Science’s efforts have led to significant reductions in impurities, such as aluminum ions, to less than one part per billion through meticulous measurement and testing processes. For further details, you can refer to The Wall Street Journal article.
Henkel celebrates 10 years of sustainable processing. In 2013, Henkel partnered with Solidaridad Network to support smallholder palm oil farmers, promoting sustainability on 340,000 hectares across seven countries. They impacted over 38,000 farmers, introduced digital solutions for transparency, and aimed for fair incomes and environmental protection. On Global Recycling Day, Henkel showcased progress in resource efficiency, including a new copper recycling plant and improved water treatment in India. These efforts move Henkel closer to its goal of achieving a fossil-free energy supply by 2030
Products:
Lam Research introduced the world’s first production-oriented pulsed laser deposition (PLD) tool to enable next-generation MEMS-based microphones and radio frequency (RF) filters. Lam’s Pulsus™ PLD system delivers aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) films with the highest scandium content available. This paves the way for advanced consumer and automotive devices with enhanced performance, capability, and functionality. Pulsus is now shipping to select specialty device manufacturers.
ASE announced the expansion of its VIPack™ platform’s advanced interconnect technology to meet growing demand for complex chiplet integration in AI applications. This technology allows for a significant reduction in chip-on-wafer interconnect pitch from 40um to 20um using micro bump technology, crucial for 2D and newer 3D packaging solutions. These innovations address performance challenges and empower customers to explore new efficiencies in semiconductor design and system
Solutions:
MRSI Systems has unveiled the MRSI-A-L Active Aligner, expanding its portfolio to include fiber and lens attachment for advanced optical packaging. This cutting-edge machine boasts up to 12 axes for versatility, featuring integrated pick & place capabilities, precise dispensing, machine vision technology, and active alignment for single and dual optical components. With capabilities such as control over reflective surface angles and laser beam profile measurement, the system is poised to revolutionize optical packaging across various applications. Dr. Limin Zhou, General Manager of MRSI Automation and Senior Director of Strategic Marketing at MRSI Systems, expressed excitement about the launch, highlighting the company’s commitment to innovation and meeting evolving customer needs in the optical industry.
Workforce Development:
SEMI commended the United States Department of Commerce’s Preliminary Memorandum of Terms for awarding support under the CHIPS and Science Act to establish four new semiconductor manufacturing sites for Intel Corporation in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon. Joe Stockunas, President of SEMI Americas, praised this move, highlighting its importance in enhancing the resilience of the domestic semiconductor supply chain amidst rising demand driven by artificial intelligence and digitalization. SEMI’s market research indicates significant growth in fab equipment investments in the Americas, projected to double from US$12 billion in 2024 to US$24.7 billion in 2027, thereby narrowing the gap with top spending regions in Asia and strengthening global supply chains.
Siemens Digital Industries Software announced its partnership with the Semiconductor Education Alliance to foster communities of practice in IC design and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industries. Founded by Arm in 2023, the alliance aims to bridge education and skills gaps in the semiconductor field by uniting industry, academia, and government stakeholders. Siemens’ involvement underscores its commitment to developing the semiconductor workforce and sharing resources and expertise. The alliance addresses the industry’s shortage of skilled workers, with projections indicating a need for over one million additional workers by 2030. Collaboration with Arm through this alliance aims to enhance talent pipelines and drive innovation to meet market demands.
Hiring:
Onto Innovation is hiring a SOX Auditor in Budd Lake, New Jersey, and a new Electro-Mechanical Technician in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Amkor Technology, Inc. seeks an eBusiness Project Manager in its Tempe, AZ, or San Jose, CA office. In this IT role, you will be working alongside Sales as the single point of contact for assigned customer accounts, responsible for managing customer projects.
Veeco is looking for an Electrical Engineer to join its team based in St. Paul, Minnesota.
March showcased a vibrant tapestry of innovation, collaboration, and commitment within the semiconductor industry. If you’d like to see your company’s news make an appearance let us know!
