People

Dr. Jack Sun, Senior Vice President of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University - The Journey from Hydrogen Atoms to 3D ICs: Innovation, Legacy and System Scaling [ 下載 PDF ]

Claire Lin

Process Metrology and Inspection Technologies for 3D IC Heterogeneous Integration and Advanced Packaging

Special Issue Introduction to “Process Metrology and Inspection Technologies for 3D IC Heterogeneous Integration and Advanced Packaging” [ 下載 PDF ]

Kuan-Neng Chen

Advanced Packaging for Heterogeneous Integration: Applications, Significance, and the TSRI CoCoB Technology Platform [ 下載 PDF ]

Po-Chang Wu

The rapid expansion of AI/HPC and edge computing is driving semiconductor development beyond traditional monolithic SoC scaling. Advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration (HI) have emerged as key enablers for improving system-level performance, bandwidth, and energy efficiency through chiplet-based system-in-package (SiP) architectures. This report introduces the TSRI CoCoB (Chip-on-Chip-on-PCB) platform, a research-oriented 2.5D/3D integration solution that adopts die-level fine-pitch interconnects and a TSV-based silicon interposer to support scalable chip stacking and board-level integration. The CoCoB platform provides standardized design rules and an EDA-supported verification flow, enabling reproducible prototyping and electrical evaluation of heterogeneous systems. By lowering the barrier to advanced packaging, CoCoB plays an important role in accelerating academic research and bridging IC innovation to system-level validation.

Analysis of Required Materials, Chemicals, and Supply Chain Roles from the Evolution of Advanced Packaging Processes [ 下載 PDF ]

Hou-fu Chen, An-pang Tu, Yun-jung Wu, Chia-hung Wu

As the scaling cost of advanced semiconductor nodes continues to rise, advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration have become key technologies for sustaining system performance improvement. This article reviews the development of major advanced packaging architectures, including 2.5D IC, TSV-based 3D IC, fan-out packaging, and hybrid bonding, together with their associated process characteristics and engineering challenges. The roles and requirements of critical chemical materials used in advanced packaging processes-such as photoresists, wet chemicals, copper electroplating solutions, packaging resins, and thermal management materials-are also discussed. In addition, issues related to high-density interconnection, thermal management, material compatibility, interface reliability, and ESG sustainability trends are examined. The study further highlights how chemical material suppliers are evolving from conventional raw material providers into essential technical partners in advanced packaging process integration.

Ultrafast Lasers Accelerating the Development of 3DIC Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration [ 下載 PDF ]

Jiunn Yih Chyan

Surging AI and HPC power requirements have pushed traditional packaging to its thermal and bandwidth limits, driving a revolution in advanced materials. Silicon carbide (SiC), with 3x the thermal conductivity of silicon and a compatible CTE, is now the premier choice for 3D IC thermal management. Meanwhile, glass substrates offer high-I/O density, superior rigidity, and low dielectric loss, serving as a dual-pathway for both optical and electrical signals—perfect for chiplet integration. By utilizing ultrafast lasers for 'cold' ablation, we achieve precise micromachining on SiC and glass without the risk of thermal stress or micro-cracks. This synergy optimizes SiC’s cooling performance for GPU/HBM architectures and accelerates the deployment of glass in co-packaged optics (CPO), paving the way for the next generation of kW-scale AI modules and integrated optoelectronics.

Process Parameters and Inspection/Metrology Methods for Heterogeneous Integration-oriented Advanced Packaging [ 下載 PDF ]

Tang-Chin Hung

Driven by AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), 3D IC heterogeneous integration has become a key pathway for improving system performance beyond conventional device scaling(1-3). This article provides a technology-oriented overview of the engineering principles and development trends of TSVs, hybrid bonding, wafer thinning, temporary bonding/debonding, wet cleaning/etching, wafer reclaim, and nondestructive inspection/metrology. Quantitative metrics, including thermal resistance, junction temperature, RC delay, wafer warpage, interfacial debonding energy, defect escape rate, and gage repeatability and reproducibility, are used to link process parameters, material choices, metrology feedback, and overall chip-system performance. The article also summarizes global and domestic development status, autonomous technology advantages in Taiwan, key technology gaps, complementary collaboration opportunities, and future trends in inspection and metrology equipment.

Advanced Packaging Failure Analysis: Core Challenges and Integrated Inspection Workflow from Localization to Nanoscale TKD Verification [ 下載 PDF ]

Pei-Ju Chiu

As semiconductor process scaling approaches physical limits, 2.5D/3D heterogeneous integration technologies have emerged as the critical path for extending Moore's Law and enhancing system performance. However, high-density interconnects and multi-layered heterogeneous material stacks have shifted failure mechanisms from single chips to complex packaging interfaces. This paper systematically introduces a comprehensive analytical workflow integrating electrical localization (EMMI/LIT), non-destructive structural inspection (Nano-CT/SAM), and precision ion beam cross-sectioning (PFIB). Furthermore, it highlights the decisive role of transmission kikuchi diffraction (TKD) technology in verifying the bonding quality of nanocrystalline copper (nc-Cu) under 100 nm. Through the integration of multi-scale inspection techniques, macro-level electrical failures can be accurately traced back to micro-level crystal dynamics, providing scientific process feedback for the development of next-generation Hybrid Bonding.

Development Status and Trends of Thermal Interface Materials for Advanced Packaging [ 下載 PDF ]

Chun-Hao Chen, Shu-Hui Tay

As the power consumption, memory bandwidth, and packaging integration density of AI computing platforms continue to increase, thermal management has become a critical issue affecting the performance and reliability of advanced packaging. This review summarizes the current status and emerging trends of thermal interface materials (TIMs) for advanced packaging. First, the differences among TIM1, TIM2, and TIM1.5 architectures are discussed in terms of heattransfer paths, interfacial thermal resistance, and package-level thermal design. Conventional TIMs, including thermal greases, thermal pads, polymer-based composite TIMs, and phase-change materials, are then reviewed, with emphasis on their limitations in thermal conductivity and longterm reliability. Subsequently, metal-based TIMs, such as low-melting-point solder alloys, Ga-based liquid metals, and preformed indium interlayers, are introduced. These materials possess higher intrinsic thermal conductivity and can form continuous metallic heat-transfer pathways with chip metallization layers, making them promising candidates for AI advanced packaging. Representative case studies of the In32.5Bi16.5Sn/Cu system and In-based TIMs are further discussed to clarify the relationship between interfacial evolution and thermal resistance. These examples demonstrate that the practical thermal performance of metal-based TIMs is governed not only by their bulk thermal conductivity, but also by interfacial reactions, intermetallic compound formation, elemental diffusion, and metallization stability. Finally, the potential applications of emerging TIMs, including high-thermal-conductivity fillers and sintered Ag/Cu materials, in future AI packaging thermal
management are discussed.

Column

Miniaturized Electromagnetic Robust Fiber-optic Microphone [ 下載 PDF ]

Cheng-Yang Liu, Po-Hung Li, Wei-Chun Chen, Wei-Hsuan Huang

This study presents a high-sensitivity, miniaturized fiber-optic Fabry-Perot acoustic microphone that integrates a capillary-tube structure with a hydrogel diaphragm to achieve wideband optical acoustic pressure sensing. The sensing head has an overall size of approximately 125 μm×170 μm, demonstrating a highly compact form factor. Experimental results show that, when operated at a wavelength of 1550 nm, the proposed microphone exhibits stable and linear frequency response over a range from 100 Hz to 10 kHz. For hydrogel concentrations of 40% and 80%, the achieved sensitivities reach 122 mV/Pa and 410 mV/Pa, respectively. Owing to its simple structure, low fabrication cost, and strong immunity to electromagnetic interference, the proposed sensor is well suited for applications in cochlear implants, hearing aids, medical devices, and consumer electronics.