What's holding up TSV adoption now?

One of the questions plaguing all of us waiting for the adoption of TSVs for 3D IC stacking is what's the hold up? We've been hearing about IT for so long, we're straining forward in our seats ready for take off. But it's complicated. While equipment and material processes have been proven to achieve sub $200/wafer cost, with $150/wafer as the next target, there are still limitations to be addressed, namely EDA tools, thermal management materials and processes, and test.

The quarterly issue of iMicronews' Advanced Packaging Newsletter arrived in my inbox today, and coincidentally two articles shed some light on progress with two of these limitations. Paul Magill's Wanted: Thermal Management Materials for 3D ICs explains Nextreme Thermal Solutions approach for using thermally active copper pillar bumps for acive side, back side and lateral cooling. In Will 3-D EDA Tools be Ready in Time? Sally Cole Johnson queries execs and design engineers at IBM, CEA Leti, R3Logic, and Cadence for answers to that million dollar question. (NOTE: If you're one of those people who gets upset when someone tells them how the book ends, don't read any further.) The conclusion? Mostly smoke and mirrors. All we know for sure is that they're working on it.

Mark your 3D event calendars

A few months back when Ziptronix first revealed details about its direct bond interconnect(DBI), CEO Dan Donabedian told me that one sign the market was ready for 3D integration processes was the demographic of attendees at conferences devoted to 3D IC packaging technologies. Rather than application and process engineers, he said, the seats are now occupied by marketing and business development people. So naturally that was the audience he targeted in his presentation at November’s 3-D Architectures for Semiconductor Integration and Packaging conference.

As we draw closer to adoption of these technologies, it’s important for all of us non-techies to get familiar these new processes, applications and market drivers. There are an assortment of upcoming events in the offering sessions and presentations on 3D.

SMTA’s Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium, Feb 10-12 on the island of Hawaii, offers a session on 3D assembly that I would suggest attending:

System-on-Wafer by The 3D All System Silicon Systems Technology consortium (Georgia Tech, Fraunhofer IZM),

Advanced Electrodeposition Technologies for 3D integration by Rozalia Beica and Paul Siblerud, Semitool, Inc.

Copper Electroplating Process for Next Generation Core Through-via Filling Stephen Kenny and Bernd Roelfs, Atotech Deutschland GmbH. I also hear the Luau is not to be missed.

Judging by the line-up at this year’s IMAPS International Device Packaging Symposium, the program organizers were on the ball with 3D topics. For example, a half-day professional course titled 3D Integration: Technology, Applications & Markets for 3D Integrated Circuits, lead by Phil Garrou of Microelectronics Consultants, is recommended for marketing and management people. As is the second half-day session lead by RPI’s James Jian-Qiang Lu titled 3D Integration and Packaging Technologies, Assessment, Status and Applications. And definitely don’t skip the And definitely don’t skip the 3D panel discussion: 3D Integration Technologies, Applications, and Roadmaps. There are also a plethora of sessions to choose from on TSV processes and other methods of 3D interconnect. It should be a great event. It was last year!

And finally,coming up in Nice, France on April 24th, Design Automation and Test in Europe (DATE) 2009 will tackle roadblocks to 3D adoption; process technology, architectures, esign methods and tools, and manufacturing test solutions. – F.V.T

La La La La - I can't HEAR you, I'm not listening

That's what I feel like saying everytime I see yet another report on the gloomy forecast for the semiconductor industry. The only thing that's changed in that broken record is how long the recovery will take. Blah Blah Blah. No thank you.

Here's what I believe. It's become a self fullfilling prophecy. It's really up to us. The longer we expect it to take, the longer it will take. I've decided it's going to get better starting now. Are you with me?

So here's one thing you'll never see on this blog - analysis of economic trends. And anyway, the market research folks at SEMI already do a great job compiling that data. I will, however, point readers in that direction when reports are released.

And incidentally, speaking of SEMI, if you haven't seen Tom Morrow's Semispice blog posting, Heard at ISS, it's worth a read, and good for a stress-relieving chuckle. - F.v.T.

Even the Magic 8 Ball couldn't have called it

In my last editorial as managing editor of Advanced Packaging magazine, I suggested we should turn to the Magic 8 Ball to predict the rebound of the semiconductor manufacturing industry. But even my trusty 8 Ball couldn't have predicted my fate a week later, when the decision was made to integrate Advanced Packaging into Solid State Technology. However, as I've been told by many pioneers of emerging technology in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, a down-turn in the economy is a great time to innovate. Thus the launch of this Blog. After all, career innovations count, don't they?

My final curtain call was an interview with Replisaurus CEO, Jim Quinn and CTO, Mike Thompson, who talked about how the company is in a great position to hit the ground running when the economy rebounds. Their big news was that it's subsidiary, Smart Equipment Technology (S.E.T) will collaborate with IMEC to develop die pick-and-place and bonding processes for 3D chip integration using S.E.T.'s flip chip bonder equipment. This will invariably open doors for the start-up's proprietary technology, electrochemical replication process (ECPR).

So that's the type of content readers can expect to find on this blog. After all, industry innovators without deep pockets for advertisng still need to get the word out about their progress. The success of this industry rests on the shoulders of such companies. I'm happy to do what I can to give them a leg up. F.v.T.