Singapore launches $200m semiconductor joint labs

A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and its 10 industry partners have launched four joint laboratories, representing a commitment of S$200m between private and public sectors.

The Advanced Semiconductor Joint Labs will develop and advance semiconductor technologies for future electronics markets. The industry partners involved in this international collaboration are: Applied Materials, Dai Nippon Printing, DISCO, KLA-Tencor, Mentor Graphics, Nikon, Panasonic Factory Solutions Asia Pacific, PINK, Tokyo Electron and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo.

While expectations are for smart devices to sustain a compact form factor, consumers also expect powerful performance and low power consumption. The challenge for the semiconductor industry is to meet these needs by addressing system and integration scaling in the electronics market. The four joint labs in lithography, wafer level packaging (WLP), metrology and assembly, will provide an integrated platform for semiconductor research and development, starting with patterning, further development of 3D integrated circuits (IC), quality control and finally, the assembly and high-volume manufacturing of chips.

The joint labs build on the successful model of the IME-Applied Materials Centre of Excellence. Together, the four labs will enable the development of innovative semiconductor technologies and allow partners to undertake solutions-oriented semiconductor research and development and facilitate commercialisation. This international partnership also bears testament to the industry relevance of IME’s deep research capabilities and will encourage further development of solutions for global implementation.

Professor Dim-Lee Kwong, executive director of IME, said, “These joint labs further demonstrate our ability to build a global network of partnerships that stretch across the supply chain. These collaborations will encourage semiconductor R&D that is relevant for industry and provide solutions for a rapidly evolving global electronics market. Through this integrated platform, our partners can leverage A*STAR IME’s technologies and expertise to develop innovative technologies and products to address challenges in the semiconductor industry.”