3D packaging a growing market

ICOS Vision Systems, supplier of inspection solutions for the semiconductor industry, and IMEC, research centre in nanoelectronics and nanotechnology, have agreed to work together under a two-year joint exploration and development program (JEDP), in the inspection and metrology for 3D packaging.

According to market analysts, the market for 3D packaging will grow rapidly over the next few years, driven by the quest for smaller and higher performance integrated circuits (ICs).

Research will be performed at the IMEC laboratories and ICOS will provide technology and equipment for inspection and metrology.

The joint research program will concentrate on the development of several 3D packaging processes for ICs, including wafer level packaging (WLP), flip chip, systems-in-a-package (SiP) and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and on the optimisation of 3D metrology for these applications.

"Packaging is becoming an increasingly important part of semiconductor manufacturing and we are expanding our research efforts in the packaging field, including a large research program on 3D packaging," Gilbert Declerck, CEO of IMEC said.