Dow Corning recently announced it has joined imec, a leading research center for the advancement of nano-electronics. The announcement reportedly signals expanded opportunities for both organizations to combine their expertise toward the development and broader adoption of 3D integrated circuit (IC) packaging technologies, wherein IC chips are stacked in vertical 3D architectures.

“This move is a natural and strategic step for Dow Corning and imec, as we both believe collaborative innovation is as critical to industry leadership as native expertise,” said Andrew Ho, Global Industry director for Advanced Semiconductor Materials at Dow Corning. “Our access to imec’s world-class resources and expertise will not only help us further refine our unique temporary bonding solution, it will allow imec to leverage that solution to advance integration of the 3D IC packaging process that they’ve been developing for years.”

By integrating multiple chips into a single package, 3D IC technology reportedly promises to reduce form factor and power consumption, and increase bandwidth to enable more efficient inter-chip communication for next-generation microelectronics devices. Yet, before 3D IC fabrication can see broader adoption, it will require innovative advances in materials and processing technologies.

For additional information, visit www.dowcorning.com or www.imec.be.