Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., and the Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore, announce a five-year extension of their research collaboration at the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Packaging in Singapore. The organizations will expand the scope of their R&D collaboration to focus on advancing Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP), a key technology expected to help make chips and end-user devices smaller, faster, and more power-efficient.
FOWLP is considered a key technology platform for system scaling, enabling multiple chips to be integrated in a small form factor on a single package. With FOWLP capable of providing significant benefits for the mobile and wireless markets, increased investment in the sector could help propel Singapore’s standing as a global hub for semiconductor R&D.
The Institute of Microelectronics (IME) is a research institute of the Science and Engineering Research Council of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A-Star). It is positioned to bridge the R&D gap between academia and industry. Through a successful alliance with its private sector partners across the value chain, A-Star has contributed to Singapore’s vibrant research, innovation and enterprise ecosystem. In 2014, A-Star and ten other industry partners launched four Advanced Semiconductor Joint Labs to provide an integrated platform for complex microchip manufacturing R&D.
With an anticipated additional $135 million of combined investment, the Centre will expand to a second location at Fusionopolis 2, in addition to the existing facility at Singapore’s Science Park II. The two facilities combined will span an area of approximately 1700 square meters and be staffed by a team of close to 100 researchers, scientists, and engineers. The Centre was built to develop new capabilities in advanced packaging through a full line of Applied Materials’ Wafer-Level Packaging (WLP) processing equipment.
Through its work at the Centre, Applied Materials has developed technology that has been successfully implemented in several of its semiconductor equipment products. In addition, the extension of the collaboration highlights the important role a successful public-private partnership plays in creating value and building up differentiated competencies for Singapore.
