Suss Microtec (a back-end semiconductor tool vendor Germany) joins the Taiwan-based 3D chip integration equipment consortium Adstac. The company expects that the move secures a “strategic edge” in a booming future market.
Suss hopes to participate in the production value chain for a market it believes will offer strong growth in the future. A study predicted that between 2008 -2012, production volume is expected to be close to one billion units. Stacked memory devices and CMOS image sensors will make up for the largest part of 3D chips; also LEDs are going to jump onto the 3D train.
Suss will join a research program of the Taiwan-based Industrial Technology Research Institute. Within the scope of its research, the institute has set up Adstac (Advanced Stacked-System Technology and Application Consortium), a multinational consortium dedicated to set up a demo production line for 3D chip manufacturing on 300mm wafers.
Suss spokesperson said, “We want to join the research activities. This gives us a strategic position when commercial production will take off.”
source: eetimes.eu