Camtek joins industry alliance to develop advanced 3D semiconductor packaging

MIGDAL HAEMEK, ISRAEL: Camtek Ltd has entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) with IBM Corp. and will be joining a new industry alliance aimed at optimizing systems and processes for next-generation three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor packaging.

Camtek has a significant role in providing advanced optical inspection and metrology R&D expertise for the new development program.

Following the semiconductor front-end model, the new IBM-led R&D collaboration is bringing together a world-class ecosystem of companies to focus specifically on packaging development.

The joint development effort is leveraging the joint resources of key manufacturers, suppliers and customers, and it will create leading-edge packaging centers to develop end-to-end 3D packaging solutions for the industry - establishing a host of new best-known-methods for the semiconductor back-end.

The work will be centered in New York's Tech Valley - a region in Eastern New York State that stretches from Montreal to just north of New York City - and is one of the world's leading epicenter's for nanotechnology R&D.

The new generation of 3D packaging will utilize multiple stacked semiconductor layers with vertical connections between them. Compared to 2D devices, the new 3D devices will enable higher performance with lower power consumption, as well as greater bandwidth and the integration of mixed technologies.

To be successful, these complex next-generation 3D packages will require more advanced defect detection abilities and more advanced metrology tools. To address that critical need, Camtek's new automated optical inspection (AOI) system, will be used in the joint development collaboration, to meet the challenge. The Camtek tool will be delivered in the second quarter of 2010.

"We are extremely gratified that Camtek is now an inspection partner in the IBM-led semiconductor packaging R&D ecosystem," said Roy Porat, Camtek's General Manager. "We're looking forward to contributing our inspection experience to this prestigious industry group and we hope to build significant R&D competencies by helping bring advanced packaging to the next level."