SMIC in China Enhances Advanced Packaging Initiatives with New Research Center to Innovate Performance Beyond Moore’s Law

As the leading semiconductor manufacturer in China, SMIC is turning its focus toward advanced packaging technologies. This shift comes in response to companies like NVIDIA harnessing such innovations to enhance chip performance beyond the established limits defined by Moore’s Law.

Strengthening Partnerships: SMIC’s Commitment to Advanced Packaging Solutions

In recent years, advanced packaging has emerged as a crucial strategy for semiconductor firms aiming to significantly elevate performance. Traditional scaling techniques that rely on miniaturizing transistors alone are becoming insufficient. Instead, the industry is looking to sophisticated backend semiconductor solutions, exemplified by TSMC’s Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) technology. As reported by DigiTimes, SMIC is launching a specialized research organization in Shanghai dedicated to pioneering technologies that will enable the company to progress beyond conventional limitations.

SMIC’s venture into advanced packaging isn’t unprecedented. The company previously formed a joint venture with JCET Group, focusing on technologies such as wafer bumping, wafer-level packaging (WLP), and chip-scale packaging (CSP).However, its existing offerings are not yet positioned as major players in the industry, lacking a competitive 2.5D/3D packaging solution akin to TSMC’s CoWoS or Intel’s Foveros.

Kirin 9000S for the Huawei P70 — Image of the Kirin 9000S produced on SMIC’s 7nm process / Image Credits – Bloomberg

However, developing a backend product is a complex endeavor that requires ultra-precision equipment, advanced interposers, and a robust manufacturing ecosystem. According to the report, the focus of SMIC’s initiative is to enhance collaboration between its wafer manufacturing and packaging/testing operations, indicating a strategic intent to deepen ties with external OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) partners. The urgency surrounding advanced packaging cannot be overstated, given its potential to reshape the semiconductor landscape.

The current demand for TSMC’s CoWoS and Intel’s Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) solutions is significant, particularly among high-performance computing (HPC) clients who recognize the advantages that advanced packaging offers. It is important to note that China’s semiconductor ambitions face challenges, particularly concerning the limitations of transistor miniaturization. While advanced packaging may not yield immediate transformative benefits, it represents a significant long-term investment for SMIC and the broader Chinese semiconductor sector.

Source & Images