Qualcomm, IMEC ally on 3D integration research

LEUVEN, BELGIUM & SAN DIEGO, USA: IMEC, Europe’s leading independent nanoelectronics research institute, and Qualcomm Inc. announced that Qualcomm is the first fabless integrated circuit company to participate in IMEC’s industrial affiliation program (IIAP) on three-dimensional (3D) integration.

Qualcomm and IMEC researchers in the program will collaborate to understand and develop solutions for the use of 3D technologies in future wireless products.

"Now that Qualcomm, the world’s leading fabless integrated circuit provider, has joined the 3D integration program, we have all the major supply chain players working together," said Luc Van den hove, chief operation officer at IMEC. "We are confident that strong industry collaboration among foundries, IDMs, packaging and assembly companies, and equipment suppliers at IMEC will push the development of innovative 3D products forward."

IMEC’s 3D integration program explores three dimensional technology and design for application in various domains. The technology research program focuses on 3D wafer-level packaging and 3D stacked-ICs to find innovative solutions for the cost-effective use of 3D interconnects at different levels of the wiring hierarchy. The 3D system-on-chip design research program provides insights to its benefits, costs, challenges and solutions. The program will also include the development and demonstration of the IP and tools necessary for designing in three dimensions.

"Three-dimensional design will allow Qualcomm to offer superior features and performance in our products," said Jim Clifford, senior vice president and general manager, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "We are collaborating with IMEC because their research and technology expertise will help us to accelerate the implementation of 3D design in our products."

Other partners in IMEC’s 3D integration program are Amkor, Infineon, Intel, Micron, NEC, NXP, Panasonic, Qimonda, Samsung, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments and TSMC.