A critical step toward enabling the next wave of advanced packaging
Driving the news: Lam researchers have detailed new Kiyo® etch solutions for processing high-bow wafers bonded on glass carriers in a peer-reviewed paper, Etch Solutions for High Bow Wafers Bonded on Glass Carrier for Heterogeneous Integration.
- Heterogeneous integration combines different chips, logic, memory, sensors, or photonics, into a single advanced package, delivering higher performance and efficiency than any single chip can achieve.
- Built on the proven Kiyo etch platform, the breakthrough combines advanced electrostatic chuck (ESC) technology, next-generation robotics, and precise process control to reliably handle complex wafer stacks. ESCs use electrostatic force—think static electricity—to hold wafers flat and cool without mechanical clamps.
Why it matters: As chipmakers push beyond Moore’s Law, advanced packaging (stacking logic, memory, and specialty dies into one system) has become the key to unlocking new performance gains. But these designs also create extreme stress on wafers, along with warpage and handling complexity. Lam’s etch innovations make these processes manufacturable at scale, necessary for leadership in advanced packaging.
How it works:
- Managing wafer bow: New ESC and handling systems flatten warped wafers, protecting yield.
- Adapting to glass carriers: Robotics and sensors reliably manage transparent and heavy substrates.
- Ensuring process transparency: Etch performance remains consistent across both silicon and glass carrier wafers, thereby lowering customer risk.
The bottom line: With these advancements, Lam strengthens its leadership in enabling the next generation of heterogeneous integration. Customers can scale advanced packaging with confidence, relying on Lam’s etch technology for their own success.
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