ECSEL JU Project EuroPAT-MASIP

The high demand and consumer requirements, in markets such as wireless communication applications, have always been strong technology drivers for advanced packaging. The process of finding new solutions for increased performance, improved form factors and reduced costs is ongoing.

The progress made in packaging technologies for consumer products are later transferred and adapted to more demanding applications, such as automotive, industrial, medical/healthcare and aerospace, after a wide market acceptance and technology maturity have been reached.

Even though research and development activities in electronics are still in a major part done in Europe, 90 % of the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain has moved to Asia-Pacific during the past 2-3 decades. The increasing complexity of electronic systems creates a chance to bring back manufacturing and packaging value chain to Europe, as the need for advanced packaging, for instance multiple sensor integration into system-in-package increases. In order to achieve the impacts, there is a need for a collaborative approach along the value chain, via new business models.

The EuroPAT-MASIP project will reinforce the European semiconductor manufacturing position through focusing in the semiconductor and MEMS packaging ecosystem. Semiconductor packaging, assembly and test involve most of the semiconductor value chain, ranging from material suppliers to software design and packaging foundries to test houses. EuroPAT-MASIP will consolidate and extend the leadership in semiconductor processing know-how, by developing and fostering packaging related technological and manufacturing building blocks, serving different (emerging) industrial sectors. EuroPAT-MASIP will develop:

• Modelling, design and simulation of packaging related key features and challenges
• The key packaging technologies, equipment and materials
• Heterogeneous (3D) integration of the smart system building blocks (More than More, MtM) and System in Package (SIP);
• Test strategy including metrology, methods and equipment, reliability and failure analysis

Furthermore, the project will accelerate the manufacturing uptake of the new technologies and shortening time-to-market by demonstrating the new capabilities industrial need based Application Pilots. The automotive industries related Application Pilots utilize manufacturing science but are based on industrial partner’s needs capabilities and needs, and thus industry-compatible.

EuroPAT-MASIP will increase the competitiveness and the global market share of the European semiconductor industry by fostering the competence and capabilities of semiconductor packaging. The project’s consortium will take steps to facilitate the collaboration of European semiconductor and MEMS packaging ecosystem, in order to assuring a co-creation network after the project have completed. EuroPAT-MASIP will actively promote the capabilities and the related ecosystem, feeding also to attracting talent and academic education issues. Ultimately, the project results will increase the attractiveness for private investments and talent by developing and promoting the key capabilities to match the future needs of European industries and emerging technology drivers.