Core Viewpoint - The establishment of the AIC Fund marks a significant breakthrough in the investment landscape of Ningbo, focusing on strategic emerging industries such as digital industry, artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, high-end manufacturing, biomedicine, and new materials [4][6]. Group 1: AIC Fund and Investment - The AIC Fund has a total scale of 2 billion yuan, successfully completing its first investment in Shanghai Tongchuang Purun New Materials Co., Ltd., which specializes in ultra-high purity metal materials for semiconductor applications [4][6]. - The invested company, Tongchuang Purun, is a subsidiary of Jiangfeng Electronics, a leading global supplier of sputtering targets, and aims to address the domestic supply chain issues for target materials [4][6]. - The successful investment lays a solid foundation for the fund's future operations, with nearly ten quality projects currently in reserve [6]. Group 2: Ningbo's Innovation and Development Strategy - The Ningbo Jiangdong Science and Technology Innovation Zone is a major strategic area aimed at becoming a world-class innovation center, focusing on talent aggregation and innovation-driven development [6][8]. - The zone covers an area of 197 square kilometers and is designed to foster a robust innovation ecosystem, housing 51% of the city's provincial and ministerial-level innovation platforms and 84% of top talents [8]. - The zone is actively promoting emerging industries and planning future industries, with a focus on new materials, industrial internet, and intelligent manufacturing [8]. Group 3: Upcoming Events and Industry Focus - The TrendBank plans to hold the Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, to discuss advanced packaging technologies and foster collaboration between industry and academia [9][10]. - The conference will focus on core technologies such as multi-material heterogeneous integration and optoelectronic integration, inviting experts for in-depth discussions [10].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the advancements and competitive landscape in the glass substrate market, particularly focusing on glass core substrates and interposers used in semiconductor packaging, highlighting the transition towards panel-level forms and the implications for supply chain dynamics [2][4][5]. Group 1: Technology and Market Dynamics - Glass core substrates are primarily competing with organic IC substrates, while glass interposers are competing with organic and silicon interposers, with both technologies showing similar manufacturing processes [2][4]. - PLP (Panel Level Packaging) technology is an early commercial advanced packaging direction that allows for finer metal wiring compared to metal substrates, indicating a trend towards more sophisticated packaging solutions [2][4]. - The interconnectivity of processes between glass core substrates and PLP technology is expected to alter the supply chain dynamics and increase demand for related products [4][5]. Group 2: Future Trends and Industry Players - As demand and penetration rates grow, the need for advanced lithography equipment in glass core substrates and PLP technology is anticipated to rise, with a focus on materials like ABF or PI dielectric layers [5]. - Major international players such as Intel and Samsung are investing in both glass core substrates and PLP technology, alongside domestic companies like Yicheng Technology and Guanzhi Semiconductor [6]. - A significant event, the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference, is planned to focus on advanced packaging technologies, aiming to foster collaboration and innovation within the industry [7].

Core Insights - The global IC substrate market is expected to grow moderately at a rate of 3.6%, reaching a revenue scale of $13.489 billion in 2024, with demand for ABF substrates and high-end BT substrates driven by AI data center and edge AI product upgrades, projected to reach $14.837 billion in 2025 [2] - The Chinese IC substrate market is rapidly emerging, with a revenue scale of $1.038 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 34.9%. However, local companies mainly focus on MEMS, RF, and storage substrates, while high-end FCBGA substrates using ABF film are still dominated by international manufacturers [2][4] Industry Developments - ABF film, a high-performance insulating film in semiconductor packaging, consists of a PET substrate film and ABF resin, which includes epoxy resin or polyimide, curing agents, and special fillers [3] - Domestic companies have made progress in the localization of ABF film but are still in a catch-up phase [4] Company Progress - Major companies are advancing in the development of ABF film products: - Ajinomoto holds over 95% of the global market share and continues to innovate ABF film products to meet higher-end chip packaging demands [6] - Sekisui Chemical is developing self-researched insulating film materials for FC-BGA substrates [6] - Tainan Build-up Film (TBF) by Jinghua Technology has passed validation from multiple domestic and international packaging substrate manufacturers [6] - Panasonic is producing layered materials for semiconductor packaging substrates [6] - Wuhan Sanxuan Technology is one of the early domestic players in the research and development of dielectric materials for chip packaging [6] - Guangdong Yipas New Materials is entering the high-end packaging field with EBF and TPF films [6] - Other companies like Guangdong Shengyi Technology and Xi'an Tianhe Defense are also making strides in developing ABF-like films and have begun small-scale production [6] Upcoming Events - TrendBank plans to hold the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, in Ningbo, focusing on advanced packaging technologies and fostering collaboration between industry and academia [7]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the advancements in packaging technology, particularly focusing on Panel Level Packaging (PLP) and its significance in the semiconductor industry, highlighting the need for more efficient and cost-effective solutions as device sizes shrink and complexity increases [2][3][4]. Group 1: Packaging Technology Developments - Wafer Level Packaging (WLP) and flip chip technology have been mainstream methods in the past decade, but their scalability and cost-effectiveness are reaching limits, necessitating the development of more advanced technologies [2]. - PLP is identified as a key technology that enhances production efficiency and reduces costs, enabling the creation of smaller, more powerful, and cost-effective electronic devices [2]. - PLP-DCI allows multiple ICs to be packaged on a single larger rectangular substrate, improving yield and reducing costs while enabling the integration of multiple chips within a system-in-package (SiP) [3]. Group 2: Company Initiatives and Investments - STMicroelectronics announced plans to develop next-generation PLP technology at its facility in Tours, France, with operations expected to commence in Q3 2026, supported by over $60 million in capital investment [3][4]. - The development of the new PLP pilot production line aims to enhance efficiency and flexibility for various applications, including RF, analog, power, and microcontrollers [4]. - STMicroelectronics has achieved a market share of 3% in PLP in 2023, projected to rise to 31% in 2024 with support from strategic clients like Tesla, marking a nearly 18-fold increase in PLP revenue [4]. Group 3: Upcoming Events and Industry Collaboration - TrendBank plans to host the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, focusing on advanced packaging technologies and fostering collaboration in the Ningbo and Yangtze River Delta regions [5]. - The conference will cover core technologies such as multi-material heterogeneous integration, optoelectronic co-packaging, and advanced packaging techniques like TGV and FOPLP, inviting experts from industry and academia for in-depth discussions [5].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the rapid development and market potential of silicon photonics technology, highlighting its significance in high-speed optical modules and its projected growth in the semiconductor market by 2030 [2][3]. Group 1: Market Potential and Growth - The global silicon photonics semiconductor market is expected to reach $7.86 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.7% [2]. - Silicon photonic chips are favored in key applications such as 5G communication, AI data centers, and autonomous driving due to their high integration, low cost, and high transmission bandwidth [2]. Group 2: Components of Silicon Photonic Chips - Silicon photonic chips consist of four key components: - Light source, typically using lasers or LEDs, which generates photons through specific doping or III-V compound materials [3]. - Waveguides, which direct the light along specific paths for efficient data transmission [3]. - Modulators, which alter the light signal's intensity, frequency, or phase to encode electrical signals into optical signals [3]. - Detectors, which convert received light signals back into electrical signals [3]. Group 3: Manufacturing Challenges - The performance of silicon photonic devices is sensitive to manufacturing precision, with minor errors potentially leading to significant performance degradation [4]. - There is a need for targeted optimization of silicon photonic manufacturing processes to enhance waveguide edge smoothness and improve device performance and reliability [4]. Group 4: Upcoming Events and Initiatives - TrendBank plans to hold the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, focusing on advanced packaging technologies and fostering collaboration between industry and academia [5].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the growing demand for advanced packaging materials in the semiconductor industry, particularly focusing on the evolution of molding compounds and the challenges posed by new technologies and applications [2][6]. Group 1: Advanced Packaging Applications - The shift from traditional wire bonding packaging to advanced packaging methods such as wafer-level packaging, panel-level packaging, 2.5D/3D heterogeneous integration, and system-level packaging requires molding compounds to have higher flatness, lower warpage, and better fine-pitch filling capabilities [2]. - The increasing frequency and speed requirements from applications like 5G and AI necessitate low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss molding compounds to minimize signal transmission delays and losses [3]. Group 2: Thermal Management and Reliability - Power devices, such as IGBTs used in electric vehicles, generate significant heat, leading to a need for ultra-high thermal conductivity molding compounds [4]. - Industries like automotive electronics and aerospace demand components that can operate in extreme environments for over 15 years, placing extreme reliability requirements on materials [5]. Group 3: Environmental Considerations - There is a push towards developing more environmentally friendly formulations, such as halogen-free, antimony-free, and bio-based materials, in response to sustainability concerns [6]. Group 4: Market Landscape - China, as a leading player in the global packaging and testing manufacturing industry, has the largest demand for epoxy molding compounds, yet local supply capabilities are limited, particularly for mid-to-high-end products like wafer-level packaging materials, which still rely on imports or foreign enterprises' production bases in China [6]. - Currently, there are 18 major enterprises competing in the packaging molding materials market in China, with total annual production capacity exceeding 210,000 tons [6]. Group 5: Industry Events and Collaboration - TrendBank plans to hold the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, in Ningbo, focusing on cutting-edge heterogeneous integration technologies and aiming to foster collaboration within the advanced electronic information industry [7][8].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the commercialization and development stages of panel-level packaging (PLP) technology, highlighting its potential advantages over traditional wafer-level packaging (WLP) and the challenges it faces in the industry [2][3][6]. Group 1: Panel-Level Packaging Development - Panel-level packaging is currently in the industry cultivation stage, focusing on application scenario development, with the first phase targeting discrete devices and power SiP adopting PLP technology [3]. - The second phase involves the integration of mixed-signal multi-chip packaging into PLP technology, primarily for consumer electronics and IoT products [3]. - The final phase will see the introduction of memory-compute integrated chips using PLP technology, expected to commence in 3-5 years, marking the competitive phase against wafer-level 2.5D/3D packaging [3]. Group 2: Technical and Operational Challenges - Panel-level packaging faces high operational costs, poor technical stability, and an incomplete industrial ecosystem, which are significant barriers to its widespread adoption [6]. - The large size of the panels complicates the chip placement and bonding processes, increasing the difficulty of controlling displacement, line width, and stress [6]. - Establishing a panel-level packaging ecosystem requires new equipment and material supply chains, which necessitates substantial investment, particularly in high-end memory-compute integrated chip sectors [6]. Group 3: Upcoming Events and Industry Collaboration - TrendBank plans to host the Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference from November 17-19, 2025, in Ningbo, focusing on advanced packaging technologies and fostering collaboration between industry and academia [7]. - The conference will cover core technologies such as multi-material heterogeneous integration, optoelectronic co-packaging, and advanced packaging techniques like TGV and FOPLP [7].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the growing importance and market activity of optical chips, particularly lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) technology, in the context of increasing demand for artificial intelligence and data centers [2][3]. Group 1: Optical Chip Market Dynamics - The optical chip sector is experiencing heightened activity in both primary and secondary markets, driven by advancements in optical communication and emerging technologies like quantum computing [2]. - LNOI technology is highlighted as a key material for next-generation optical communication and quantum computing due to its compatibility with CMOS and superior performance characteristics [2][3]. Group 2: LNOI Technology Advantages - LNOI exhibits excellent optoelectronic performance, including a high electro-optic coefficient and strong nonlinear optical effects, making it suitable for high-speed optical modulation and quantum optics applications [3][4]. - The technology allows for significant device miniaturization, with a half-wave voltage-length product of less than 2.5 V·cm, leading to reduced power consumption and enhanced integration capabilities [3]. - LNOI crystals demonstrate high stability and reliability, with a Curie temperature around 1140°C, enabling operation in harsh environments [3]. Group 3: Global Supply Chain and Collaboration - The article outlines the establishment of the first open LNOI photonic chip foundry in Europe, which will enable industrial-scale production of optical-grade LNOI wafers [3][4]. - A list of global suppliers for lithium niobate substrates is provided, showcasing the competitive landscape and potential for collaboration within the industry [4]. Group 4: Upcoming Events and Industry Focus - The company plans to host the 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference in Ningbo, focusing on advanced packaging technologies and fostering collaboration between industry and academia [6].

Group 1 - The article highlights the significance of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) as a core component in modern electronics, essential for electrical interconnection and mechanical support in electronic devices [2][3] - PCB photoresist is identified as a critical consumable for transferring fine circuit patterns onto copper-clad boards, with the global PCB market expected to reach $4.2 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 8.7%, with China accounting for over 50% of the market [3][5] - The article categorizes PCB photoresists into dry film, wet film, and solder mask ink, each with distinct characteristics and applications in ensuring circuit reliability and performance [3][4] Group 2 - The domestic PCB photoresist industry has evolved from reliance on imports to developing competitive local players, driven by increasing demand in automotive electronics, data centers, and aerospace sectors [5][6] - High-end dry film photoresists remain dominated by a few global leaders, while local manufacturers are expected to gain market share due to cost advantages and policy support, with a potential growth phase anticipated between 2026 and 2030 [5][6] - The article lists key players in the PCB photoresist market, including Rongda, Guangxin Materials, and Foster, highlighting their market shares and product focuses [6] Group 3 - An upcoming conference organized by TrendBank will focus on heterogeneous integration technologies, aiming to foster collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovation in advanced packaging technologies [7]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of heterogeneous integration technology in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the context of new demands from artificial intelligence, smart driving, and high-performance computing applications. It highlights the upcoming 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference organized by TrendBank and Yongjiang Laboratory to address these challenges and promote collaboration between industry and academia [2][19]. Meeting Background - The semiconductor industry is facing new stringent requirements for chip design and manufacturing due to advancements in AI and high-performance computing. Key issues such as power consumption, performance, area, and cost are driving the acceleration of emerging semiconductor technologies [2]. - Heterogeneous integration has emerged as a significant and promising direction in the semiconductor field, especially as traditional Moore's Law approaches physical limits. The conference aims to tackle challenges in 2.5D/3D heterogeneous integration, optoelectronic co-packaging, wafer-level bonding, and glass-based packaging [2]. - Ningbo is positioned as a core port city in China with a strong foundation in advanced manufacturing, making it an ideal location for this conference. The Yongjiang Laboratory is a provincial-level innovation platform focusing on electronic information materials and micro-nano device preparation [2]. Meeting Content - The conference will focus on core technologies such as multi-material heterogeneous integration and optoelectronic integration, covering advanced packaging technologies like 3D heterogeneous integration, optoelectronic co-packaging, wafer-level bonding, and semiconductor materials and equipment [3]. Basic Information - The 2025 Heterogeneous Integration Annual Conference will be held from November 17-19, 2025, in Ningbo, organized by TrendBank and Yongjiang Laboratory, with an expected attendance of 200-500 participants [4]. Proposed Agenda - The agenda includes closed-door meetings, technical discussions on micro-nano devices, and various forums focusing on advanced packaging technologies and materials [7][9][10]. Conference Features - The conference aims to integrate resources across the heterogeneous integration industry chain, involving all stakeholders from upstream to downstream, and will feature a combination of large and small meetings to facilitate both broad discussions and targeted interactions [8]. - A live supply-demand matching platform will be set up to allow participants to directly engage with cutting-edge technologies and products [8]. Registration and Fees - The registration fee for the conference is RMB 2500 per person, with early bird discounts available. Special rates are offered for students [12].