Core Viewpoint - Intel's EMIB advanced packaging technology is gaining attention from Apple and Qualcomm, being considered a viable alternative to TSMC's products [1] Group 1: Company Interest - Apple has recently posted job openings for DRAM packaging engineers, specifically seeking experience in advanced packaging technologies such as CoWoS, EMIB, SoIC, and PoP [1] - Qualcomm is also looking for a product management director for its data center business, with a requirement for familiarity with Intel's EMIB technology [1] Group 2: Technology and Market Position - Intel's CEO and executives have emphasized that their Foveros and EMIB technologies have attracted interest from multiple customers and are capable of large-scale production [1]

Investment Rating - The report rates the advanced packaging industry as "stronger than the market" [1] Core Viewpoints - The advanced packaging technology is positioned as a key path to overcome the limitations of Moore's Law, driven by the exponential growth in computing power required for AI and large model training [2][14] - The global advanced packaging market is projected to exceed $79 billion by 2030, highlighting its role as a core growth engine in the semiconductor industry [2][23] - The demand for advanced packaging is surging due to the increasing need for high-performance AI chips, with TSMC's CoWoS technology becoming a critical support process for high-performance AI chips [2][17] Summary by Sections Chapter 1: Growing Demand for Intelligent Computing - The demand for intelligent computing is rapidly increasing, with significant growth in enterprise-level markets [5][9] - China's intelligent computing scale is expected to reach 725.3 EFLOPS in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 74.1% [9][10] Chapter 2: Diverse Packaging Paths - Advanced packaging technologies are evolving rapidly, with a focus on 2.5D/3D packaging solutions that are gaining popularity [2][18] - The global advanced packaging market is expected to grow from $46.1 billion in 2024 to $79.1 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.71% for 2.5D/3D packaging [23][24] Chapter 3: Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on key players in the advanced packaging sector, such as Changdian Technology, Tongfu Microelectronics, and JCET [2][24]

Core Viewpoint - ASML's introduction of the TWINSCAN XT:260 marks its strategic entry into the advanced packaging market, highlighting the increasing importance of advanced packaging in semiconductor technology as traditional scaling approaches physical limits [2][34]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The advanced packaging market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the rising demand for AI chips and high-performance computing, with a projected market size of $45.73 billion in 2024, expected to reach $113.33 billion by 2033, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5% [3]. - The demand for advanced packaging equipment is also on the rise, with projections indicating that the backend equipment revenue will reach approximately $7 billion by 2025 and exceed $9 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of nearly 6% [3]. Group 2: Equipment Trends - Key equipment areas such as thermal compression bonding (TCB) and hybrid bonding are rapidly growing, with the TCB market expected to reach $936 million by 2030, driven by integration needs in memory and AI platforms [6]. - The hybrid bonding equipment market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1%, reaching $397 million by 2030, emphasizing its critical role in advanced 3D integration [9]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Major players in the backend equipment market include DISCO, BESI, K&S, ASMPT, and Hanmi, each specializing in different aspects of semiconductor manufacturing [21]. - DISCO leads in wafer thinning and cutting technologies, while BESI focuses on hybrid bonding equipment, indicating a diverse competitive landscape [23][26]. Group 4: ASML's Strategic Position - ASML's TWINSCAN XT:260 is designed specifically for advanced packaging, filling a technological gap in high-end packaging lithography and enhancing production efficiency and precision [34][37]. - The XT:260 features significant advancements, including a resolution of 400nm and a production efficiency of 270 wafers per hour, which is four times that of previous models [37]. Group 5: Domestic Market Challenges and Opportunities - Domestic suppliers currently meet less than 14% of local backend equipment demand, facing challenges from reliance on imported technologies and geopolitical uncertainties [41]. - However, domestic manufacturers are gaining momentum, supported by policies and capital investments, with expectations that the domestic backend equipment localization rate will exceed 20% by 2025 [42].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that the advanced packaging market is expanding due to the rapid development of AI servers and smart vehicles, leading to increased demand for high-integration packaging solutions like Chiplet and 2.5D/3D [1][2] - Advanced packaging is becoming a key technology in the high-performance computing cycle, overcoming the limitations of Moore's Law, as traditional processes struggle with bandwidth, power consumption, and integration density challenges [1][2] - The global advanced packaging market is projected to reach $45 billion in 2024, accounting for over 55% of the overall packaging market, with a forecasted CAGR of 9.4% from 2024 to 2030 [2] Group 2 - The Chinese advanced packaging market is expected to grow rapidly, reaching a market size of 69.8 billion yuan in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7% from 2020 to 2024, although its penetration rate remains at 40% [3] - Major players like TSMC are leading the AI packaging ecosystem with their CoWoS technology, while domestic manufacturers are accelerating their layouts to capture market opportunities [4] - Companies such as Longi Technology, Tongfu Microelectronics, and Huatian Technology are making significant advancements in various packaging technologies, positioning themselves competitively in the high-end process breakthrough and market share enhancement [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the critical role of packaging technology, particularly 2.5D packaging, in the development of AI chips, highlighting Intel's EMIB technology as a key solution to meet the growing demands in this sector [1][3][30]. Group 1: Importance of 2.5D Packaging - 2.5D packaging is not a new concept but has gained renewed significance in the AI chip domain, allowing for the integration of multiple functional units within a single package, thus providing a balance between complexity and performance [3][4]. - AI chips require high bandwidth and low latency for efficient inter-chip communication, which traditional packaging methods struggle to provide. 2.5D packaging enhances data transfer efficiency while maintaining a simpler manufacturing process [3][4]. Group 2: Advantages of EMIB Technology - EMIB technology offers several advantages: lower costs due to high wafer utilization, higher yield by reducing complex processing steps, and faster production cycles compared to traditional methods [4][5][8]. - EMIB's design allows for greater scalability and flexibility, making it suitable for integrating more HBM or complex workloads, thus enhancing performance potential for AI applications [8][9]. Group 3: Intel's Leadership in Packaging Technology - Intel has been a pioneer in packaging technology for over fifty years, continuously advancing from early wire-bond architectures to modern 2.5D and 3D technologies, establishing itself as a leader in the field [13][20]. - The company has completed over 250 2.5D design projects across various applications, demonstrating its extensive experience and capability in advanced packaging solutions [27]. Group 4: Future Developments - Intel is actively working on larger packaging sizes and exploring glass substrate technology, which is expected to become mainstream in the coming years, further enhancing packaging capabilities for AI accelerators [29][30].