Three-Dimensional Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI)

A bonded wafer showing a test pattern on a dark surface with a gray square overlay.

A key focus of KNDL is the development of three-dimensional heterogeneous integration (3DHI) technology for the realization of power electronic devices, high-bandwidth memory, and cryogenic applications. 3DHI holds tremendous promise to increase the computing capacity of advanced computing systems and enables new systems to be realized by combining differing technologies together or in proximity on a common interposer. Currently, the lab is developing a thick-metal multi-layer silicon interposer process and has developed processes for die bonding of wide-bandgap semiconductors to interposers. In prior work at IBM, Prof. Koester led a team developing processes for 3DHI supercomputer chips, and his team also developed the first-ever 300-mm wafer-level 3DHI integration process.