SEMICON Taiwan 2025 Material Forum Review
Original Article by SemiVision Research (TSMC , Nvidia , ASE, Tok, GlobalWafers, Lam, AGC, Entegris)
In the era of hyperscale computing driven by AI, the semiconductor industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. For the past forty years, progress centered on transistor scaling and process shrinks. Today, however, the determinants of system performance and energy efficiency are shifting rapidly toward advanced packaging and materials innovation.
Take TSMC’s CoWoS platform as an example. What began with 2.5D silicon interposers roughly 1.5× reticle in size has expanded to 3.3×, 5.5×, and even 9.5× mega-interconnect fabrics. Packaging itself has become the engine of system-level performance. At these scales, the package not only carries single compute dies measuring hundreds of square millimeters, but also integrates dozens of HBM stacks—elevating “packaging” from a supporting role to a system architecture equivalent to a mega-die.
This trajectory of heterogeneous integration signals a new paradigm: breakthroughs in system performance no longer depend solely on logic node scaling; they require the co-design of advanced package architectures, interconnect/material innovations, and power/thermal solutions. Yet bringing silicon and polymers, metals and glass, photonics and electronics onto one platform introduces challenges around thermal stress, interfacial compatibility, and long-term reliability. This is not just technical evolution—it is a comprehensive race spanning materials science, process engineering, and supply-chain collaboration.
Meanwhile, as GPU power climbs into the kilowatt class—and potentially 3,000 W per device—the power delivery network (PDN), thermal materials, and even substrate form factors (shifting from round wafers toward square silicon panels or SiC interposers) become decisive for sustainable operation. Innovations from chemical-materials suppliers—EUV resists, thick-film packaging photoresists, and low-Dk/low-Df glass substrates—together with equipment vendors, OSATs, and silicon-photonics solutions, are collectively propelling a materials-driven Moore’s Law.
In short, the AI era is no longer a contest of a single company or a single process node. It is cross-disciplinary and cross-supply-chain. Those who lead in materials innovation, packaging architecture, and power & thermal engineering will command the high ground in a trillion-dollar AI market.
Opening Remarks – SEMICON Taiwan Materials Forum
At this pivotal moment of accelerated transformation in the global semiconductor industry, materials are moving to center stage. In the past, our focus gravitated toward process scaling, chip architectures, or packaging technologies. Today it is increasingly clear that whether it’s logic (GAA/CFET), 1,000-layer 3D NAND, or the 2.5D/3D heterogeneous integration demanded by the AI era, the true determinant of feasibility and success often lies in breakthroughs in materials.
This year’s SEMICON Taiwan Materials Forum is set against that backdrop. We focus on how materials innovation drives both advanced process nodes and advanced packaging, and we extend the discussion to ESG and sustainability. From front-end EUV photoresists and molecular resists to back-end thick-film photoresists, TGV glass cores, adhesives for advanced packaging, and thermal interface materials, the evolution of materials determines not only performance, but also yield, reliability, and supply-chain competitiveness.
Throughout the forum, we heard perspectives from leading materials companies, equipment suppliers, and OSATs. A shared message emerged: the future extension of Moore’s Law will rely increasingly on materials science. For example, TOK showcased the potential of metal-containing resists and molecular resists under EUV; GlobalWafers proposed square silicon panels and SiC interposers as new options for high-power packaging; and AGC highlighted TGV glass cores and low-Dk/low-Df glass for AI datacenters and photonic integration.
Equally important, materials innovation has shifted from isolated breakthroughs to cross-industry, cross-disciplinary collaboration. The forum repeatedly emphasized that only through open cooperation—among chemical suppliers, equipment vendors, foundries, and system companies—can we shorten development cycles while ensuring manufacturability and high-volume reliability.
Therefore, the Materials Forum is more than a technical exchange; it is a platform for ecosystem dialogue. It reminds us that in the age of AI and advanced packaging, the core driver is not merely the number of transistors, but system-level solutions shaped jointly by materials and architecture.
In today’s rapidly expanding landscape of AI, HPC, and advanced packaging, materials science is becoming the core source of competitive advantage for the semiconductor industry. In this context, the Strategic Materials Conference Taiwan (SMC Taiwan) at SEMICON Taiwan 2025 brings together top speakers from global industry and R&D. From front-end lithography and thin films to back-end packaging, thermal interfaces, and sustainable material design, the forum presents a panoramic view of materials innovation.
The Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr. Jun He (Vice President, Advanced Packaging Technology & Service, TSMC) and Mr. Scott Chen (Senior Vice President, ASE), outlining tool and material needs and the challenges for 3DIC/advanced packaging in the AI era.
The speaker lineup spans both materials suppliers and hands-on experts from packaging and manufacturing:
Katsumi Omori ( TOK) will discuss materials solutions for front-end and back-end lithography.
Dr. Liang-Chin Chen will offer foundry/wafer-supplier perspectives on the potential of square silicon panels for advanced packaging.
Dr. Suresh Rajaraman (Merck) and Dr. Montray C. Leavy (Entegris) will present advances in thin-film materials, novel chemistries, and surface/interface engineering.
ZEISS and Dr. Yik Yee Tan (Yole Group) will address materials analytics, package reliability, supply-chain and market trends—emphasizing the roles of materials validation and sustainable design.
This diverse roster is more than a technical showcase; it reflects a broader trend: the next phase of semiconductor competition is not only about process scaling, but an integrated race—from material composition, interfaces, and manufacturability to package architecture and system efficiency. Topics include how ALD chemistry/ligand tuning impacts process performance; the thermal and mechanical challenges of square panels and glass/dielectric substrates in packaging; the introduction of fluorine-free surfactants and sustainable materials into manufacturing supply chains; and how material/tool suppliers can collaborate with OSATs and foundries to reduce yield risk and shorten time-to-market.
In short, SMC Taiwan 2025 is not only a venue for technical exchange—it is a milestone advancing materials innovation and supply-chain collaboration to the next level. For anyone focused on AI, 3DIC, advanced packaging, or even quantum/HPC, this forum will deliver front-line insights and a clear direction for aligning technologies, materials, and markets.
For Paid Members, SemiVision will discuss topics
TSMC : Addressing the Unprecedented Challenges in Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing
TOK: Material Development Strategy and Progress in Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing
GlobalWafers: Square Silicon Wafers and SiC Interposers: Strategic Push for Next-Generation Substrates
ASE: Advanced Packaging and Materials at the Center of the AI Era
Lam: The Future of Semiconductors: Breakthrough in Materials Solutions
Entegris: Materials Innovation and Advanced Packaging: At the Core of the AI Era
AGC: Integrating Glass Solution in Advanced Packaging
If readers would like to learn more about the key takeaways from the Semicon Taiwan technical forums, SemiVision has compiled a related report. Please feel free to reach out to us at: jett@semivisiontw.com & eddyt@semivisiontw.com
