IPC Plays Key Role in NIST Workshop on Semiconductor Metrology R&D

Key Summary

• IPC played a central role in NIST’s semiconductor metrology R&D workshop held on April 20–21
• The event supports CHIPS for America initiatives and highlights the need for strong U.S. investment across the entire electronics ecosystem
• Plenary speaker Jan Vardaman referenced IPC’s report showing vulnerabilities in the semiconductor supply chain without advanced packaging and IC-substrate investments
• IPC CTO Matt Kelly moderated a panel featuring industry leaders from AMD, Plexus, TTM, Amkor, and IBM on supply chain needs for future advanced packaging
• Purdue professor and IPC Thought Leaders member Carol Handwerker led a session on emerging metrology technologies for advanced packaging
• The workshop reflects IPC’s advocacy for a “silicon-to-systems” approach to strengthen U.S. electronics manufacturing

The U.S. Government is continuing to call on IPC as it plans its research and development (R&D) programs related to semiconductors and the broader electronics manufacturing ecosystem under the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act. 

On April 20 and 21, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosted the second workshop in a series of virtual events focused on semiconductor metrology R&D, and IPC and the entire electronics manufacturing industry were well-represented. 

The plenary speaker at the workshop, Jan Vardaman of TechSearch International, was the co-author of a recent IPC report, which found that the semiconductor supply chain will remain vulnerable without robust federal investment in advanced packaging of chips and advanced IC-substrates. IPC Chief Technology Officer Matt Kelly was the other co-author of that report.  

Matt Kelly also assembled and moderated a panel on supply chain areas that are critical for the future of advanced packaging. The panel also featured members of IPC’s Advanced Packaging Task Force and its Chief Technologist Council: Deepak Kulkarni (AMD), Dale Lee (Plexus Corporation), Raj Kumar (TTM Technologies), Gerard John (Amkor), and Dale McHerron (IBM Research). 

Meanwhile, Carol Handwerker, a professor of materials engineering at Purdue University and member of IPC’s Thought Leaders Program, also moderated a discussion on novel metrologies for the future of advanced packaging.  

This event was the latest successful example of IPC’s ongoing efforts to educate policymakers about our industry and urge them to take a “silicon-to-systems” approach to successfully meet consumer demands and re-establish the United States as a global leader in electronics manufacturing.