September 27, 2011 - This year’s SEMICON Europa includes the most co-located events the program has ever had: the 13th European Manufacturing Test Conference, the Advanced Packaging Conference, the International MEMS/MST Industry Forum, and the Plastics Electronics Conference and Exhibition (PE2011). All major European fabs will be represented in the tech programs, from Altis to X-Fab and everyone in between including STMicro, Infineon, NXP, GF, Intel, and IBM.

Our own Pete Singer will be reporting live from the show, and we'll have industry execs blogging what they're seeing and hearing from the show floor and conference sessions.

SEMI has a quick video walkthrough explaining all there is to see and learn at SEMICON Europa. Here's our own rundown of what's happening at SEMICON Europa, with some of the sessions we're particularly looking forward to:

-- The 15th Fab Managers Forum (Oct. 11) opens with keynote talks on market vs. tech changes and energy efficiency. The main session looks at 200mm and 300mm fab operations (with highlighted talks from TI and Bosch) and "paradigm shifts" in semiconductor technology development. And a panel session will hash out matching device manufacturing with product technology needs, with execs from ST, TI, GlobalFoundries, and Infineon. Qualcomm's Michael Campbell and Infineon's Martin Hierholzer are the keynoters.


-- An advanced packaging track (Oct. 11-12) will focus on "enabling packaging technologies for system integration." spanning technologies, materials, processes, and equipment plus a 3D IC session. Keynote speakers are TechSearch's Jan Vardaman and Arno Kriechbaum from AT&S. Individual talks range from 3D wafer-level packaging approaches to power electronics packaging, various materials (e.g., "sinter glue," wafer-applied underfill, HB-LED interconnect), processes (silicon interposers, flip-chip Cu, ECP) and equipment (organic packaging with PVD, SAM, thin die stacking).

A separate 3D IC session (Oct. 13) will feature talks by CEA-Leti, IMEC, ST, Fraunhofer IZM, and Atrenta on 3D system integration, 3D SoC, silicon interposers, and 3D design.


-- The 13th European Manufacturing Test Conference (EMTC) will address digital test and diagnosis approaches for integrated analog/mixed-signal, with specific focus toward MEMS and SiPs and 3D and TSVs. Individual talks will look at concurrent test for a mixed-signal 3G processor, the "Zero+ cost" concept for RF, and fast-test program development. Other sessions will look at yield and quality improvements through test, wafer probing and high-accuracy measurements. Qualcomm SVP Michael Campbell will keynote on test evolutionary challenges from SoCs to 3D stacking, FinFETs, and beyond.

A panel discussion on each day will address larger themes relevant to the test community. On Oct. 12, a panel will investigate: how could a common platform increase reuse between validation and production? What are key organizational challenges in concurrent design & test, the "Holy Grail" of test? What's needed to make test tools as robust as EDA in general? Where should efforts be focused where software development costs up to 10× the capital cost of most test systems? The Oct. 13 panel moderated by Rene Segers (from Philips and NXP going back to the 1970s, now a consultant) will attempt to map the evolution of European IDMs and foundries, and how test house businesses fit in the landscape.


-- A hot topic at every industry show these days is the 450mm wafer-size transition, and there's a special SEMICON Europa session for that too. This two-day track offers talks on R&D support and consortium progress to requirements for facilities, wafer characterization, and automation, and finally 450mm as it relates to equipment, e.g. lithography, wafer handling, and automation technology.


-- The International MEMS/MST Industry Forum spans four sessions examining MEMS applications, manufacturing, technology processes, and market trends. For applications, no surprise that consumer electronics is the focus, with slated talks approaching motion control, display, and various sensors.

A key question to be addressed during the manufacturing session is whether MEMS standardization is "fact or folly?" (Hint: think beyond semiconductors) Other talks examine 3D MEMS, final test (several MEMS sensors in one package), and speeding up time-to-market. Technology talks span submicron MEMS, gettering, selective plasma, wafer bonding, and wafer-level packaging.

The MEMS market overview, with IHS iSuppli's Jérémie Bouchaud and Yole Développement's Eric Mounier, will look at the current global MEMS market and how business models have evolved.


-- The 5th Executive Summit (Oct. 11) hosts 200 top execs from Europe's semiconductor industry, this year under the banner of "innovation and competitive manufacturing in Europe." Participants this year hail from STMicroelectronics, ASML, GlobalFoundries, Soitec, and CEA. Following this late-day panel will be SEMI's European and Standards awards.


-- "Technology Arenas" (akin to the SEMICON West TechXPOTs) will offer more than 60 technology presentations spanning the gamut of semiconductor manufacturing: new materials, lithography, process control/automation, metrology, and even shop-floor IT optimization.


-- For those interested in standards development, SEMI's Europe Standards fall meeting takes place during the week. Here's the full meeting schedule, with particular emphasis on compound semiconductor materials, equipment automation, materials and chemicals (silicon wafers, gases, liquids).


-- An invite-only European Cluster forum will explore clustering initiatives within Europe's microelectronic industry; specific focus is on cooperation between Grenoble and Dresden communities.


-- A plastics expo will explore OLEDs for displays and lighting, organic-based PV, sensors, the promise of printed flexible electronics, and even smart intelligent textiles. Silicon and metal oxides will be needed to accelerate development -- think flexible organic and large-area electronics paired with CMOS technology.