IMEC, Europe's leading microelectronics R&D centre, has taken on Qualcomm to join its programme to develop 3D silicon technologies. It's the first fabless chip company to join the IMEC programme.

"Now that Qualcomm has joined the 3D integration programme, we have all the major supply chain players working together," said Luc Van den hove, COO at IMEC.

"We are confident that strong industry collaboration among foundries, IDMs, packaging and assembly companies, and equipment suppliers at IMEC will push the development of innovative 3D products forward."

IMEC's 3D integration programme explores 3D technology and design for application in various domains. The technology research programme focuses on 3D wafer-level packaging and 3D stacked-ICs to find innovative solutions for the cost-effective use of 3D interconnects at different levels of the wiring hierarchy.

The 3D system-on-chip design research programme provides insights to its benefits, costs, challenges and solutions. The programme will also include the development and demonstration of the IP and tools necessary for designing in three dimensions.

"We are collaborating with IMEC because their research and technology expertise will help us to accelerate the implementation of 3D design in our products," said Jim Clifford, senior vice president and general manager, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies

Other partners in IMEC's 3D integration programme are Amkor, Infineon, Intel, Micron, NEC, NXP, Panasonic, Qimonda, Samsung, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments and TSMC.

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