Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, visited Japan's semiconductor research hub to assess the development status of next-generation packaging technology. As the importance of advanced packaging technology, which influences the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, grows, the company is accelerating efforts to secure competitiveness in next-generation semiconductors through strengthened collaboration with Japanese materials, components, and equipment firms.
According to Samsung Electronics, Lee visited the Advanced Package Lab (APL) located in Yokohama, Japan, on November 1. This marked his first on-site inspection since the lab officially opened on September 8.
During the visit, Lee reviewed the development status of materials and process technologies necessary for advanced packaging with local researchers and discussed collaboration strategies with the Japanese materials and components industry. He emphasized the need to secure advanced packaging technology, which has emerged as a key factor in semiconductor competitiveness in the AI era.
APL serves as a crucial research hub connecting Samsung's semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities with Japan's materials and components technology. Samsung established APL in Yokohama in 2023 and plans to invest 40 billion yen (approximately $350 million) over five years starting in 2024 to build its research foundation. The company also intends to continuously expand its local research workforce.
At APL, technologies for materials and processes required for advanced semiconductor packaging will be developed and validated. Future research will broaden to include next-generation process and material technologies such as wafer bonding and glass substrates, as well as the development of new packaging structures for low-power, high-performance semiconductor mass production. The research areas will be differentiated from those of domestic semiconductor research organizations to foster collaboration in technology development.
Samsung's establishment of a research hub in Japan aims to leverage the technological capabilities of local materials and components firms. Japan is home to competitive companies in the semiconductor materials and equipment sectors and has a solid foundation for collaboration with universities and research institutions. Samsung plans to expand joint research with local companies and research institutions centered in Yokohama to secure next-generation packaging technology.
Advanced packaging technology integrates multiple semiconductors into a single package, enhancing performance and power efficiency. The way graphics processing units (GPUs), high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and accelerators are connected in AI semiconductors affects data processing speed, power consumption, and heat generation. As AI semiconductors become more powerful, the significance of packaging technology that efficiently connects individual chips is also increasing.
Samsung aims to strengthen its competitiveness in AI semiconductors by combining advanced packaging technology with its memory, system semiconductor, and foundry capabilities. The company plans to develop the Yokohama APL into a global research and development hub and secure next-generation materials and process technologies to respond to the high-performance AI semiconductor market.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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