A*STAR @ Semicon SEA

Our suite of Heterogeneous Integration technology integrates separately manufactured components into a higher-level assembly, or system in package (SiP), to provide enhanced functionality and improved operating characteristics.

Some of our technology includes:

1. Compact and Cost Effective Optical Engines for Data Centres
   

   Traditional integration methods are complex, power-hungry, and difficult to manufacture at scale. There is an urgent need for compact, energy-efficient, and supply chain-friendly technologies that can meet the growing bandwidth requirements of data centres, HPC systems, and 6G infrastructure. Addressing this need, our new platform offers a cost-effective, scalable wafer-level integration solution using Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP) to deliver high-bandwidth optical engines (800G to 3.2T and beyond). Compared to traditional 3D-TSV and 2.5D interposers, it provides clear advantages in performance, power efficiency, and manufacturability. Its compact form factor (< 14mm x 10mm) and 3D integration of electronic and photonic circuits enable low-loss, high-speed data transmission, supporting the rapid scaling of AI, data centre, and 6G applications

2. Advanced Liquid Cooling Solutions for more Sustainable Data centres

   The majority of data centre’s energy consumption are attributed to cooling. As the data centre markets are set to grow globally, so is expected energy consumption. Our novel liquid cooling solution operates at the chip level, utilising novel Si-based jet micro-coolers, and liquid-to-liquid cooling at the server level, to achieve power usage effectiveness of 1.11. This solution allows for aggressive heat removal at lower power requirements for energy savings, and can be operated in hot and humid climates.

3. AI-powered 3D Buried Defect Detection and Metrology & AI for Chip Floor Planning and Chip Design

   3D stacking techniques in advanced integrated circuit packages usually have intricate internal structures, making defect detection difficult. Our AI-powered 3D Buried Defect Detection and Metrology system addresses this by combining high-resolution X-ray microscopy (XRM) with state-of-the-art AI for automated detection, submicron-level metrology, and LLM-generated analysis reports — all in a non-destructive, highly accurate, and scalable workflow.

   In addition, our AI chip floor planning and chip design processes leverage AI to optimize placements and workflows, enhancing efficiency, quality and speed while reducing costs. Ultimately, our solutions can provide strategic advantages in chip development, accelerating time-to-market.

4. Reliable Accelerated Chiplet Integration Design

   As semiconductor systems move toward chiplet-based architectures and advanced heterogeneous packaging, managing thermal stress, power integrity (PI), and signal integrity (SI) has become a mission-critical challenge. Our ​AI-enhanced, routing-aware simulation platform for thermal, electrical, and mechanical co-design is built for speed, accuracy, and first-pass success.​ This allows for the acceleration of design cycles, and future-proofing for next-gen semiconductor systems.

1. Advanced Optical Technology for DUV Lithography and Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy

   As semiconductor and photonic components grow more complex and compact, researchers face challenges in precise material characterisation and high-resolution, cost-effective fabrication. Current tools lack the ability to analyse directional mid-IR emissions or offer scalable, high-resolution lithography without high cost or slow throughput—limiting next-gen device development.

   The Mid-IR K-Resolved Luminescence (MIRKLS) allows the measurement of the Mid-IR emission spectra of semiconductor materials at the microscopic scale, and discern the directional angle of each spectra, a critical process for R&D. Our MIRKLS system offers multi-functional measurement of Mid-IR emission spectra simultaneously in one system at a lower cost compared to other solutions.

   In collaboration with local firm MetaOptics, our Deep UV Direct Laser Writer (DUV-DLW) offers improved laser-writing resolution by using proprietary flat lens technology to achieve higher resolution at lower cost, bridging the gap between e-beam and traditional direct laser writing.

1. Antenna Array and MIMO Radar Antenna

   The mmWave Beamforming Antenna Array is scalable, modular and allows simultaneous tracking of multiple sattelites and is compatible with different service providers. This allows for a flexible, future-ready, and cost-effective solutions that speed up deployment, reduce engineering overhead, and support broad interoperability.'

   Our MIMO Radar Antenna utilises the unique MIMO structure and leverages AI to achieve higher resolution of spatial spectrum estimation in a smaller form factor.

2. AI for mmWave/THz Integrated Circuit Design

   As the industry moves toward 6G, chip-scale AR/VR, automotive radar, and high-speed space communications, demand for broadband, power-efficient, and fabrication-feasible mmWave/THz circuits is skyrocketing. Yet, designing high-performance ICs at these frequencies involves painful trade-offs between efficiency, bandwidth, and manufacturability—especially in the face of data scarcity and complex non-linear behaviors.

   Our solution uses generative AI fused with domain expertise to dramatically accelerate and improve the design of passive mmWave/THz components, helping engineering teams break free from conventional trade-offs and push performance boundaries.

1. Safer and more compatible electromechanical sensors; Power Efficient and fast speed Spin Technologies

   Commercial microelectronics and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) utilizing lead-based ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials create environmental hazard and process incompatibility. We developed lead-free ferroelectric and piezoelectric thin films with large electromechanical response.

   To combat the growing need for IoT and AI capabilities, our suite of spin-based technologies also provide non-volatile, high endurance, low power consumption and fast read and write of memory.

2. MEM speakers for high fidelity smart glasses application

   Traditional MES speakers tend to gravitate towards PZT MEMS devices due to their higher acoustic output power, however, the drivers for PZT devices are complicated and have higher current requirements. Our speakers offer a lead free alternative that requires 100x less power while maintaining reasonable acoustic power output.

3. Ditch the LiDAR: High-Performance Piezo Transducers for the Future of Sensing

   Traditional piezoelectric transducer designs are limited by suboptimal performance and lengthy development cycles that rely on manual trial-and-error. Our next-generation piezoelectric transducer platform revolutionises sensing for 3D imaging, AR/VR, autonomous systems, and 5G/6G by overcoming traditional performance and development bottlenecks. Featuring AI-optimised design, patented PZT architecture, and advanced materials like sodium niobate, it delivers superior acoustic pressure, resolution, and range in a compact 7.2 mm form—offering a scalable, LiDAR-free solution ideal for edge devices and fast, high-volume production.

1. Metrology for Semiconductor - Dimensional, Electrical and Airborne Particle Calibration

   A*STAR National Metrology Centre (A*STAR NMC) conducts R&D in the science of measurement for emerging technologies. Our technologies for the semiconductor industry include

   • Laser Interferometry to measure flatness and warpage
   • On-wafer electrical metrology measurements
   • Airborne particle counter calibration for indoor air quality and environmental modelling
2. High-Precision One-Shot 3D Chromatic Confocal Microscope, Complex equipment building

   Our next-generation semiconductor equipment utilizes cross-sectoral manufacturing technologies to meet the needs of the semiconductor devices of tomorrow. Some of them include:

   • Customized Optical Microscope Lens with minimized abberations for superior imaging quality
   • Robotic Friction Stir Welding to create high-performance and reliable joints for vacuum chamber components
   • Reliable and excellent cooling Heat Exchanger