Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine - TechSearch Study Forecasts 3D TSV Market

AUSTIN, TX - TechSearch International, a technology consulting company specializing in the electronics industry, has released a report entitled Through Silicon Via Technology: The Ultimate Market for 3D Interconnect, forecasts that coming industry market applications for 3D TSV will or already include image sensors, flash, DRAM, processors, FPGAs, and power amplifiers.

The report states that the industry is beginning to move past the feasibility (R&D) phase for TSV technology and into commercialization, where economics determine which technologies will be adopted. Image sensors for camera modules using 3D TSV technology are already in volume production, but for other applications, the adoption time has been longer than predicted. Low-cost fine via hole formation and reliable via filling technologies have been demonstrated and process equipment and materials are available, but design, thermal, and test issues remain problems to TSV adoption in some applications.

This is the organization's second report on TSV technology, following the report 3D Integration at the Wafer Level, published in 2006. That report highlighted the processes and materials used, including via fabrication methods, via filling, wafer thinning, and bonding. The current report provides an update of activities by research organizations and key technologies used, analyzing details of new developments, applications, and market projections.