It’s Not Packaging, It’s Construction

It’s Not Packaging, It’s Construction

Title history
  • It’s Not Packaging, It’s Construction — observed on 20261028-1551 UTC (YouTube)

by SEMICONDUCTOR LEADERSHIP PODCAST · View the channel on PSI

Applied Sciences & Engineering Engineering & Technology TJFElectronics engineeringTJFDElectronic devices and materials
🎙 SEMICONDUCTOR LEADERSHIP PODCAST 👥 5K 📅 October 28, 2026 ⏱ 47 min 👁 2 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-10-28
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

TCBhybrid bondingadvanced packagingHBMmetrology

Summary

In this episode of the Semiconductor Leadership Podcast, host Salah Nasri interviews Dr. Ami Eitan, SVP and Chief Scientific Officer at ASMPT, about advanced packaging technologies, focusing on thermocompression bonding (TCB) and hybrid bonding. Eitan, who spent 16 years at Intel and 5 years at TSMC, shares his experiences on both customer and supplier sides. He explains how TCB works, the differences between Intel’s substrate-based and TSMC’s wafer-based integration, and why the equipment provider must think holistically about materials, process, and metrology. He discusses the challenges of metrology and polymer rheology at tighter pitches, the future of hybrid bonding in HBM, and the role of silicon photonics. The conversation covers the hardest decision of his career—taking a risk on TCB—and his belief that the word ‘packaging’ should be replaced with ‘construction’ to reflect its active role in enabling performance. The episode provides deep insights into the state of advanced packaging from an expert with rare cross-industry perspective.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The interview offers exceptional value by providing firsthand accounts of TCB development from paper concept to mass production, and the different challenges faced by an IDM versus a foundry. Eitan’s arguments are well-grounded in his extensive experience, and he articulates complex technical concepts clearly. He makes a compelling case for the need for metrology advancements and a holistic approach to equipment design. The argumentation is solid, though it remains opinion-based rather than data-driven, and he acknowledges uncertainty in future predictions.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

Eitan references the book ‘Chip War’ and mentions Morris Chang’s biography, but no specific scientific papers. The episode is primarily anecdotal and draws on personal experience. The title is clever and accurately reflects the central theme that advanced packaging is construction. However, the lack of citations and reliance on personal narrative limits its scientific rigor. The content is credible due to the speaker’s authority, but it is not a peer-reviewed source.

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Title / Content Match

The title aptly summarizes the central thesis that advanced packaging is actually construction, as discussed in the episode.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

Expert interview with deep insights from an experienced engineer, but relies on personal opinion and experience rather than peer-reviewed data.

Chapters

Cited Sources

  • Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology — Recommended by the guest as a book every semiconductor engineer should read to understand the big picture.

Contribution & Novelties

The original contribution is the unique perspective of an engineer who has been on both sides of the equipment supply chain, providing insights into the challenges of TCB and hybrid bonding from Intel and TSMC. Eitan highlights the critical role of interfaces and the need for better metrology and polymer understanding. He also predicts the gradual adoption of hybrid bonding in HBM and the emergence of silicon photonics.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Thermocompression bonding — Background on the bonding technique discussed extensively.
  • Hybrid bonding — The other key technology; explanation of copper-to-copper bonding.
  • High Bandwidth Memory — HBM is a major application driving advanced packaging.

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Radar Profile

The profile shows a strong technical depth (niveau_technique), balanced with strong information quality and quantity, but slightly lower reliability due to the reliance on personal opinion. The overall impression is of a highly informative but subjective interview.

Reliability 8/10