December 11, 2001 — SAN JOSE, CA — A global group of semiconductor equipment and process suppliers recently formed the Advanced Packaging and Interconnect Alliance (APiA) , a collaborative effort focused exclusively on the commercial development of comprehensive, risk-free interconnect packaging solutions for chipmakers worldwide. Including companies from the United States, Europe and Asia, APiA’s founding members and their respective technologies are:

– August Technology Corp. — automated, visual micro-defect inspection equipment;

– Casio Computer Co., Ltd. — manufacturing and process development of WL-CSP and wafer bump;

– Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co. Ltd. — coat/bake/develop equipment;

– EBARA Corporation — advanced plating technology and equipment;

– The Flip Chip Division of Kulicke & Soffa — solder bumping services and wafer level packaging solutions;

– Ultratech Stepper, Inc. — advanced photolithography systems; and

– Unaxis Balzers Ltd. — thin film production solutions.

According to the APiA steering committee, the initiative’s charter is to accelerate the development and implementation of commercially viable packaging solutions that address the escalating intricacies of leading-edge chips. The alliance will focus on enhancing the productivity of the equipment and process solutions critical for today’s advanced packaging and interconnect processes, as well as developing guidelines and standards to enable easy adoption of these solutions.