Covering 3-D integration at a symposium and conference this week, Senior Editor Alexander Braun landed two articles under the "Editor's Picks," as must-reads. He provides details about the challenges facing 3-D integration (which include test, yield and design), and also describes the impact the current economic "uncertainty" is having on 3-D integration development. To keep up with more in 3-D integration and other packaging fronts, check back regularly at our Packaging Technology Channel:

Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor
scolejohnson@mac.com

Advanced Fine-Pitch Packaging Development at 65 nm in Singapore
Business Wire, 11/17/2008

Singapore's Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing have successfully optimized a range of fine-pitch packaging technologies for copper metallization and low-k dielectric silicon processes at 65 nm and below. The Chartered-IME collaboration has led to a greater understanding of chip-package interaction of low-k devices through modeling, simulations and reliability verifications on silicon. More

IMEC and Panasonic Sign Research Contract
Business Wire, 11/12/2008

IMEC and Panasonic signed a joint research contract covering most of the research domains of IMEC. More

SUSS MicroTec Introduces iVista Failure Analysis Tool
Business Wire, 11/11/2008

SUSS MicroTec Test Systems announced the iVista LC digital microscope capable of delivering high-resolution digital images in conjunction with laser-cutting capabilities. More

Semitool Full-Year Revenues Increase 11%
Marketwire, 11/11/2008

Semitool Inc. reported financial results for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2008. Fourth quarter revenue increased 27% to $60.1M from $47.2M in last year's fourth quarter. More

Patent Award: Interposer Substrate
US Fed News, 11/14/2008

Researchers at Renesas Technology Corp. (Tokyo) have developed an interposer substrate manufacturing method that provides a "method for forming a narrow-pitch flip-chip bonding electrode and a wire bonding electrode at the same time so as to reduce cost of a substrate." More

Tessera Licenses Shellcase MVP Technology to Qtech
Business Wire, 11/11/2008

Tessera Technologies Inc. said Q Technology has licensed Tessera's image sensor packaging technology. More

Amkor Licenses FusionQuad Packaging Technology to ASAT
Business Wire, 11/7/2008

Amkor Technology Inc. said ASAT Holdings Ltd. has entered into an agreement to license Amkor's FusionQuad package technology. More

Tessera Signs Agreement With Motorola
Business Wire, 11/10/2008

Tessera Technologies Inc. announced that Motorola Inc. has signed an agreement with Tessera for an option to license Tessera's chip-scale packaging (CSP) technology. More