The “Asia Materials Conference 2016” Advanced Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Subsession was successfully held.

　　From October 20 to 24, 2016, the 17th Asian Materials Conference (IUMRS-ICA 2016)—one of the most important series of conferences organized by the International Union of Materials Research Societies—was grandly held at the Qingdao International Convention & Exhibition Center in Qingdao City, Shandong Province. The conference featured a total of 27 sub-conferences, with themes covering five major hot topics: energy and environmental materials, advanced structural materials, functional materials, biomaterials, and materials simulation, computation, and design.

　　The “Advanced Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Materials Sub-forum,” organized by the Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry and jointly supported by the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Multi-Dimensional Electronic Materials Technology Development and Promotion Center, was held concurrently. This sub-forum aims to facilitate exchanges and cooperation among experts, scholars, and business representatives in China’s microelectronics and optoelectronics materials fields, thereby enhancing the academic standards and technological innovation capabilities in these areas in China.

　　Academician Wang Xi, Director of the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, served as the Chair of the “Advanced Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Subsession.” Academician Wang Zhengping from the Chinese University of Hong Kong was appointed Honorary Chair of the sub-session. Researcher Zhao Chao from the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Lin Qinghuang from IBM, and Professor Yang Deren from Zhejiang University jointly served as Vice Chairs of the sub-session. On behalf of Academician Wang Xi, Researcher Zhao Chao delivered the opening address for the sub-session. More than 80 delegates from around the world gathered to discuss the latest achievements in the fields of microelectronics and optoelectronics. The sub-session featured four days of academic presentations, including keynote speeches, invited talks, oral presentations, and poster sessions. These presentations covered a wide range of topics in microelectronics and optoelectronics, including substrate materials such as Si, Ge, SOI, GOI, SiC, and compound semiconductors; high-k, low-k, GeSi, GeSn, PCRAM, RRAM, STT-MRAM, and other materials used in integrated circuit and optoelectronic device fabrication; novel display materials; process materials for integrated circuit manufacturing, such as photoresists, DSA, CVD and ALD precursors, CMP polishing materials, process chemicals, and target materials; advanced packaging materials; carbon-based functional materials like carbon nanotubes and graphene; new two-dimensional materials; novel storage materials and technologies; material characterization techniques and methods; and material design theories and computational simulations.

　　The keynote speakers at this conference boast an exceptionally impressive lineup, with ten renowned scholars and industry leaders—each highly esteemed in the international fields of microelectronics and optoelectronics—delivering compelling presentations.

　　Professor Supratik Guha, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a professor at the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, and Director of the Nanoscience and Technology Division and the Center for Nanomaterials at Argonne National Laboratory, delivered a keynote speech titled “Nano-materials and their Role in the Post-CMOS World of Computing.” In his talk, he presented an overview of the current state of ultra-low-power neuromorphic computing and discussed the challenges it faces in terms of materials, devices, and physics.

　　Professor Wang Zhengping, an academician of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Distinguished Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S., and leader of the Guangdong Provincial Innovation Team for “Advanced Electronic Packaging Materials” at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, known as the “Father of Modern Semiconductor Packaging,” delivered a keynote speech titled “Electronic Packaging Technology and Materials.” In his talk, he reviewed the history and ongoing challenges in advanced electronic packaging technologies and key materials, and provided a detailed account of his team’s research and development achievements in electronic materials, including recent advances in polymer-based electronic packaging materials, controlled preparation of CNTs, graphene synthesis and applications, fabrication of micro- and nanostructures, and thermal management in electronic packaging. He particularly highlighted the academic accomplishments and industrialization progress made by his team at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, over the past five years. Additionally, he shared with the audience his experiences and insights gained from academic research.

　　Professor H.-S. Philip Wong from Stanford University in the United States delivered a keynote speech titled “Brain-Inspired Computing,” presenting his research group’s recent advances in brain-inspired computing. He explained how nanoscale non-volatile memory technologies, such as PCRAM and RRAM, can be leveraged to emulate synaptic functions and enable low-power brain-like devices.

　　Dr. Carlos Mazure, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President, and Director of R&D at France’s Soitec, delivered a keynote speech titled “SOI and Smart Cut: A Game-Changing Technology – An Overview.” In his presentation, he introduced the applications of SOI technology in wireless communication fields such as smartphones and WiFi, outlined the SOI manufacturing process and current development trends, highlighted the advantages of FD SOI in terms of high speed and low power consumption, and emphasized that this cutting-edge substrate technology will drive the advancement of the fifth-generation mobile communications wave.

　　Dr. Henry Radamson from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Europe, delivered a keynote speech titled “Si-Ge-Sn-C Alloys for Electronic and Photonic Applications.” The presentation showcased their highly systematic and in-depth research on Si-Ge-Sn materials conducted over recent years. Dr. Henry Radamson expressed great optimism about the potential applications of these materials in both microelectronics and optoelectronics.

　　Dr. Douglas Yu from the renowned semiconductor company TSMC delivered a keynote speech titled “Emerging Trends in the Semiconductor Industry and Opportunities for Advanced Packaging Materials.” Dr. Yu focused primarily on the demand for advanced packaging driven by industrial needs and the evolution of Moore’s Law, outlining the development trends and key challenges facing advanced packaging—including SIP. He introduced TSMC’s highly regarded P3C2 principle, which stands for Performance, Power, Profile, Cycle Time, and Cost. Drawing on the specific requirements of high-performance computing (HPC) and the Internet of Things (IoT) for device packaging, Dr. Yu highlighted TSMC’s significant progress in areas such as 3DIC, TSV, interposer technology, and fan-out packaging, as well as the critical material requirements throughout the packaging process. In conclusion, Dr. Yu pointed out that, with the growing popularity of fan-out packaging, this trend presents both opportunities and challenges for materials professionals.

　　Professor Zhao Weisheng from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics delivered a keynote speech on “Spin Orbit Engineering for Spintronics-based Computing.” The presentation focused on their recent research advances in STT-MRAM, particularly their outstanding achievements in computational and materials screening as well as mechanistic studies. The research approach was clear and the work highly systematic, leaving a profound impression.

　　Prof. Mikhail R. Baklanov from IMEC delivered a keynote speech titled “Challenges in the Implementation of Low-k Dielectrics in Advanced ULSI Interconnects.” The presentation focused on the reasons for using low-k materials, outlined the available low-k materials as process nodes reach 10nm, and discussed the integration challenges and innovations associated with these materials.

　　Dr. Mark Neisser, a U.S. expert from Beijing Kehua Microelectronics Materials Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech titled “Patterning Options for Future Semiconductor Manufacturing.” In his talk, Mark reviewed the historical development of patterning technologies, highlighted the current technical challenges facing these technologies, proposed potential solutions, and analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches. He particularly emphasized the importance of achieving breakthroughs in materials.

　　Dr. Huang Weiping, Chairman of Qingdao Hisense Broadband Multimedia Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech titled “Pervasive optical connectivity: what we can expect from photonic integration.” In his speech, Dr. Huang summarized the development history of optoelectronic integrated devices and highlighted the current challenges as well as potential solutions.

　　In addition, 20 renowned scholars from home and abroad—including Professor Hyungjun Kim from Yonsei University in South Korea, Professor Deng Hai from Fudan University, Professor Wei Xianlong from Peking University, and Professor Song Aimin from the University of Manchester—delivered outstanding invited talks. Furthermore, several distinguished scholars participated in this conference, including Researcher Yang Guoqiang, Director of the Key Laboratory of Photochemistry at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Researcher Song Zhitang, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Information Functional Materials at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Kang Jinfeng from the School of Information Science at Peking University; Professor Wang Jing from Tsinghua University; and Professor Shi Fang from Nanjing University.

　　At the “Advanced Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Materials Subsession,” one Best Poster Award and one Outstanding Student Award were presented. Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, on behalf of the subsession organizing committee, presented honorary certificates to the winning young scholars. The atmosphere at this conference was vibrant, with enthusiastic audience participation, active discussions, and a platform that provided ample opportunities for experts, scholars, and industry representatives from China’s microelectronics and optoelectronics fields to exchange ideas. The conference received widespread acclaim from all participants. Following the conference, a one-day training session on integrated circuit chip manufacturing processes and integration technologies was held, led by Dr. Lin Qinghuang, a researcher and senior department manager at IBM’s T. J. Watson Research Center in the United States. The training covered international trends in integrated circuit technology development, semiconductor chip manufacturing processes, and key chip fabrication techniques.

　　Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in the Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry, presided over the opening ceremony.

　　Researcher Zhao Chao from the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences delivered the opening remarks for the sub-venue on behalf of Academician Wang Xi.

　　Professor Supratik Guha, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a professor at the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, and Director of the Nanoscience and Technology Division and the Center for Nanomaterials at Argonne National Laboratory, delivered a keynote speech titled “Nano-materials and their Role in the Post-CMOS World of Computing.”

　　Dr. Carlos Mazure, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President, and Director of R&D at France’s Soitec, delivered a keynote speech titled “SOI and Smart Cut: A Game-Changer Technology – An Overview.”

　　Professor Wang Zhengping, an academician of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Distinguished Professor and Board Member at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S., and Leader of the Guangdong Provincial Innovation Team for “Advanced Electronic Packaging Materials” at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a keynote speech titled “Electronic Packaging Technology and Materials.”

　　Dr. Douglas Yu from the renowned semiconductor company TSMC delivered a keynote speech titled “Emerging Trends in the Semiconductor Industry and Opportunities for Advanced Packaging Materials.”

　　Dr. Henry Radamson from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden will deliver a keynote speech entitled “Si-Ge-Sn-C Alloys for Electronic and Photonic Applications.”

　　Dr. Huang Weiping, Chairman of Qingdao Hisense Broadband Multimedia Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech titled “Pervasive optical connectivity: what we can expect from photonic integration.”

　　Dr. Mark Neisser, a U.S. expert from Beijing Kehua Microelectronics Materials Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech titled “Patterning Options for Future Semiconductor Manufacturing.”

　　Professor H.-S. Philip Wong from Stanford University in the United States delivered a keynote speech titled “Brain-Inspired Computing.”

　　Professor Zhao Weisheng from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics delivered a keynote speech titled “Spin Orbit Engineering for Spintronics-based Computing.”

　　Prof. Mikhail R. Baklanov from IMEC delivered a keynote speech titled “Challenges in the Implementation of Low-k Dielectrics in Advanced ULSI Interconnects.”

　　Shi Ying, Secretary-General of the Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in the Integrated Circuit Materials and Components Industry, presented honorary certificates to the award-winning young scholars on behalf of the sub-association’s organizing committee.