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The upcoming SMTA International Conference will feature a paper titled “Advanced Packaging for Photonics: Hybrid Bonding and Silicon Interposer Integration,” presented by NHanced Semiconductors vice-president Dr. Charles Woychik and Dr. Navid Asadizanjani from the Florida Semiconductor Institute at University of Florida. The paper will detail the critical role of fine-pitch Cu-Cu hybrid bonding and high-density silicon interposers to enable 2.5D heterogeneous integration of chiplets for silicon photonics applications.
The continued scaling of photonic systems for high-bandwidth applications in co-packaged optics and AI interconnects is being increasingly enabled by advanced packaging approaches based on hybrid bonding and silicon interposers. Hybrid bonding provides dielectric-to-dielectric bonding and direct Cu–Cu interconnects at sub-10µm pitch, with scalability toward <5µm and interconnect densities exceeding 10⁴–10⁵ connections/mm². By eliminating micro-bumps and reducing interconnect height, parasitic capacitance and inductance are reduced, improving signal integrity and energy efficiency in high-speed interfaces such as driver-to-modulator and transimpedance amplifier links. In parallel, silicon interposers with high-density redistribution layers (≤2µm line/space) and through-silicon vias (10–40µm pitch) enable 2.5D integration of heterogeneous chiplets, including silicon photonics.
The combination of these advanced packaging technologies enables the sub-micron alignment accuracy critical for low-loss optical coupling and supports scalable architectures that address electrical, optical, and thermal design constraints. Key challenges for implementing these technologies include bonding defectivity, overlay accuracy, thermal expansion mismatch, and heat dissipation in densely integrated stacks, necessitating co-optimization of materials, process integration, and thermal management solutions. These advanced packaging platforms are foundational to realizing high-density, energy-efficient photonic-electronic integration for next-generation data-centric systems.
The 2026 SMTA International Conference will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL from October 25 – 29, 2026. The conference is organized by SMTA as part of its focus on supporting all aspects of electronics manufacturing technology. The conference offers practical, research-based content on topics such as materials and process reliability, advanced packaging, AI in manufacturing, counterfeit detection, sustainability, and yield improvement strategies. In addition to the educational sessions, SMTA International includes an exhibition hall, technical roundtables, a keynote presentation on cultivating a sustainable and agile culture of innovation, and networking receptions.
