Ever since high-performance computing became the norm in the industry, the demand for robust compute solutions has increased at a pace that surpasses the improvements brought about by relying solely on Moore's Law. But, to meet the industry's demand, manufacturers like AMD and NVIDIA adopted advanced packaging technologies, which essentially brought in 'multiple chips' in a single package, boosting chip densities as well as platform performance. Advanced packaging solutions have become an integral part of the supply chain, and TSMC has dominated this segment for several years now, but this could change.

In new job listings by Qualcomm and Apple, it appears that both companies are seeking talent with expertise in Intel's EMIB advanced packaging technology. The Cupertino giant is hiring a DRAM packaging engineer, requiring experience in "advanced packaging technologies such as CoWoS, EMIB, SoIC, and PoP". Similarly, Qualcomm is recruiting a Director of Product Management for its Data Center Business Unit, which requires familiarity with Intel's EMIB as well, indicating that interest is defintely there.

Let's discuss Intel's packaging technologies briefly, although delving into the specifics would make this piece too lengthy. The EMIB (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge) technology enables the connection of multiple chiplets within a single package using a small embedded silicon bridge, thereby eliminating the need for a large interposer, unlike TSMC's CoWoS. Built upon EMIB, Intel also offers its Foveros Direct 3D packaging technology, which enables stacking on the base die using TSVs. Foveros is one of the most highly regarded solutions in the industry.

The reason why Intel sees interest in its advanced packaging solutions is that not only do they offer an alternative that is, on paper, more viable than TSMC, but for companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and Broadcom, who are stepping up in the race for custom silicon, opting for Intel is a significant adoption. We are all aware that the Taiwanese giant is currently experiencing a supply bottleneck in its advanced packaging production, given the high order volume from companies like NVIDIA and AMD. This ultimately puts newer clients under relatively lower priority, which is a factor that Intel can capitalize on.

NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has also spoken 'words of appreciation' around Intel's Foveros technology, which means that the firm has an excellent prospect for capitalizing on the advanced packaging demand. The job listings don't guarantee that Intel's advanced packaging solutions will be adopted, but they do indicate that interest in them within the industry is present.

By: DocMemory
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