April 29, 2024
Tech Extension Co., Ltd.
Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tech Extension Co. and Tech Extension Taiwan to build next-generation 3Dintegration manufacturing lines using Tokyo Tech's BBCube Technology—Realizing social implementation of next-generation 3D stacked semiconductor
technology—

Tech Extension Co., Ltd. (referred to hereinafter as TEX)[1] and Tech Extension Taiwan Co., Ltd. (referred tohereinafter as TEX-T)[2] have agreed with Innolux Corporation (referred to hereinafter as INNOLUX)[3] to build ina cleanroom of INNOLUX a manufacturing line intended for next-generation 3D integration[4] based on theBumpless Build Cube (BBCube[5]), which is a technology achieved through the Tokyo Institute of Technology
WOW Alliance[6].
TEX will transfer WOW technology[7] and COW technology[8], which are both based on the BBCube technology
platform, to this manufacturing line intended for next-generation 3D integration. This technology transfer utilizes
processes, equipment, and materials.
Also, TEX and TEX-T will take the lead in building the next-generation 3D integration manufacturing line and arescheduled to concurrently conduct research and development, including human resource development, incollaboration with the Tokyo Tech WOW Alliance, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU[9]), and otheruniversities and industries.
A next-generation semiconductor integrated manufacturing line that encompasses manufacturing from WOW
manufacturing to COW manufacturing will be built to take advantage of the WOW and COW technologies, which
are based on the platform for BBCube technology possessed by TEX and TEX-T, aiming at utilizing the WOW andCOW technologies as post-miniaturization core technologies.
In the future, equipment will be launched sequentially from Q4 in 2024, and an integrated manufacturing line isscheduled to be launched by Q3 in 2025, thus sequentially applying the WOW and COW technologies, which are
based on the BBCube platform.
[Future Plans]○ Early 2024: Cleanroom building and equipment selection (phase 1)○ 2024 to 2025: Sequential launch of equipment and building of development-production integrated line (phase2)○ From second half of 2025: Mass-production in accordance with wafer input○ Research and development based on BBCube technology through a development-manufacturing line incollaboration with Japan–Taiwan semiconductor-related universities, public research organizations, andindustries

In the event that any questions or concerns arise during any of the phases described above, the parties concerned
will consult with each other in good faith.
[Terms]（1） TECH EXTENSION Co., Ltd.: Venture company initiated by Tokyo Institute of Technology establishedon January 16, 2018 by Professor Takayuki Ohba of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Institute of Innovative
Research, with the aim of implementing BBCube technology in society. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
（2） TECH EXTENSION TAIWAN CO., LTD.: Local affiliated company established by TEX in Taiwan onNovember 2, 2020, with the aim of conducting full-scale activities in Taiwan. Headquartered in Taipei,Taiwan.
（3） Innolux Corporation：I Innolux was founded in 2003 and went public in Taiwan in 2006. In March 2010,its merger with Chi Mei Optoelectronics and TPO Displays marked the largest merger in the history of thepanel industry. Innolux integrates the product manufacturing supply chain and provides customers withcomplete solutions through its innovative operation approach of panel-centric and vertical integration. Not
only does Innolux have a good TFT-LCD foundation and production quality, but it also has a strong focus
on processing technology and components, as well as excellent management capabilities.
（4） Next-generation 3D integration: This refers to next-generation semiconductor technology with 3D
integration at the wafer level. Based on the ultra-thinning technology and bumpless vertical wiring
technology owned by the WOW Alliance, it is possible to achieve 3D integration with semiconductors thatallows for higher performance and lower power consumption than with conventional products. In addition
to large-scale computing devices such as servers, this makes it possible greatly reduce the size of mounted
multifunction device systems.
（5） BBCube (Bumpless Build Cube): Architecture allowing systems to be minimized without the use of bumps.
It is a compact 3D version of a chiplet, which are conventionally a flat plane.
Reference: Ohba, T.; Sakui, K.; Sugatani, S.; Ryoson, H.; Chujo, N. Review of Bumpless Build Cube(BBCube) Using Wafer-on-Wafer (WOW) and Chip-on-Wafer (COW) for Tera-Scale Three-Dimensional
Integration (3DI). Electronics 2022, 11, 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics11020236（6） WOW Alliance: This is an industry-academia research platform operated by the Heterogeneous andFunctional Integration Unit (Ohba Laboratory) of the Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Tech. It
consists of companies and research institutes that handle design, processing, equipment, and materials related
to semiconductors. As the only R&D platform in Japan focused on 3D integration of semiconductors, itpioneered simple wafer thinning and stacking technology with 300mm wafers. It is also the first in the world
to successfully develop 3D technology with bumpless TSV[9] wiring.
（7） WOW (Wafer-on-Wafer) Technology: Stacking technology that allows wafers to be directly bonded andconnected to each other. This greatly helps to improve efficiency of wafer stacking of the same chip size
such as for DRAM.
（8） COW (Chip-on-Wafer) Technology: Technology that connects and bonds chiplets on a wafer using WOWtechnology. By bonding the chips directly onto the wafer, high-precision processing can be performed using

various types of wafer processing equipment in subsequent semiconductor manufacturing processes.
（9） National Cheng Kung University (NCKU): This is a national university established in 1931. It is wellknown as a top university in the mid-south region of Taiwan, and is one of six designated national research
universities. Official name: 國立成功大學. Tokyo Tech and NCKU entered into an Academic Cooperation
Agreement in November 1997.

Contact
Tech Extension Co., Ltd.
Tadashi Fukuda
E-mail: t.fukuda001@tech-extension.co.jp
Public Relations Division, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Email media@jim.titech.ac.jp
Tel +81-3-5734-2975