SEMI and City of San Jose

AI is fueling unprecedented growth and accelerating demand for advanced devices. Its requirements for performance, power, and area scaling are driving memory and logic devices toward 3D architectures.
At the heart of this 3D transformation, processing steps must enable taller, perpendicular structures as well as smaller features. Meeting these requirements calls for new deposition and etch capabilities that did not exist before, leading to breakthroughs needed in areas such as atomic-level deposition and etch (ALD and ALE), high-aspect-ratio processing, dry resist EUV patterning, and the adoption of new materials like molybdenum (Mo). As a result, the transition to 3D devices will drive increased intensity of deposition and etch processing.
This presentation will explore how deposition and etch are critical to unlocking the future of 3D devices, with increasing velocity required to meet the demands of AI-driven innovation.

※ Biography

As the semiconductor industry navigates the challenges of dimensional and functional scaling in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, advanced materials science has emerged as a critical enabler for performance enhancement. Modern AI-centric architectures demand the integration of increasingly complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs with non-traditional material systems.
This work details a high-throughput methodology for the rapid down-selection and optimization of multi-element thin films, ensuring alignment with both physical and electrical key performance indicators (KPIs). Utilizing combinatorial physical vapor deposition (PVD) in conjunction with unit-cell electrical test vehicles, we systematically screen an expansive elemental compositional space to identify optimal candidates. Advanced machine learning (ML) algorithms are integrated into each phase of the development lifecycle—spanning precursor synthesis, process optimization, and heterogeneous integration—to satisfy the rigorous specifications of emerging device applications. The synergy between integrated materials engineering and AI-driven informatics significantly reduces the temporal gap between material discovery and device-level implementation.

※ Biography

Chemical and materials research faces increasing demands for data-driven automation and autonomous research systems due to vast exploration spaces and complex decision-making processes. In this talk, we introduce EXAONE Discovery as a Chemical Agentic AI system and present an integrated research framework designed to accelerate scientific discovery.
EXAONE Discovery is an agent-based system that tightly integrates property prediction, molecular generation, synthesis prediction, and literature/data extraction. Based on given research objectives, the system accumulates relevant data, generates candidate molecules using model-driven approaches, evaluates their properties, and derives feasible synthetic routes—automating the end-to-end discovery pipeline. Furthermore, it is designed to enable a closed-loop research paradigm by interfacing with autonomous laboratories, connecting design–prediction–synthesis–validation cycles. This allows hypotheses proposed by AI to be experimentally validated, with results continuously fed back into the system for iterative model improvement and optimization.
In this talk, we will demonstrate how this integrated approach enhances research productivity across various industrial use cases in materials discovery and optimization, and discuss future directions of Chemical Agentic AI.

※ Biography

※ Biography

※ Biography

The rising technical demands for advanced semiconductor device manufacturing, and the industry’s ambitious net-zero commitments necessitate the development of novel etch chemistries that deliver both technical excellence and environmental sustainability. This talk will present an overview of the emerging etching chemistries developed by Air Liquide for variety-targeted applications. These innovative chemistries focus on delivering improved performance with unique technical merits to address current industry challenges. Exemplified by a novel low Global Warming Potential (GWP) designed for general dielectric etch, its synergistic integration with advanced abatement solutions, and a simplified Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) - from raw material extraction through processing, manufacturing, distribution, and use, this presentation aims to provide insights into a pathway towards more sustainable semiconductor manufacturing processes.

※ Biography

As device architectures scale toward the angstrom era, metallization has emerged as one of the most critical bottlenecks to continued improvements in power and performance. Shrinking feature dimensions increase resistance, heighten reliability risks, and add complexity in interconnects and contacts. At these scales, traditional approaches which uniformly affect all wafer surfaces are increasingly ineffective. They rely heavily on lithography to define placement, and struggle to address tighter geometries and growing sensitivity to interfaces. Selective deposition is a solution which enables atomicscale control of where metals grow, placing material only where it is needed, without relying on patterning. It also enables monocrystalline metal growth, eliminating grain boundaries to minimize contact resistance.

This presentation will highlight how Applied Materials’ integrated materials solutions are enabling multiple inflections through area selective metallization. Selective Cobalt Capping technology encapsulates copper interconnects, improving adhesion, suppressing electromigration, and extending copper reliability to advanced nodes. Applied’s Selective Barrier eliminates a highly resistive interface at the interface of interconnect wiring. For contact fill, Applied developed Selective Tungsten (W) as a liner-less gap-fill solution that eliminates traditional liner/barrier layers and enables bottomup, seamfree metal fill. Finally, we introduce Selective Molybdenum (Mo) deposition that carries lowresistivity contact scaling forward as dimensions approach the fundamental scaling limits of W. Applied’s state-of-the-art atomic layer deposition tool for molybdenum delivers bottom-up, single-crystal Mo growth, enabling the next generation of contact scaling.

※ Biography

※ Biography

Cleaning processes originally relied on wet etch based patterning. However, dry etching now performs the majority of the patterning work, so wet etching is no longer needed for most pattern creation steps. Consequently, the focus of cleaning has shifted from patterning to the removal of contaminants. To obtain a clean surface, we must eliminate unwanted contaminants without any side effects such as pattern damage, collapse, material loss, or corrosion.
However, in the current era of 3 D structured devices such as V NAND, GAA, and 3 D DRAM, lateral wet etching is essential for patterning 3 D devices, and the proportion of wet etching in cleaning processes is increasing. Additionally, different kinds of selectivity such as concentration selectivity and area selectivity, have become important, in addition to conventional material selectivity. Sometimes we have to remove a film uniformly even though there are seams and voids. In addition, pattern loading has become a critical factor in lateral removal processes. We must solve these loading issues to achieve better performance and yield.
From time to time we must use more flexible, multi step processes; therefore, premixed chemistry is not enough to meet our purpose. Due to the flexibility of dry (gas phase) cleaning, the portion of dry cleaning has been increasing sharply. Area selectivity has also become another challenge. We must etch without corner rounding or climbing, and we want to perform anisotropic etching.
Conversely, based on the generic clean roadmap, high aspect ratio cleaning and low consumption cleaning will remain continuous challenges. Super critical CO2 drying is a solution for pattern collapse in HAR patterns, yet a dryer that is milder than CO2 but better than conventional IPA dryer technology is still required. In terms of chemical reduction, the puddle process may be a solution, but some side effects related to temperature consistency and cleanliness differences due to fluid dynamics must be resolved before implementation.

※ Biography

Biography

Biography

Biography

The roadmap for advanced packaging in AI applications presents significant challenges, particularly with scaling up and incorporating more chiplets.
This expansion poses obstacles in terms of yield and productivity.
To address these challenges, CoP (Chip-on-Panel) technology will be introduced to complement current CoW (Chip-on-Wafer) to accelerate 3DIC scale up. However, this shift requires substantial infrastructure development, especially for tool development and material innovations. Meanwhile, material usage will be significantly increased, raising concerns about supply chain resilience.
All of which will play a pivotal role in enabling this critical technology expansion and requires seamless collaborations across backend eco-system.

Biography

As global change accelerates and the international environment becomes increasingly uncertain, the effective use of technologies such as AI is essential for Japan to achieve sustainable economic growth. At the same time, building a “Collaborative Growth Model” rooted in empathy enables us to realize true prosperity. This lecture explores the latest technological trends and discusses Japan’s vision for sustainable growth.

Biography

Generative AI is beginning to create an “autonomous digital world,” in which operations and decision-making are orchestrated autonomously through AI agents.
In this session, we will provide an overarching view of how these technological advancements are transforming corporate business processes, organizational structures, and executive decision-making, and examine the fundamental impact these changes have on competitiveness and business strategy.
In addition, the session will offer insights for Japanese companies and the Japanese market from a global perspective, while sharing Microsoft’s vision for the future and strategic perspectives on driving new value creation.

Biography

This presentation will discuss the growing importance of the semiconductor industry amid concurrent geopolitical tensions,
supply chain disruptions, and technological advancements; outline strategies for fostering innovation and strengthening supply chain resilience;
and introduce the Japanese government’s AI and semiconductor strategy in light of these developments.

Biography

This presentation explores Taiwan’s semiconductor development strategy as a "pivotal fulcrum" of the global AI industry. First, it examines how Taiwan maintains its technological leadership by leveraging advanced process nodes and the unique cluster advantage of "zero distance between R&D and production". Second, from a supply chain perspective, it analyzes innovative models for the global deployment of the industrial ecosystem. Furthermore, the session addresses the strategic management of key technical know-how amidst geopolitical challenges and defines a collaborative positioning of "deep coupling" with global partners. Finally, it highlights the evolution and vision
of government policy as it transforms from a "regulator" into an "enabler".

Biography

This session explains approaches to addressing economic security risks, incorporating the latest developments in export and investment regulations in the semiconductor sector. In particular, it focuses on risks associated with business operations in China and India.

Biography

In March this year, the Chinese Communist Party and government adopted the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), reaffirming their commitment to accelerating “self-reliance and self-strengthening” in high-tech industries centered on semiconductors. This presentation examines how far China’s semiconductor supply chain has advanced toward greater autonomy amid prolonged U.S.–China technology tensions. By analyzing developments in key firms, it also considers how Japanese companies should respond to these changes.

Biography

①Supply chain Resilience
②International Competitiveness
③Geopolitics
④Energy

The world has witnessed the Russian invasion of Ukraine, China’s wolf warrior diplomacy and a series of economic coercion, and the US military operations in Venezuela as well as Iran.
How should Japan react to the measures by major powers that shake the foundations of the rules-based international order established after WWII?

Fawning China, worshipping the US, and the deterioration of Japan’s presence in the world.
How could Prime Minister Takaichi extricate Japan’s diplomacy from such a stalemate that has continued since PM Suga through PM Kishida and Ishiba?

These will be discussed candidly in light of the speaker’s 40-year-long experience as a diplomat.

Biography

Biography

AI is dominating the semiconductor market. As AI-related semiconductor prices rise and demand continues to grow, the outlook for the Semiconductor Production Equipment (SPE) market is improving. In addition to demand fueled by technological innovations unique to AI semiconductors, the industry faces an urgent need to construct new fabrication facilities and add production lines to keep up with increased volumes. In this seminar, we will explore the outlook for both the semiconductor and SPE markets.

Biography

We would like to examine the current status and future prospects of Japan's Semiconductor Materials Industries that not only provides solutions for BEOL where semiconductor elements are formed on wafer surface but also for BEOL where thermal and insulation managements are vital. We would like to briefly touch the implications of geopolitical risks.

Biography

AI progress continues to accelerate. Frontier development is shifting from scaling pretraining to optimizing inference and strengthening agent/orchestration layers. This drives demand beyond GPUs to DPUs and data center infrastructure. As physical AI and multimodal models rise, this talk examines the implications for the semiconductor industry.

Biography

Biography

As the world grapples with challenges such as population decline and intensifying global competition, how can Japan achieve sustainable growth? This session will highlight technologies such as space, AI, and robotics from a broad perspective that spans industry, society, and philosophy. We will explore Japan’s future and strategic direction through “science and technology-oriented nation,” a concept advocated by Keidanren.
Biography

Biography