Company Selected for Technical Leadership in Fluxless Thermocompression Bonding
SAN FRANCISCO – Oct. 13, 2026 – SEMI, the industry association advancing the global semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, today announced Kulicke & Soffa as the recipient of the 2026 SEMI Award for North America. The company was selected for its formic acid in situ bonding technology, a fluxless thermocompression bonding (TCB) approach that’s central to the progression of heterogeneous integration. SEMI Americas presented the award to Kulicke & Soffa during the CEO Summit Keynotes at SEMICON West.
Conventional TCB and hybrid bonding both present scaling challenges. At 50-micron pitches and below, post-bond liquid flux cleaning becomes extremely difficult and time-consuming. Conversely, while hybrid bonding is state-of-the-art, its high cost and manufacturing complexity limit accessibility. Kulicke & Soffa overcame these hurdles by combining in situ formic acid oxide reduction with plasma pre-cleaning across its high-volume TCB platforms, delivering hybrid bonding-level performance at a significantly lower cost.
“As heterogeneous integration evolves, overcoming interconnect limitations becomes increasingly important for maintaining our industry’s ambitious growth trajectory,” said Joe Stockunas, president, SEMI Americas. “We’re honored to recognize Kulicke & Soffa for its outstanding breakthrough in fluxless TCB, a vital technology that’s helping the industry meet the rising demands of AI and high-performance computing. Kulicke & Soffa is a founding member of SEMI and is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, demonstrating our industry’s ongoing drive to innovate.”
Built into solutions like APTURA™, Kulicke & Soffa’s pioneering technology offers multiple oxide removal strategies in a single platform. This results in the ability to achieve ultra-fine interconnect pitches below 10 microns, thereby meeting interconnect density requirements for heterogeneous integration and silicon photonics. The APTURA machine is designed to work flexibly across wafers, substrates, and 310 mm panels.
“As features continue to shrink, our fluxless TCB technology is helping build the solid foundation required for advancing the industry’s Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap,” said Raj Talluri, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kulicke & Soffa. “We are proud to receive this recognition from SEMI Americas, which reflects the dedication and innovative spirit of our entire team around the world.”
Established in 1979, the SEMI Award is the highest honor given by the SEMI Americas division to recognize outstanding contributions from the semiconductor equipment and material supplier communities. Winning submissions must demonstrate commercial success for more mature contributions, while emerging technologies must show clear promise of future success. Nominations are also open to individuals or teams from industry and academia whose achievements have demonstrated technical significance across the broader semiconductor industry. The list of past award recipients can be viewed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the submission process for the SEMI Award for North America entail?
- Submissions must come from individuals or teams with North America-based SEMI member companies. Applications must include patent information for the innovation being nominated, a clear description on the impact of the innovation, and supporting evidence and references. Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the SEMI Award for North America committee. The full list of requirements can be viewed here.
What is the timeline for the 2027 SEMI Award for North America?
- Information on nominations and submissions for the 2027 award will be posted on the SEMI Award webpage. The award will be given at SEMICON West 2027, taking place from March 30 to April 1 in Phoenix, Arizona.
About SEMI
SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 4,000 companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members’ business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit www.semi.org, contact a regional office, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and X to learn more.
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