The Semiconductor Technology Track focuses on two key areas essential for the continued scaling of semiconductor systems: BEOL interconnect technologies and chiplet technologies. With the limitations of copper (Cu) wiring, the industry is exploring faster, more energy-efficient alternatives, including elemental metals, intermetallics, anisotropic compounds, and topological semimetals. Research in this area includes both experimental work on material development and theoretical studies using AI/ML and simulations to improve interconnect performance. Additionally, chiplet technology research aims to improve system performance through advanced chiplet design, 3D integration, hybrid bonding, and innovations in packaging, cooling, and power delivery. Projects may also explore other semiconductor advancements, such as resistive switching devices, AI-driven inspection, and device-level simulations.
Semiconductor Technology
Projects
2025
| Project | RPI Principal Investigators | IBM Principal Investigators |
|---|---|---|
| High resolution x-ray imaging for 3D-HI chiplet non-destructive internal metal joints inspection | Edwin Fohtung, James Lu | Roy Yu, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| E-beam glancing angle scattering for hybrid bonding surface planarity measurement | Gwo-Ching Wang, Toh-Ming Lu | Nicholas Polomoff, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| Intermetallic compounds for high-conductivity interconnects | Daniel Gall | Atharv Jog, Ching-Tzu Chen, Nargess Arabchi |
| Control of orientation and handedness of nanoscale topological and directional interconnect conductors on amorphous SiO2 | Jian Shi, Ravishankar Sundararaman | Ching-Tzu Chen, Fausto Martelli |
| Discovering topological materials for BEOL interconnects using first-principles calculations and machine learning | Trevor David Rhone, Ravishankar Sundararaman | Ching-Tzu Chen, Dmitry Zubarev, Timothy Philip |
| Validation of multiscale 3D chiplet stack thermal model with temperature-dependent materials through 3w measurements | Jacob Merson, Max Bloomfield | Roy Yu, Timothy Chainer, Prabudhya Roy Chowdhury, Aakrati Jain, Mukta Farooq |
| Molecular engineering of metal/low-k interfaces for Cu interconnects | Ganpati Ramanath, Pawel Keblinski | Dan Edelstein |
| Meta-Learned Digital Twins for Circuit Design in Chiplet Integration | Tianyi Chen, Mona Hella | Cheng Chi, Songtao Lu, Xin Zhang, Shawn Pinkett |
2026
| Project | RPI Principal Investigators | IBM Principal Investigators |
|---|---|---|
| Glancing electron diffraction study of Cu pads surface texture for hybrid bonding | Gwo-Ching Wang, Toh-Ming Lu | Roy Yu, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| Discovering topological materials for BEOL interconnects using first-principles calculations and machine learning | Ravishankar Sundaraman | Ching-Tzu Chen, Dmitry Zubarev, Timothy Philip |
| New materials for high-conductivity interconnects | Daniel Gall | Atharv Jog, Nargess Arabchi, Ching-Tzu Chen |
| High-Resolution X-ray Imaging for 3D-HI Chiplet Non-Destructive Internal Metal Joints Inspection | Edwin Fohtung, James Lu | Nick Polomoff, Roy Yu, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| Molecularly engineered liner/low-k interfaces and linerless Cu interconnects | Ramanath Ganpati, Pawel Keblinski | Dan Edelstein |
| Control of orientation and handedness of nanoscale Weyl interconnects metals on amorphous SiO2 | Jian Shi, Ravishankar Sundararaman | Ching-Tzu Chen, Thanh Nguyen |
| Computation-Guided Discovery of High-Thermal Conductivity, Low-k Dielectrics for Advanced Node Technologies | Prashun Gorai, Nikhil Koratkar, Theo Borca-Tasciuc | Prabudhya Roy Chowdhury, Aakrati Jain, Son Nguyen |
| Validation of size dependent and interface resistance models with 3 measurements | Jacob Merson, Max Bloomfield, Theodorian Borca-Tasciuc | Timothy Chainer, Aakrati Jain, Prabudhya Roy Chowdhury, Dureseti Chidambarrao |
2024
| Project | RPI Principal Investigators | IBM Principal Investigators |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular nanoengineering of post-Cu-metal/dielectric interfaces for nanodevice wiring | Ganpati Ramanath, Pawel Keblinski, Ravishankar Sundararaman | Griselda Bonilla, Ching-tzu Chen, Atharv Jog |
| Intermetallic compounds for high-conductivity interconnects | Daniel Gall | Atharv Jog, Ching-Tzu Chen |
| E-beam glancing angle scattering for hybrid bonding surface planarity measurement | Gwo-Ching Wang, Toh-Ming Lu | Nicholas Polomoff, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| High resolution x-ray imaging for 3D-HI chiplet non-destructive internal metal joints inspection | Edwin Fohtung, James Lu | Roy Yu, Katsuyuki Sakuma |
| Anisotropic Thermal Resistance Characterization of SI, BEOL, and underfill layers using 3 omega Joule heating thermometry and exploratory non-destructive scanning Thermal Microscopy/ Multiscale Thermal Modeling of 3D ICs | Theo Borca-Tasciuc, Jacob Merson, Max Bloomfield | Roy Yu, Timothy Chainer, Prabudhya Roy Chowdhury, Aakrati Jain, Mukta Farooq |
| Control of orientation and handedness of nanoscale topological interconnect conductors on amorphous SiO2 | Jian Shi, Ravishankar Sundar | Ching-tzu Chen |
| Discovering topological materials for BEOL Interconnects using first-principles calculations and machine learning | Trevor Rhone, Ravishankar Sundar | Ching-tzu Chen, Atharv Jog |
