Recently, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, with approval from the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, has established, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore, the “Centre for Heterogeneous Integration and Production” (CHIP) under the third InnoHK innovation platform (SEAM@InnoHK). The centre is co-led by Professor Shih-Chi Chen of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at CUHK, together with Professor Jianbin Xu and Professor Ni Zhao of the Department of Electronic Engineering at CUHK, with an initial approved funding of HK$290 million for a period of five years.
As the founder of Astra Optics Limited, Professor Chen’s receipt of support from the InnoHK platform once again strongly demonstrates his research strength in the fields of nanomanufacturing and two-photon lithography.
Focusing on the Core Proposition of the “Beyond Moore’s Law” Era
As the semiconductor industry gradually enters the “Beyond Moore’s Law” stage, traditional transistor scaling is approaching physical limits. Three-dimensional heterogeneous integration is regarded as a key technological path to improve chip performance, reduce power consumption, and lower costs. However, constructing nanoscale silicon-based integrated circuits requires extremely high-precision manufacturing and metrology tools, for which mature equipment is currently lacking in the market. At the same time, the introduction of new semiconductor materials such as two-dimensional materials also imposes new requirements on manufacturing processes.
CHIP was established precisely against this industrial background, committed to driving innovation in semiconductor equipment and material processing through heterogeneous integration technology, contributing to the development of next-generation high-performance electronic devices.
Three Research Directions: Systematically Breaking Through Manufacturing Bottlenecks
Image source: Inventec
Focusing on the key challenges of semiconductor advanced manufacturing, CHIP will advance research in the following three directions:
First, semiconductor precision manufacturing and metrology equipment, including key technologies such as wafer bonding systems, two-dimensional lithography platforms, and laser etching machines, aiming to improve the overall level of three-dimensional and electronic integrated circuits in terms of speed, precision, and scalability.
Second, foundational materials engineering and advanced packaging, covering areas such as bonding technology, chip interface thermal management, and two-dimensional material preparation, with the goal of achieving industrial-scale heterogeneous integration.
Third, novel devices and systems based on heterogeneous integration, including electronic-photonic integrated circuits, back-end-of-line compatible devices, two-dimensional material-silicon hybrid optoelectronic chips, and flexible sensor modules. This will respond to the global semiconductor heterogeneous integration roadmap and provide underlying technological support for application scenarios such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, robotics, augmented reality, and virtual reality.
CHIP aims to overcome technical challenges in semiconductor equipment and material processing through scientific research innovation, improve the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of high-performance electronic devices, and further consolidate the international position of Hong Kong and Mainland China in the fields of advanced manufacturing and electronic materials.
Fundamental Research and Industrial Practice Echo Each Other
Professor Shih-Chi Chen has long been engaged in ultrafast lasers, two-photon lithography, and nanomanufacturing. The high-precision manufacturing equipment development and heterogeneous integration processes focused on by CHIP are highly relevant to the frontier topics of nanomanufacturing. The relevant research results are expected to bring new improvements to the equipment capabilities and process levels of the entire industry.
As a nanomanufacturing enterprise co-founded by Professor Chen, Astra Optics Limited focuses on the industrial application of two-photon lithography and nanomanufacturing technologies. Professor Chen’s research work at CHIP constitutes fundamental and applied research addressing common industry problems, and its results will serve the entire semiconductor and nanomanufacturing industry ecosystem. At the same time, the scientific knowledge and talent reserve accumulated from these frontier directions will resonate well with the technological field in which Astra Optics Limited operates, providing useful reference for the company to continuously track industry frontiers and maintain technological sensitivity.
Conclusion
From being selected as an RGC Senior Research Fellow earlier to now co-leading the InnoHK CHIP Research Centre, Professor Shih-Chi Chen’s research work in the fields of nanomanufacturing and semiconductor advanced manufacturing has continuously received authoritative recognition. We extend our sincere congratulations to Professor Chen and his team, and look forward to CHIP producing more internationally influential research and development outcomes in the next five years, contributing to the development of the advanced manufacturing industry in Hong Kong and around the world.
Astra Optics Limited will also continue to uphold a pragmatic and innovative attitude, focus on refining its own technologies and products, and work hand in hand with partners in academia and industry to jointly promote the application of nanomanufacturing technology to broader application scenarios.
Source reference:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/26/P2026032500539.htm
