3D interconnect firms form development, marketing alliance

LONDON — Two companies developing different approaches to three-dimensional integrated circuits, Tezzaron Semiconductor Corp. and Ziptronix Inc., have said they intend to cooperate in development and marketing.

The companies said they wanted their alliance to serve as a core for building an open consortium of 3D designers, developers, and manufacturers.

The two companies have different 3D IC technologies: Ziptronix (Morrisville, North Carolina) specializes in die-to-wafer integration using known good dies (KGDs) while Tezzaron (Naperville, Illinois) focuses on 3D integration using whole wafers. A Letter of Intent signed by executives from the two companies says that their technologies are compatible, complementary, and uniquely synergistic.

Ziptronix and Tezzaron said they would work together to try and establish and promote standards for 3D interconnects

"Establishing guidelines for 3D design will facilitate industry participation and drive 3D foundry capacity," said Phil Nyborg, president and chief executive officer of Ziptronix, in a statement.

Ziptronix was included in the most recent Silicon Strategies' list of 60 emerging startups, published in Oct. 2004.