SEMICON Taiwan to feature historic number of exhibitors: SEMI

Hsinchu, Aug. 28 (CNA) A record number of exhibitors will this year attend SEMICON Taiwan, an annual international trade fair in the semiconductor technology sector, when it opens Sept. 4 in Taipei, organizer SEMI said Wednesday.

The annual event will feature more than 3,600 booths from over 1,100 exhibitors from home and abroad, the highest number since it was first held in 1996, according to SEMI, an organization located in Hsinchu that connects about 3,000 member companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing.

Ray Yang (楊瑞臨), an international strategy development consulting director at the government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and a committee member at SEMI Taiwan, said this year's event has a theme of "Empowering AI Without Limits," and highlights the significance of silicon photonics and fan-out panel level packaging (FOPLP).

A forum focusing on silicon photonics will be held during the event, featuring experts from organizations and companies, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), Inter-university Microelectronic Centre, and Marvell, for discussions regarding the opportunities and challenges facing silicon photonics, Yang added.

Silicon photonics, known for its high bandwidth, low power consumption, long-distance transmission, and cost-saving features, has become a hot topic in the semiconductor industry. It is estimated that the global silicon photonics market could reach US$7.86 billion by 2030.

In addition, a forum on FOPLP will also be held, with experts including those from AppliedMaterials, Manz and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. discussing and exploring related technological developments.

Driven by demand for 5G, Artificial Intelligence of Things, automotive, high-performance computing, and consumer products, FOPLP shows significant growth potential. According to research firm Yole, the market is expected to reach US$221 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 32.5 percent from 2023 to 2028.

Meanwhile, several TSMC senior managers, including Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating officer Y.J. Mii (米玉傑), Vice President of Pathfinding and Corporate Research Min Cao (曹敏), Vice President of Advanced Packaging Technology and Service Jun He (何軍) and Director of Advanced Packaging Business Development Jerry Tsou (鄒覺倫), will deliver speech at different forums during the event, Yang said.

He added that there will be 13 country sections at this year's exhibition, with France, Malaysia and the Philippines new additions to the list.

SEMICON Taiwan will take place from Sept. 4-6 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.