IBM, 3M to develop new adhesives to package chips

REUTERS: IBM and 3M Co plan to jointly develop adhesives to package semiconductors into densely stacked silicon towers – dubbed as 3D packaging – which could be used to make faster smartphones, tablets, computers and gaming devices.

The companies are aiming to create a new class of materials, which will make it possible to build commercial microprocessors composed of layers of up to 100 separate chips. Tightly packing processors with memory and networking could create a computer chip 1,000 times faster than today’s fastest microprocessor, the companies said in a joint statement.

Under the agreement, IBM will help in packaging semiconductors and 3M will develop and manufacture adhesive materials.