COMMENT


From data deluge to advanced packaging: Why the semiconductor growth story is only just beginning


The semiconductor industry has always been cyclical, but the long-term trajectory has rarely looked more compelling. Surging in global value over recent years, this market is now on track to reach unprecedented heights in the years ahead. By Srini Subramanian, executive vice president, Nordson’s Advanced Technology Solutions (ATS) segment


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t every turn, demand for compute is rising across multiple fronts and all at once – AI, connectivity, cloud infrastructure and electrification – with semiconductors as the common denominator. It’s unsurprising that the next era of these semiconductors is being shaped less by any single application than by the sheer scale of digital life, and the infrastructure needed to support it. Humanity now generates vast volumes of data every single day, estimated at over 400 million terabytes, with this forecast to continue rising by around 20 per cent over the next three to four years. Every message sent, algorithm trained, autonomous system deployed and connected device monitored adds to a data ecosystem that must be stored, analysed and processed in real time. And behind every one of those processes lies a semiconductor chip, carrying ever-higher expectations for performance, power efficiency and reliability.


The architectural shift reshaping the industry


Meeting this demand for computing power is forcing a rethink of chip architecture. For decades, progress was largely driven by advances within a predominantly two- dimensional approach. Today, the industry is moving toward architectures that deliver performance gains through new forms of integration. Two-and-a-half-dimensional (2.5D) designs have already gained momentum as manufacturers find new ways to bring more capability together within a single package. At the same time, the industry is evolving toward three-dimensional (3D) architectures, where more functionality is built into a smaller footprint by integrating devices in increasingly compact, layered structures.


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This shift is one of the key reasons advanced packaging has become such a critical growth area. By enabling greater integration within the package, advanced packaging is helping the industry keep pushing performance forward, even as designs become more intricate and the need for precision in manufacturing and quality assurance continues to intensify. The trade-off is that these architectures introduce unprecedented complexity into the manufacturing process.


Advanced packaging: Innovation meets complexity


Advanced packaging has become one of the fastest-growing segments of semiconductor manufacturing, with annual growth forecasts commonly cited in the 10-12 per cent range. Unlike traditional monolithic chip designs, modern packages may incorporate multiple dies, stacked structures, fine-pitch interconnects and highly intricate internal features. These elements need to align with


SEPTEMBER 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS


micron-level precision and perform reliably under demanding thermal and electrical conditions. As a result, quality assurance has become both more difficult and more critical. While much of the industry focus centres on inspection and metrology as the gatekeepers of quality, the reality is that yield and reliability are equally shaped by the upstream processes that define how advanced packages are built in the first place. To manage this growing complexity, manufacturers are placing renewed emphasis on highly controlled processing solutions within the advanced packaging workflow. Precision dispensing technologies play a foundational role, enabling accurate application of underfill, encapsulation, edge bonding and other materials that protect delicate interconnects, manage mechanical stress and support long-term reliability. As interconnect pitches shrink and device architectures become more heterogeneous, consistency and repeatability at the micron


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