MIRDC Launches Semiconductor Testing Laboratory, Joining Hands with SEMI and Hitachi High-Tech to Support Industrial Upgrading and Transformation
As advanced semiconductor process nodes continue to shrink, wafer manufacturers are imposing increasingly stringent requirements on the surface cleanliness, material stability, and surface defect control capabilities of critical equipment components. On July 3, the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) held the unveiling ceremony for its Semiconductor Testing Laboratory and memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, officially launching the new laboratory. MIRDC also signed MOUs with SEMI and Hitachi High-Tech Taiwan Corporation to jointly strengthen testing service capabilities for semiconductor equipment and critical components, address the gap in high-end testing services along southern Taiwan’s semiconductor S-corridor, and support local industries in upgrading and transforming through technical services such as testing and verification, materials analysis, and process improvement, thereby accelerating their entry into the semiconductor supply chain.
To expand its international cooperation, MIRDC Chairperson Chia-Ju Liu signed an MOU with Terry Tsao, Global Chief Marketing Officer and President of SEMI Taiwan. By combining SEMI’s global semiconductor network and strengths in international standards with MIRDC’s equipment R&D capabilities and local industrial chain integration resources, the partnership aims to help Taiwanese equipment and component manufacturers expand into international markets. It will enable companies to accurately grasp the needs of advanced processes and packaging, promote technology matchmaking and collaboration, and accelerate the adoption of high-value-added applications. At the same time, the collaboration will help southern Taiwan’s semiconductor cluster connect with the global industry, promote cross-industry cooperation and resource integration, and enhance the participation of local industrial capabilities in global semiconductor development, further consolidating Taiwan’s key position in the global supply chain.
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In addition, MIRDC Chairperson Chia-Ju Liu signed an MOU with Kuan-Hung Yeh, Division Head of Hitachi High-Tech Taiwan Corporation, to jointly establish a “Semiconductor Equipment Critical Component Testing and Localization Cooperation Platform.” Hitachi High-Tech, a core high-tech company of the Hitachi Group, specializes in dry etching, critical dimension measurement, wafer defect inspection systems, and advanced electron microscopes, which are widely used in advanced processes, materials analysis, failure analysis, and advanced packaging. The collaboration between the two parties will focus on core technologies such as surface treatment, thin-film deposition, and surface cleaning, jointly promoting the local R&D of high-end semiconductor equipment components.
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MIRDC Chairperson Chia-Ju Liu stated that the unveiling of the Semiconductor Testing Laboratory marks MIRDC’s advancement into one of the few research institutions in Taiwan equipped with electron microscope inspection capabilities for large-size components. She expressed gratitude to Chung-Tien Lin, Director of the Precision Machinery Department; Chia-Lin Chen, Deputy Director of the Precision Machinery Department; and Wei-Jen Chen, Section Chief, for leading the team in actively facilitating international cooperation. The laboratory will not only provide nearby support for the semiconductor cluster in southern Taiwan, but has also received recognition and support from leading end users such as TSMC, UMC, and ASE. Moving forward, MIRDC will assist traditional industries in introducing semiconductor quality control and verification mechanisms, thereby shortening the time required for industrial upgrading and supply chain testing and verification.
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Looking ahead, MIRDC will continue to deepen the development of advanced semiconductor process technologies and promote industrial chain integration, responding swiftly to industry needs in critical component testing and verification, process improvement, and mass production introduction. By serving as a bridge between industry and technology, MIRDC will help traditional industries in southern Taiwan connect with opportunities in semiconductors, high-end manufacturing, and smart manufacturing, driving industrial upgrading and transformation while jointly building an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem in southern Taiwan.
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