<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-07-08T08:44:08Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/2B9A81A8-1B43-4F84-BCA8-AF174719EF2A" ns1:id="2B9A81A8-1B43-4F84-BCA8-AF174719EF2A"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/A4C4DF07-0864-43E3-8343-BA251EA0D76C" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/7BD02E7C-806C-4344-90D3-20B8B0F85ADD" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/7BD02E7C-806C-4344-90D3-20B8B0F85ADD" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2026-09-29T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/545B459F-5F8F-4333-A0C0-A58F27AE2CB0" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2025-03-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10148315</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>(APEX) Advanced semiconductor Packaging with nEXt generation laser drilling</ns2:title><ns2:status>Active</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>The semiconductor industry introduced heterogeneous integration with advanced 2.5D/3D wafer-level packaging to respond to Moore's Law's deviation from historical scaling trends, enabling the production of next-generation chips for various applications. However, the increased density and finer pitch of die-to-die interconnections in such advanced packaging present new challenges. The industry anticipates a doubling of I/O density every two years, potentially reaching 100 billion contacts per wafer by 2030\. This shifts the cost pressure from manufacturing transistors to testing them, particularly with custom-made test probecards. These probecards, essential for identifying Known-Good-Die, use highly precise laser-drilled ceramic guideplates but struggle with increasing density and finer features. Current laser drilling technology has limitations, hindering its ability to create the microscopic holes required for next-generation probecards, thereby threatening the semiconductor test roadmap. APEX aims to develop highly innovative laser-drilling technology for affordable fine-pitch probecards, leveraging advanced state-of-the-art laser technology to meet the industry's evolving requirements.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>