Lithuania Strengthens Cooperation with Taiwan in the Semiconductor Sector: Project Worth Nearly €6 Million

Taiwan and Lithuania have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at advancing laser technologies for the development of next-generation semiconductor chips.

The document was signed at an international technology exhibition in Taipei by Chang Pei-jen, President of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Dr Gediminas Račiukaitis, President of the Lithuanian Laser Association, and Dr Romualdas Trusovas, Deputy Head of FTMC Department of Laser Technologies.

Taiwan will allocate €5.6 million to support the implementation of this two-year project. In addition to joint research and development activities in advanced laser technologies, the initiative will include international conferences, exchanges between academic and industry representatives, and technology partnership programmes.

“Advanced semiconductor integration technologies, which we will further develop together with our Taiwanese partners, are important across many areas of modern life. This was clearly demonstrated by the global chip supply crisis a few years ago, when shortages affected the production of cars and a wide range of electronic devices, ultimately impacting consumers.

At present, AI technologies are advancing at an exceptionally rapid pace. For example, AI data centres require increasingly efficient and high-performance chips. Not to mention the chips found in our smartphones, computers and countless other devices that often go unnoticed in everyday life, yet remain essential,” says Dr Trusovas.

(Dr Romualdas Trusovas. Photo: Lithuanian Laser Association)

How will this agreement benefit FTMC?

“Laser microfabrication technologies developed at FTMC can already be applied in semiconductor chip manufacturing processes. The sector requires not only direct semiconductor processing but also our SSAIL laser-induced metallisation technology, precision laser drilling of glass for Through-Glass Via (TGV) structure formation, and other solutions developed at FTMC.

Cooperation with Taiwan will help us gain a deeper understanding of the needs of the semiconductor industry, carry out joint research projects, and pave the way for the adoption of advanced technologies developed in Lithuania within the highly competitive semiconductor manufacturing sector. FTMC will be able to acquire the equipment required for this research and accelerate the commercialisation of its expertise through applications in the production of high-value-added products,” says the Deputy Head of FTMC Department of Laser Technologies.

The event was also attended by Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, Director General of the Department of Industrial Technology at Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs Kuo Chao-chung, and Lithuania's Trade Representative in Taipei, Karolis Pilipauskas.

Following the signing ceremony, both sides emphasised that Lithuania brings globally recognised expertise in laser technologies to the partnership, while Taiwan contributes one of the world's strongest semiconductor industry ecosystems. The aim of the agreement is to combine these strengths to develop new technologies for the design and manufacture of advanced semiconductor chips.

Source: FTMC, Taiwan News and ITRI.