January 5, 2026

TSMC's U.S. Expansion Crushes the Company's Chip Margins TSMC and Samsung are boosting U.S. semiconductor investments to strengthen supply chains, with TSMC committing up to $300 billion for fabs, R&D, and packaging. However, high labor costs and equipment depreciation significantly reduce U.S. chip production profit margins. wccftech

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VIEWPOINT 2026: Chris Henderson, President, Semitracks, Inc. At the start of 2025, there was a lot of excitement around workforce development. This excitement decreased markedly following the US Commerce Department's decision to stop activities through Natcast. Although Natcast is now basically defunct, the National Network for Microelectronics Education ... Semitracks, Inc.

Package Assembly Design Kits: The Future of Advanced Package Design This white paper advocates for Package Assembly Design Kits (PADK) to streamline high-density fan-out package design by integrating manufacturing verification early, reducing design cycles and complexity. Technical Paper

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TSMC officially begins 2nm chip volume production in Q4 2025 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) officially began volume production of its 2-nanometer chips in Q4, achieving industry-leading transistor density and energy efficiency. The advanced technology boosts speed, reduces power use, and targets AI and mobile applications. Taipei Times

Chip Manufacturing is a Team Sport, Everyone Now Responsible for Yield At PDF Solutions' December conference, semiconductor leaders said chipmaking demands teamwork. AI-driven collaboration, shared data analytics, and integrated workflows can lift yields, unlock $140B in value, and propel industry toward $1T by 2030. EE Times

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Technical Papers Die-on-Tab for Compound Semiconductors: Enabling Advanced RF Power Systems Package Assembly Design Kits: The Future of Advanced Package Design Novel Molded FCBGA Package Platform For Highly Reliable Automotive Applications Eliminating Interfacial Delamination in High-Power Automotive Devices RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor Peer viewpoint: semiconductor innovation for telecommunication networks MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor IC Device & Micro-Electronic Cleaning Answering the needs of packaging engineers, Kyzen offers modern cleaning chemistry proven effective for all IC devices & micro-electronics. Cost effective cleaning is no longer a challenge. Kyzen Corporation

Chip Industry Week In Review Space Forge successfully generated plasma aboard its ForgeStar-1 satellite to grow advanced crystals in low Earth orbit. Meanwhile, copper prices soared over 40% to $12,600 per ton, and TSMC began volume production of 2nm chips in Q4 2025. Semiconductor Engineering

Obsolescence Management Begins at Design Early component choices shape product lifespans. Picking parts without aligning to market needs, architecture, or board design can trigger obsolescence, certification delays, and costly redesigns. Foresight in selection and layout avoids rework. EE Times

Sponsor Effect of Package Warpage and Composite CT on Failure Modes Researchers analyze board-level reliability of surface mount devices in thermal cycling, identifying failure modes via warpage and strain data. Akrometrix

US grants TSMC annual licence to import American chipmaking tools into China The US granted TSMC an annual license to import American chipmaking equipment to its Nanjing fab, ensuring uninterrupted operations and deliveries. Samsung and SK Hynix received similar approvals after previous export exemptions expired at the end of 2025. South China Morning Post

Global notebook shipments expected to fall 5.4 percent Global notebook shipments are projected to drop 5.4% to 173 million units this year as weak economic recovery, cautious consumers, and rising memory prices pressure brands. Companies like Lenovo, Apple, and Dell are adjusting pricing and supply strategies to maintain market share. Taipei Times

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Nvidia eyes chips from TSMC Nvidia is rushing to meet Chinese demand for over 2 million H200 AI chips, far exceeding its 700,000-unit stock. It has asked TSMC to boost production, pricing chips at roughly $27,000 each, while awaiting Beijing’s export approval. Taipei Times

How $160 million worth of export-controlled Nvidia chips were allegedly smuggled into China Federal prosecutors in Texas exposed "Operation Gatekeeper," a global smuggling ring illegally sending $160 million in Nvidia GPUs to China. Undercover agents intercepted shipments at a New Jersey warehouse, leading to arrests, guilty pleas, and heightened tensions over AI chip security. CNBC

Sponsor McDry Ultra-Low Humidity Storage Cabinets McDry dry cabinet for MSL components and desiccators provide optimal ultra-low humidity and moisture-proof storage for IC packages. Seika

3D InCites Grows Up: Passing the Torch The founder of 3D InCites announced she is passing the 17-year-old brand to IMAPS, its longtime industry partner, ensuring its legacy continues. The platform will pause briefly during the transition as IMAPS prepares to guide its next chapter. 3DInCites

Sponsor MCL patent #12,451,1377 hermetic sealing Result of a multi-year R&D process. Revolutionary hermetic encapsulation with walk away automation scaled to meet any production volume. MicroCircuit Laboratories, LLC