Nov 11, 2026 Rapidus Reportedly Months Behind on 2nm SRAM Development, March 2028 Mass Production Target at Risk Japan's Rapidus is reportedly months behind its 2nm chip production schedule due to SRAM development and cleanroom contamination issues. Delays threaten its 2028 manufacturing target and could jeopardize government funding. TrendForce

Sponsor Fusion and Hybrid Bonding Experts EVG's industry-leading process solutions, expertise and HI Competence Center accelerate the development and implementation of heterogeneous integration technology. EV Group

Inventec expecting a stronger 2027, despite component shortages Inventec expects strong server demand to drive high double-digit growth in GPU- and ASIC-based server sales next year, despite component shortages. Rising rack-level shipments and data center investments support its outlook, while third-quarter profit declined year-on-year. Taipei Times

Bond front velocity in lubrication-mediated bonding of flexible substrates Robust theoretical model explaining bondwave velocity in direct wafer/die bonding and explaining why it accelerates. First model with predictive power to show realistic and observed values. Technical Paper

Sponsor Cleaning Silicone and Hydrocarbon Residue Using Atmospheric Plasma Residue from dicing tape and silicone trays can hinder chip bonding. ONTOS effectively cleans surfaces before bonding. Read more. Ontos

Nvidia and Jensen Huang face shareholder lawsuit A shareholder has sued Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, alleging they misled investors about Huang's reported affair with a suspected Chinese spy. The lawsuit claims nondisclosure created national security concerns, reputational risks and significant investor losses. Taipei Times

Carbon engineering turns insulating boron nitride into a wafer-scale p-type semiconductor Researchers developed carbon-doped boron nitride, achieving uniform p-type growth across a 2-inch wafer. The material shows promising transistor performance, potentially enabling complementary 2D electronics, energy-efficient semiconductors and advanced 3D integration. Nanowerk

Sponsor Electrically Insulating, Toughened Epoxy Master Bond Supreme 3HTND-2CCM is a rapid curing, toughened epoxy system that transfers heat effectively and can be used for bonding, sealing, coating, potting and glob topping. Master Bond

Technical Papers ■ Beneath the Surface: The Rise of Intelligent X-Ray Inspection ■ The Future of Flip Chip Bonding: How R-LAB and R-LTC Enable Next-Generation AI and HPC Packaging ■ Selective Alkaline Wet Etching of Al and AlCu Using a Phosphoric and Nitric Acid Free Formulation ■ Hybrid & Fusion Bonding: from Heterogeneous Integration to 3D Front-End of Line Technologies ■ Why Metal TIM Warpage Simulations Fail—and How to Fix Them ■ Oxide Reduction for Reliable Power Electronics Manufacturing ■ Bond front velocity in lubrication-mediated bonding of flexible substrates MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Automotive chips need materials that DO NOT fail We asked semiconductor specialists what defines the future of automotive packaging. Reliability, thermal management, and sustainability topped the list. Free Research Report. Henkel AG & Co.

Jensen Huang's affair with alleged Chinese spy further complicates Nvidia's China problem Jensen Huang's alleged links to a Chinese spy have intensified scrutiny of Nvidia's China business and chip exports. U.S. lawmakers and investigators are examining potential chip diversion through intermediaries, raising prospects of tighter export controls and congressional oversight. CNBC

Reducing Lithography Learning Cycles To Accelerate FOPLP Ramps Manufacturers are adopting fan-out panel-level packaging to boost AI chip output and cut costs, but lithography challenges threaten yields. Integrating metrology data with predictive algorithms optimizes processes, reduces trials and accelerates high-volume production. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Die-Module Attach for High Power Devices High flexibility film and paste adhesives for large die and module attach. Outstanding thermal conductivity with low moisture absorption stress-free bonding. AI Technology, Inc.

Test Struggles To Keep Pace With AI AI workloads are outpacing chip development, forcing manufacturers to rethink semiconductor testing. Complex multi-die packaging, fragmented data and shifting architectures are driving changes in test strategies, equipment and production processes. Semiconductor Engineering

Which Passing Chips Need More Testing? Semiconductor manufacturers are using predictive analytics, adaptive testing, and manufacturing data to identify passing chips with hidden reliability risks. Targeted screening helps prevent costly field failures while reducing unnecessary retesting, false rejects, and production delays. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Oxide Reduction for Reliable Power Electronics Manufacturing As power densities increase and components become smaller, oxide layers and surface contamination become critical manufacturing risks. Discover practical approaches for oxide reduction, cleaning and activation in power electronics production. Download here. Plasmatreat GmbH

AI's Efficiency Challenge For The Semiconductor Industry AI is reshaping semiconductor manufacturing as PDF Solutions highlights how AI-driven analytics, proprietary data and automation can boost efficiency, accelerate yield ramps and optimize design, production and testing across complex supply chains. Semiconductor Engineering

Shrinking Hybrid Bonding Pitches Push Inspection Limits Hybrid bonding enables faster, thinner, more energy-efficient chip packages but requires advanced inspection and metrology to detect nanoscale defects, ensure precise alignment and maintain reliable 3D integration as interconnect pitches shrink. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Proven SiPaste® for Ultrafine-Pitch Printing Boost SPI yields with SiPaste® C312HF. Formulated for fine feature printing, it combines best-in-class stencil print transfer efficiency and excellent stencil life. Indium Corporation

TSMC's October sales jump as global chip boom rolls on TSMC reported a 59.7% year-on-year revenue surge in October, reaching NT$586.89 billion, driven by strong AI semiconductor demand. The chipmaker plans significantly higher capital spending through 2028 to expand capacity and meet growing customer requirements. CNBC

Sponsor 3 Ways to Increase Plasma Uniformity Process temperature is the most important parameter in the plasma process. Process temperature has primary control over etch rate and has a secondary effect on etch uniformity. Read more. Plasma Etch

Google expands eighth-generation TPU portfolio to target secure, high-context agentic AI Google has expanded its eighth-generation TPU portfolio with two specialized AI systems: TPU 8tx, designed for hardware-encrypted confidential computing, and TPU 8i Max, optimized for high-density context workloads, strengthening its infrastructure for advanced AI applications. Digitimes