July 31, 2026

ASE Raises Capital Spending by 23.5% ASE Technology raised its 2026 capital spending to US$10.5 billion to expand advanced packaging for booming AI demand. Strong quarterly profit fueled a brighter outlook, with the company forecasting higher revenue, stronger margins and sustained growth in the second half. Taipei Times

Sponsor Die Attach Material Comparisons Packaging high-power GaN devices? This study compares CuW and CMC bases with H20E and AuSn, revealing 34.5°C cooler junctions with CMC/AuSn. Revolutionize GaN efficiency/reliability. StratEdge Corporation

SEMI Announces New Spring Schedule for SEMICON West Beginning March 30–April 1, 2027 SEMI will move SEMICON West to an annual spring schedule beginning March 30–April 1, 2027, and establish Phoenix as its long-term home. The shift expands global event flexibility while building on Arizona's fast-growing semiconductor ecosystem and workforce. SEMI

Eliminating Interfacial Delamination in High-Power Automotive Devices This study demonstrates that coating power devices with APTES adhesion promoter after wire bonding eliminates interfacial delamination, providing a simpler alternative to lead frame roughening technology. Technical Paper

Sponsor How heterogenous packaging benefits from atmospheric argon plasma Semiconductor packaging plasma processing improves reliability and yield. Chip manufacturers can rely on plasma processes to enhance applications. Surfx Technologies

Samsung to Start Taylor Fab 2 Build by End-2026, Targets 2030 Mass Production; Eyes 1.4nm Expansion Samsung will start building Taylor Fab 2 by late 2026 for 2030 production, expand 2nm capacity, and weigh more 1.4nm investment as demand grows. Rising AI and HPC orders are boosting utilization, improving profitability, and reshaping its foundry business. TrendForce

AI Is Compressing Software; Space Is Building the Physical Economy AI is transforming digital work by shifting demand from software-focused roles to hardware, manufacturing, semiconductors and space technologies. As coding becomes more automated, employers increasingly value AI expertise paired with multidisciplinary, real-world skills. EE Times

Sponsor Eliminate Lead Tinning Issues Before They Become Reliability Failures Learn lead tinning methods, causes of tinning defects, and solutions from the experts at Circuit Technology Center to help ensure dependable solder connections. Circuit Technology Center

Technical Papers A New Optical Ball Grid Array Package Development for Automotive Optical Sensor Automated X-Ray Metrology: Enhancing Quality and Efficiency in Wafer and Panel-Level Applications Alpha Particle Emissions: An Overlooked Risk for Soft Errors in Advanced Packaging Revolutionizing IC Packaging with High-Density RDL Technology EOTPR Fine pitch probing for die-to-die interconnect failure analysis in chiplet devices Die-on-Tab for Compound Semiconductors: Enabling Advanced RF Power Systems Package Assembly Design Kits: The Future of Advanced Package Design 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.

TSMC outlook not hit by quake A 7.1-magnitude earthquake briefly halted TSMC's Kumamoto plant, but analysts expect only a minor Q3 revenue impact. Safety inspections and equipment recalibration are underway as operations gradually resume, with recovery continuing despite aftershock risks. Taipei Times

Why Qualcomm Bought An Open AI Software Stack Qualcomm's acquisition of Modular speeds development of open, silicon-agnostic AI software for heterogeneous computing across edge and cloud. Modular will keep advancing its Mojo and Max platforms, simplifying AI deployment while reducing GPU dependence. EE Times

Sponsor Proven Die-Attach Pastes and Films Low moisture absorption proven to meet AEC Grade-0 and MSL Level-1 reliability. Wafer level applicable DAF. Up to 250° wire-bonding and rapid curable for ultimate productivity. AI Technology, Inc.

Chip boom's dirty secret hiding in Samsung's record earnings Samsung and SK Hynix posted record profits and robust semiconductor growth, but investors sold their shares as confidence weakened despite resilient AI chip demand. The disconnect between strong earnings and sentiment is fueling sharp declines across Asia's technology stocks. Asia Times

Compute Clusters Break Out Of National Labs To Scale AI Experts from Arm, Axiomise, Cadence, Expedera, Siemens EDA and Synopsys explored compute cluster definitions, design challenges and emerging use cases, showing how rising AI and HPC demands are driving new semiconductor architectures and system designs. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Medical Grade, Dual Curable Adhesive Master Bond LED415DC90Med is a dual cure adhesive designed for high-speed manufacturing of medical electronic devices. Master Bond

The Next AI Packaging Bottleneck: Why TSMC Is Preparing for Glass and CoPoS TSMC is adopting glass packaging through a phased roadmap rather than replacing silicon or ABF substrates outright. Its CoPoS platform begins with glass carriers for panelization, then advances to glass substrates and interposers, enabling larger, more efficient AI semiconductor packages. SemiVision

Dynamic AI Demands Drive Memory Diversity AI data centers are adopting a layered memory strategy as HBM shortages and rising inference demands drive greater use of LPDDR, SOCAMM, CXL and emerging memories. Chipmakers aim to improve performance per watt, cut costs and optimize memory capacity across AI workloads. EE Times

Sponsor The Next Step in Surface Prep! All-new Ontos Clean Atmospheric Plasma System. Create pristine, atomically-controlled, activated surfaces without a vacuum chamber. Ontos Equipment Systems

UMC planning major expansions UMC will invest US$5 billion over the next three years to expand silicon photonics and advanced packaging, betting on rising AI demand. The chipmaker also raised capital spending, forecast stronger earnings, and expects AI revenue to surpass US$1 billion within three years. Taipei Times

Sponsor Advanced Microelectronic Packaging and Fiber Optics Technologies As modern military systems become increasingly compact, autonomous, and software-driven, the need for robust microelectronic integration and secure optical communication grows exponentially. Tresky