March 13, 2026

The Silicon Hegemon Taiwan dominates advanced chip manufacturing, producing about 92% of sub-5-nm logic chips as TSMC leads the sector. Founded by Morris Chang, the foundry model powers firms like Nvidia and widens the gap with Samsung Electronics and Intel. EE Times

Sponsor Magazine loader to test lead frames Hands-free automatic bond testing with a Sigma MAG magazine handler. Optional with SEMI S2 safety cabinet and/or loadport for top and front-loading (OHT and AGV). xyztec

India plans new fund to back domestic chipmaking India plans to launch a ₹1 trillion ($10.8 billion) semiconductor fund within months to boost chip design, manufacturing equipment, and supply chains, as Narendra Modi pushes to build domestic capacity and attract global chipmakers while rival nations like Japan also expand investments. Taipei Times

RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG Paper describes a mixed reaction RAIG electrolyte that minimizes galvanic corrosion and allows higher ENEPIG gold thicknesses, enabling robust designs and world-class quality on target with minimal variation. Technical Paper

Sponsor Die Bonding Made Easy The DL Technology X-Form needles are custom manufactured for conductive epoxy dispensing in die bonding applications. Each needle is machined using DL's patented EZ-FLO. DL Technology

Scale-Up, Scale-Out Get a New Partner AI and HPC demands are pushing data centers past single‑rack limits, accelerating new scaling models. Experts outline scale‑up, scale‑out, and scale‑across designs that tackle latency, jitter, and resource‑distribution challenges in distributed computing. Semiconductor Engineering

NVIDIA May Offer First Look at Feynman at GTC 2026, TSMC A16 and Taiwan Supply Chain in Focus NVIDIA may preview new AI technology at GTC 2026 tied to its future Feynman chip, expected in 2028 on a 1nm-class process. The project could boost Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain as TSMC expands advanced node capacity to meet AI GPU demand. TrendForce

Sponsor Ultra-Thin Wafer Handling Achieve ≤ 10 µm device thinning with Brewer Science’s BrewerBOND® VersaLayer system: a thermoplastic layer coats device features, while a low-stress adhesive bonds them. Brewer Science

Technical Papers 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 Novel Molded FCBGA Package Platform For Highly Reliable Automotive Applications Eliminating Interfacial Delamination in High-Power Automotive Devices MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Large Capacity Plasma Treatment System - FlexTRAK-SHS 9.6-liter plasma process chamber handles larger, or more, strips increasing throughput and productivity for electronics/semiconductor packaging. Nordson Electronics Solutions

Google Makes First Appearance in Samsung’s Top Five Clients in 2025 amid Soaring TPU Demand Samsung Electronics reshaped its customer mix in 2025 as Google entered its top five clients, replacing Verizon, highlighting booming AI memory demand. Sales to Big Tech lifted Americas revenue to nearly 40% of total, while China's share fell. TeendForce

Samsung Semiconductor Technology Leaks to China Persist South Korea is seeing a surge in semiconductor tech leaks as Samsung and SK hynix engineers are lured to China's ChangXin Memory Technologies, driving record arrests and intensifying fears that weak legal protections can't match lucrative overseas recruitment. Business Korea

Sponsor Contract service: DIE Bonding prototyping & small series production Our services reduce time-to-market. We can quickly produce small batches on demand without you having to build up production capacities. Learn more. Tresky Automation

At MWC, Ericsson Details AI-Native 6G Timeline Mobile World Congress 2026 saw Ericsson outline its 6G roadmap, advancing standards in 3rd Generation Partnership Project while promoting AI-native networks, distributed computing, AI-ready hardware, and ecosystem collaborations to prepare for commercialization later this decade. EE Times

CPO Is Extending The Limits Of What's Possible In AI Data Centers AI data centers are adopting co-packaged optics (CPO) to replace copper links, placing optical connections near chips to cut electrical losses, boost bandwidth, and reduce energy per bit. Hyperscalers and major chip firms drive adoption to meet AI's power and infrastructure demands. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor IR Layer Release Technology for 3D Packaging and Logic Scaling Ultra-thin layer transfer from silicon carriers with nanometer precision using an IR laser and inorganic release layers revolutionizes 3D packaging & logic scaling. EV Group

AI Power on the Edge Edge AI prioritizes power efficiency, size, and cost over the large-scale compute focus of cloud training. Engineers increasingly co-design hardware, memory, and software to minimize energy use, reduce data movement, and optimize architectures for battery-powered devices. Semiconductor Engineering

Customizing Foundation IP For Ultra-Low-Voltage Designs Synopsys helped a customer develop a low-voltage chip for optical networks powering Edge AI by customizing its Foundation IP. Engineers redesigned memory compilers, improved bit cells, and enhanced dual-rail support to achieve reliable operation at 0.4 volts within an 8-month timeline. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Hermetic Package Seam Seal with HDHS® Technology Brings a new level of precision and automation for hi-rel microelectronic package encapsulation, increasing seal yields to 99.99% and lowering operation costs for Aerospace, Military, Microwave, Photonics and MEMS. MicroCircuit Laboratories, LLC

The memory stock cycle of boom-bust-repeat is over, executives say AI spending boom is reshaping the memory market, sending shares of Micron & Sandisk soaring & pushing prices higher as demand for AI infrastructure outstrips supply. Executives at Hewlett Packard, Seagate Technology & SK Hynix say long-term contracts & shortages will persist. CNBC

Sponsor OntosIS Atmospheric Plasma System The ONTOS Plasma Head is available for integration into third party equipment. The Plasma Curtain is available in several widths to enable optimization of the gas consumption on smaller devices. Ontos Equipment Systems