May 19, 2026

Intel CEO says foundry business is gaining momentum as customer interest grows Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said its foundry business is improving, driven by 18A yield gains and rising customer interest. He expects multiple commitments and aims to compete with TSMC while advancing U.S. chip manufacturing ambitions. CNBC

Sponsor 1 of 10 Applications: Eutectic Bonding Swiss made Tresky die bonders can be fitted with temperature controlled chucks and protective gas suited to eutectic die bonding of chips with AuSn bumps for opto-electronic components. Dr. Tresky AG

Google I/O primer: Alphabet’s AI showcase is its chance to wow Wall Street Alphabet shares have surged 140% as investors bet on its AI comeback, but Google must prove its roadmap at I/O. The company will showcase Gemini upgrades and agentic tools spanning search, cloud, Android, and commerce to challenge rivals. CNBC

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 Electromigration Performance Of Fine-Line Cu RDL For HDFO Packaging A study on HDFO packages uncovers copper RDL reliability, highlighting failure modes, resistance shifts, and critical current capacity. Read more. Amkor Technology, Inc.

Canada Spins Off Photonics Lab Canada announced plans to spin off the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Center (CPFC) into a commercial entity, aiming to attract investment and jobs. The move shifts the NRC-run compound semiconductor facility toward an industry-driven model while maintaining government ownership stake. EE Times

ASML, Tata Electronics Partner for India’s First 300-mm Semiconductor Fab ASML signed a strategic partnership with Tata Electronics to supply advanced lithography tools and expertise for India’s first 300-mm semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat, supporting an facility producing chips for automotive, mobile, IoT, and AI applications. EE Times

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Technical Papers 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 Novel Molded FCBGA Package Platform For Highly Reliable Automotive Applications MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Rapid Package Seam Seal Changeover The Robotic Cover Sealer (RCS) enables rapid assembly changeover on < 5 minutes from a 3 x 3 mm to 50 x 70 mm package. Package tooling may be adjustable or tool less. MicroCircuit Laboratories, LLC

Confusion Grows With More Interconnect Options And Tradeoffs As chip designs and packaging grow complex, engineers face expanding interconnect choices to move massive AI data efficiently. They increasingly adopt layered, mixed protocols across chiplets, packages, and systems, balancing performance, power, and ecosystem compatibility amid rising complexity and standardization. Semiconductor Engineering

How Elon Musk and Sam Altman went from besties to bitter rivals Musk and Sam Altman’s once-close partnership over OpenAI has collapsed into a high-profile courtroom battle, as Musk alleges the startup abandoned its nonprofit mission, enriched insiders, and betrayed founding promises, while both sides race in the AI commercialization boom. CNBC

Sponsor AIT ORMET® TLPS for Component Attach AIT ORMET®TLPS is proven for outstanding reliability for component attaches and MLCC build-up for high temperature applications beyond 175ºC Ormet® TLPS

Weekly news roundup: TSMC faces AI supply strain as Samsung, Intel, and Apple test foundry alternatives AI-driven demand strains TSMC’s dominance as major tech firms explore Samsung and Intel for supply-chain resilience despite yield and cost challenges. Meanwhile, companies like Cyient, Hanwha, and Intel advance packaging, foundry expansion, and ecosystem growth across global semiconductor markets. Digitimes

Semiconductor Society Warns Samsung Strike Could Devastate Korea's Chip Ecosystem Korean Society of Semiconductor Engineering urges Samsung Electronics and its union to cancel a planned general strike and resume talks, warning of a devastating impact on Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem, suppliers, research and talent pipeline amid rising global AI competition. Seoul Economic Daily

Sponsor Temporary Bonding Materials Boost throughput and quality with Brewer Science's BrewerBOND® VersaLayer temporary bonding system for high-temperature (400˚C) and high-stress applications. Brewer Science

ASML to partner with India’s Tata Electronics ASML partnered with Tata Electronics to advance India’s semiconductor ambitions, supplying lithography technology for a planned 300mm foundry in Gujarat while also supporting talent training, supply chains, and R&D as India targets global chipmaking status by 2032. Taipei Times

Cerebras IPO Revives AI Chip Startup Fever Cerebras surged onto NASDAQ with a $5.5 billion IPO that valued the AI chipmaker at $66 billion, as investors backed rivals to Nvidia. Demand for AI inference, OpenAI ties, and wafer-scale chips outweighed stiff competition and technical risks. EE Times

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

Chip Industry Week in Review US approved Nvidia H200 chip sales path to 10 Chinese firms but no shipments yet, while industry groups seek CHIPS tax credit extension. TSMC projects $1.5T IC revenue by 2030, and firms expand AI photonics and semiconductor partnerships globally. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Plasma as a Key Technology Plasma technology improves electronics manufacturing, reduces oxide layers, prevents delamination & enables environmentally friendly products by using Openair-Plasma ® & PlasmaPlus®. Plasmatreat GmbH