May 5, 2026

The chip industry is booming again, but only for companies building AI infrastructure Industry group Semi reports silicon wafer shipments rose 13.1% year over year to 3,275 MSI despite a 4.7% seasonal quarterly dip, as AI and data centers drive demand while PC and smartphone markets weaken and capacity shifts to advanced chips. TechSpot

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Chip testing demand lifts Ardentec forecast Ardentec Corp expects mid-single-digit revenue growth this quarter after strong gains driven by AI and smartphone chip testing demand. It forecasts rising quarterly profits and higher factory utilization, while new Longtan AI ASIC testing facility begins revenue later this year. Taipei Times

Revolutionizing IC Packaging with High-Density RDL Technology Amkor's S-SWIFT packaging technology addresses advanced IC packaging challenges through an embedded trace RDL process, providing higher bandwidth die-to-die interconnects for AI, HPC, and data center applications with improved reliability. Technical Paper

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Agentic AI Tackles RTL Verification's Productivity Gap Electronic design automation now hits workflow coordination limits, not compute ceilings. Continuous, iterative verification dominates, while agentic AI orchestrates tasks, analyzes results, and streamlines flows, keeping engineers in control. EE Times

AI chipmaker Cerebras targets $3.5 billion raise in IPO Cerebras seeks to raise up to $3.5 billion in a Nasdaq IPO, selling 28 million shares at $115–$125 each, potentially valuing it at $26.6 billion, as strong AI demand and revenue growth fuel investor interest and expansion plans. CNBC

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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

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TSMC seeking approval for advanced fab in expanded Hsinchu Science Park TSMC seeks government approval for an advanced wafer fab at Hsinchu Science Park’s Longtan campus. The company plans angstrom-class (0.1nm) technology, revisiting a project shelved in 2023 amid local opposition, with a potential NT$500–600 billion investment pending review. Taipei Times

Fraunhofer IPMS Eyes India For Contract Research and Semiconductor Partnerships Fraunhofer IPMS expands engagement with India’s semiconductor ecosystem, offering contract research in sensors, MEMS and photonics. It partners with Indian institutes and firms to bridge academia and industry, support industrialization, and align research with emerging AI-driven and microelectronics demand. EE Times

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Applied Materials To Acquire NEXX For $120 Million Applied Materials agreed to acquire ASMPT’s NEXX business for $120 million in cash, expanding its advanced packaging portfolio with deposition tools. The unit will join its Semiconductor Products Group to strengthen panel-level packaging capabilities and boost manufacturing throughput. Semieco System

From Simulation Checkpoints To Continuous Physics Semiconductor engineers rely on iterative simulation, but growing system complexity demands continuous physics reasoning. This approach integrates solver-grounded, deterministic analysis into design workflows, enabling faster evaluation of coupled thermal, mechanical, and electrical effects as designs evolve. Semiconductor Engineering

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Designing Chips In The Context Of Rapidly Evolving AI Experts from Arm, Cadence, Expedera, Mixel, Quadric, Rambus, Siemens EDA, and Synopsys discuss how chip architects design AI processors for fast, efficient performance while adapting to rapidly evolving AI models, highlighting challenges and industry collaboration. Semiconductor Engineering

Behind TSMC's High-NA EUV Deferral: Low-NA Stays Strong, Customer Landscape Shifts TSMC plans to skip High-NA EUV for its A13 node, favoring extended use of cheaper Low-NA tools. The move tempers near-term demand for ASML's next-gen systems while reinforcing strong Low-NA sales and shifting focus to packaging and diversified customers. TrendForce

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Chip Industry Week in Review US Commerce Department orders IC equipment makers to halt shipments to Hua Hong, restricting China's chip access amid AI-driven shortages. Capacity may ease by 2027 as firms shift to chiplets, while US back-end gaps persist and TSMC expands 2nm output. Semiconductor Engineering

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