May 6, 2026

China's chip self-sufficiency push is real this time–but the target has been here before China targets over 70% domestic silicon wafer sourcing by end-2026, according to a leaked Nikkei report. Driven by firms like Eswin and US export controls, Beijing accelerates semiconductor self-sufficiency despite broader gaps in advanced chip production. TechWire Asia

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Apple explores using Intel and Samsung to build main device chips in the US Apple explores early talks with Intel and Samsung to diversify chip production beyond TSMC, aiming to ease supply constraints, boost resilience against geopolitical risks, and secure extra capacity as AI-driven demand surges, though no orders are confirmed yet. Taipei Times

Alpha Particle Emissions: An Overlooked Risk for Soft Errors in Advanced Packaging As advanced packaging density increases, alpha particle emissions present a growing reliability risk. This article examines soft error mechanisms and solutions to mitigate failures in AI, HPC, and high-density packages. Technical Paper

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GlobalWafers mulls price hike amid global turmoil GlobalWafers plans to discuss wafer price hikes in the second half as geopolitical tensions raise costs for materials, energy and logistics. Strong demand and high capacity utilization support shipments, while government funding helps offset rising depreciation and margin pressure. Taipei Times

Vanguard adjusting new fab plans Vanguard International Semiconductor adjusts its Singapore 12-inch fab to produce AI chip interposers using TSMC-licensed technology, scaling capacity to 44,000 wafers monthly. The US$6.7 billion plant operated with NXP will also make analog & power chips amid strong demand. Taipei Times

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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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Supersized and scaling: China pushes 10,000-card computing clusters in AI race China is rapidly building 10,000-card AI computing clusters as cities and tech firms race to scale AI capacity. Huawei, Alibaba, and Moore Threads compete using domestic chips, while state and private projects expand amid US-China tech rivalry. South China Morning Post

Intel soars 13% on report of Apple chip talks, hits new all-time high Intel shares surged 13% to a record high after reports that Apple is discussing U.S. chip production with Intel and Samsung. Strong partnerships, AI-driven demand, and government-backed momentum have fueled a dramatic turnaround in the chipmaker's fortunes. CNBC

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Looming Quantum Threat as PQC Market Expands Juniper Research projects post-quantum cryptography market rising from $1.2B in 2026 to $13B by 2035 as Q-Day fears and regulations drive adoption, while firms counter "harvest now, decrypt later" threats using hybrid cryptography to secure legacy systems. EE Times

Bernstein analyst: AI agents drive chip demand 'off the charts,' supply can't keep up Bernstein's Stacy Rasgon urges investors to stop focusing on chip market share and instead on capacity constraints, arguing AI-driven demand is exploding. Nvidia, TSMC, ASML, and equipment makers are ramping production, but supply still struggles to keep pace. MSN

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Changes for chips Taiwan tightens semiconductor safeguards with tougher trade secret laws, export controls, and outbound investment reviews focused on advanced chips. Authorities levy steep fines and prison terms to curb leaks, police cross-strait ties, and protect strategic high-tech exports. Asia Business Law Journal

The Next Phase of Europe's Semiconductor Strategy Europe is reshaping its semiconductor strategy, moving from urgency to realism. Policymakers balance geopolitics, market pressures, and institutional limits while focusing on critical chips like automotive and power, and reforming Chips Act 2.0 to build a coherent long-term ecosystem. EE Times

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Research Bits: May 5 MIT and MIT-IBM researchers unveil a fast model to estimate AI workload power use across chips with ~8% error, enabling operators to optimize energy efficiency. It replaces slow emulations and improves comparisons across hardware and data centers. Semiconductor Engineering

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