April 21, 2026

Intel Foundry Said to Boost Equipment Orders by 50%+ YoY; 14A May Draw Major Customers by Year-End Intel's foundry push gains momentum as 2026 equipment orders jump over 50%, boosting suppliers like E&R Engineering and KINIK. Rising shipments, 14A progress, EMIB packaging, and AI's shift toward CPU-led systems could attract major customers by year-end. TrendForce

Sponsor Corner fill inspection A memory manufacturer adopted Nordson's AOI system with deep learning to inspect IC corner fill, ensuring accurate detection, measurement, and improved reliability in semiconductor assembly. Nordson Test & Inspection

Apple taps John Ternus as CEO to replace Tim Cook, who will become chairman Apple named hardware chief John Ternus as CEO, replacing Tim Cook, who becomes executive chairman on September 1. Ternus joins the board while Apple promotes Johny Srouji. The company faces AI competition and supply-chain challenges. CNBC

Peer viewpoint: AI data centers are driving a semiconductor revolution AI adoption is tripling data center demand by 2030. Henkel surveyed 120 semiconductor leaders to uncover how innovation in materials and packaging is powering future-ready, high-performance infrastructure. Technical Paper

Sponsor Turnkey Electroless Plating Solutions PacTech delivers precision electroless plating with PACLINE® and turnkey process transfers, trusted by IDMs worldwide for advanced semiconductor manufacturing success. PacTech

Marvell pops on report it will help Google with custom AI chips. Broadcom shares sink Marvell Technology shares rose nearly 6% after reports that Google will use it for new AI chips, including a TPU and memory processing unit, diversifying away from Broadcom amid booming demand for custom AI accelerators. CNBC

Amazon to invest up to another $25 billion in Anthropic as part of AI infrastructure deal Amazon invests up to $25 billion more in Anthropic, deepening a partnership tied to over $100 billion in AWS spending over a decade. Anthropic commits to Trainium chips and 5 GW capacity, scaling Claude models amid fierce AI infrastructure competition. CNBC

Sponsor Does Water Do the Job on Its Own? Matching a cleaning agent to the soil it cleans is key because cleaning only with deionized water may not always be effective when cleaning electronics. Download to learn more. KYZEN

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 No-Clean, Flip-Chip and Ball-Attach Flux Improve yields with NC-809, the industry leading, true no-clean, ultra-low residue, flip-chip and ball-attach flux suitable for many semiconductor applications. Indium Corporation

Positron AI Enters Nvidia Turf With Oracle Deal AI chip startup Positron challenges Nvidia in data centers by supplying Oracle with inference systems for mixture-of-experts workloads. The move highlights growing competition from new entrants targeting inference chips, as demand and investment in AI compute rapidly expand. EE Times

The hidden gap that could derail the future of 2D semiconductor chips Researchers at TU Wien show many promising 2D materials fail for chip miniaturization because van der Waals gaps with insulating layers weaken performance. Their findings help identify viable materials and promote "zipper" designs that integrate semiconductors and insulators. Nanowerk

Sponsor Amkor's System in Package (SiP) Solutions Amkor's SiP technology is an ideal solution in markets that demand a smaller size with increased functionality. Learn more. Amkor Technology, Inc.

Why AI Is Redefining the Future of Commercial Power Infrastructure AI is reshaping commercial power infrastructure, forcing companies to redesign distribution for dense, variable loads. Firms deploy modular systems, real-time monitoring, storage, and advanced cooling to handle surging demand, cut failures, and boost efficiency. EE Times

YMTC's NAND Design Surprise Alongside a New Fab YMTC pushes ahead with new Wuhan fabs despite US sanctions, relying on local equipment to ramp production of advanced NAND and DRAM. Amid AI-driven memory shortages, it challenges global leaders and accelerates China's semiconductor self-sufficiency. EE Times

Sponsor Effect of Package Warpage and Composite CT on Failure Modes Researchers analyze board-level reliability of surface mount devices in thermal cycling, identifying failure modes via warpage and strain data. Akrometrix

Why Proof Convergence Matters Semiconductor verification struggles to deliver deterministic yes-or-no results as chip complexity grows with more cores, interactions, and AI-designed chips. Ashish Darbari of Axiomise highlights safety and security interactions, pattern-based bug prevention & methods to improve coverage. Semiconductor Engineering

Batteries Charge To The Edge Battery chemistry and materials advances boost capacity, speed charging, and improve safety by reducing thermal runaway risk. Firms race to solid-state and new electrolytes, but testing, thermal management, and manufacturing hurdles slow commercialization. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Low Pressure Plasma for Electronics Expand your knowledge of plasma technology. Register now for the new PlasmaTalk webinar to learn how low-pressure plasma can advance your production. Plasmatreat

India's first 3D semiconductor packaging unit signals a deeper shift in the chip supply chain India advances its semiconductor ambitions as Odisha hosts its first advanced 3D chip packaging facility by 3D Glass Solutions. The project shifts focus from assembly to IP-heavy glass-based packaging for AI and computing, strengthening domestic ecosystem and supply chains. CRN Asia

Sponsor Die-on-Tab for Compound Semiconductors This white paper explains why die-on-tab is critical for GaN and GaAs RF power devices, improving heat dissipation, reliability, and system life. Download now. StratEdge Corporation