December 2, 2025

Intel Reportedly Taps Amkor for EMIB Packaging in Outsourcing Move Intel takes its first step in outsourcing EMIB as Amkor's Songdo K5 begins advanced packaging, expanding a new partnership. With Google and Meta eyeing EMIB for future accelerators and Amkor boosting investment, the move positions IFS for stronger growth. TrendForce

Sponsor Nordson Sight™ Nordson Sight™ delivers scalable SPC with traceability, rapid setup, intuitive interface, and powerful analysis tools for improved manufacturing yields. Nordson Test & inspection

A 'seismic' Nvidia shift, AI chip shortages and how it's threatening to hike gadget prices Analysts warn smartphone prices may climb as AI demand strains supply chains. Nvidia's shift to LPDDR memory, used in both AI data centers and high-end devices, intensifies DRAM and storage shortages, pushing component costs up 20–30% and threatening wider device price hikes. CNBC

In situ hydrogen plasmas — A New Paradigm for Advanced Packaging In situ hydrogen plasmas are critical for developing 3D chips with dense interconnects and high signal speeds. Atmospheric pressure hydrogen plasma offers a reliable, flux-free method for oxide removal before thermocompression bonding. Technical Paper

Sponsor Tech Paper - Keys to Component Lead Tinning Success This paper examines the challenges and best practices of component tinning, with a focus on temperature control, flux selection, and soldering techniques. Circuit Technology Center

Silicon Photonics Momentum Builds: Samsung Ramps R&D in Singapore, UMC Teams With IMEC Samsung and UMC race to commercialize silicon photonics as AI data demands surge, with Samsung targeting 2027 CPO rollout and expanding Singapore R&D, while UMC partners with IMEC for 2026 trials. TSMC advances fastest, integrating CPO into CoWoS next year. TrendForce

Nvidia CEO to Cramer: Synopsys deal is 'culmination of everything I showed you' over the years Nvidia announced a $2 billion investment to deepen its partnership with Synopsys, calling it a "huge deal." The move strengthens collaboration on AI and computing solutions, highlighting Nvidia's aggressive push to accelerate advanced engineering and technology innovation. CNBC

Sponsor See WLCSP Defects with Advanced 3D X-ray Microscopy Two case studies show the effectiveness of high-res 3D XRM for detecting various defects in WLCSP containing RDL & Cu-pillar microbumps. Read more. ZEISS Microscopy

Technical Papers 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 RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor Peer viewpoint: semiconductor innovation for telecommunication networks Current Characterization of Various Cu RDL Designs In Wafer Level Packages (WLP) MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor DIE Stacking on a Small Area Assembly process where chips are stacked on top of one another on a substrate. This vertical integration allows a compact arrangement of different circuits with different dimensions on a small area. Tresky Automation

Exploring how AI will shape the future of work MIT Sloan PhD candidate Benjamin Manning researches how AI agents can act on humans' behalf and shape markets, exploring designs that understand preferences. His work aims to accelerate social science, using AI to simulate behavior and amplify human insight. MIT News

Why Fiber Optics is Replacing Copper in Data Centers AI's surge is transforming data centers, driving massive power, cooling & connectivity demands. Hyperscale facilities now rely on high-density racks, fiber optics—including hollow-core fiber—and advanced monitoring to support ultra-fast, low-latency AI workloads at unprecedented scale. EE Times

Sponsor Interested in a demonstration? We want to prove to you that surface preparation with Surfx argon plasmas results in a superior bond. Submit a request and our staff will respond within the next business day. Surfx Technologies

Merck opens major Kaohsiung chip fab Merck Group will ramp output at its €500 million Kaohsiung plant next year to meet rising demand for advanced semiconductor materials and specialty gases. The expansion boosts local supply, supports AI and advanced chips, and reinforces global resilience. Taipei Times

Nvidia takes $2 billion stake in Synopsys with expanded computing power partnership Nvidia acquired $2 billion of Synopsys stock to expand their multiyear strategic partnership, aiming to accelerate AI engineering, compute-intensive applications, cloud access, and joint go-to-market initiatives, revolutionizing design and engineering with GPU-accelerated computing. CNBC

Sponsor MicroCircuit Laboratories equity funding commitment $10 million to accelerate production of the a new-generation hermetic package seal processing to deliver leading precision, reliability and cost savings for microelectronic hermetic packaging. MicroCircuit Laboratories, LLC

Unimicron Glass Core Substrates and Hybrid Bonding Unimicron's recent IMAPS Journal paper highlights advances in glass interposer substrates and Cu-Cu hybrid bonding, reviewing decades of research and detailing TSMC's CoPoS rollout by 2028 and Absolics' 2026 U.S. glass-core substrate manufacturing with laser-drilled TGVs. 3DInCites

The Great AI Reallocation U.S. industrial policy in Nov 2025 accelerates investment as Amazon, Samsung and others commit hundreds of billions to AI and chip projects. Washington's coercive strategy ties corporate decisions to national security, reshaping markets and supply chains. EE Times

Sponsor AIT ORMET® TLPS for Proven Reliability AIT ORMET® TLPS is proven for outstanding reliability for High and Ultra High-Density Interconnection and high temperature build-up Layer Interconnection beyond 175°C Ormet® TLPS

3DKs: Making Headway On Chiplet Standards Early adopters have proven the chiplet model, integrating multiple chiplets into in-house systems. The Open Compute Project and JEDEC are advancing open chiplet marketplaces with new design kits, extending proven process design methods to streamline system-in-package development. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Package Integrated Vapor Chamber Heat Spreaders Vapor chamber technology revolutionizes cooling, outperforming copper spreaders and boosting efficiency in smartphones and GPUs. Amkor Technology, Inc.