Chip Industry Week in Review


Samsung and SK hynix joined OpenAI's Stargate initiative to ensure there will be enough memory chips to meet the needs of AI data centers. The goal is to produce up to 900,000 DRAM wafer starts per month. OpenAI also inked agreements to explore the development of next-gen data centers in Korea. Axcelis Technologies (ion implantation systems) will merge with Veeco Instruments (compound semic... » read more

Smarter Packaging: How AI is Reshaping Assembly and Materials Control


When a multi-die package worth $500 fails final test because of a defect that originated three process steps earlier, the economics of advanced packaging become painfully clear. Each excursion carries downstream costs that ripple across assembly, final test, and even system qualification. As packaging margins tighten, the industry is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) to catch those pro... » read more

Blog Review: Oct. 1


Synopsys' Chun-Soo Kim and Hoseong Kim suggest making the entire design flow local layout effect-aware to identify and address issues early and ultimately improve PPA by avoiding overly pessimistic designs. Siemens' Kirk Fabbri explores the power distribution network, focusing on power plane capacitance and how it varies with the dynamic switching characteristics of the load and dielectric c... » read more

Chip Industry Week In Review


U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned Southeast Asian semiconductor manufacturers that they must shift production to the U.S. or face new punitive tariffs, reports the South China Morning Post. President Trump previously floated a 100% tariff on imported chips. Malaysia and other regional economies are offering large concessions and promises of U.S. goods purchases in hopes of securin... » read more

Blog Review: Sept. 24


Siemens' Harry Foster warns of a big drop in first-time silicon success as more system companies tackle developing their own chip without the accumulated knowledge around flows, sign-off criteria, and coverage closure in a landscape where even small oversights in methodology can lead to multimillion-dollar respins. Synopsys' Godwin Maben warns that skyrocketing power consumption is a critica... » read more

Chip Industry Week in Review


Amkor, TSMC, and Cadence partnered with Tesoro VC, which will serve as the lead operator of a new Global AI + Semiconductor Startup Hub and a Global Design Center in Phoenix, Arizona, aimed at chip innovation, startup growth, and advanced manufacturing. Nvidia will invest $5 billion in Intel common stock at a purchase price of $23.28 per share and the companies will collaborate on AI infrastru... » read more

Collaboration Is Key To Growing Semiconductor Industry


John Kibarian, CEO and co-founder of PDF Solutions and a member of the ESD Alliance (ESDA) Governing Council, will deliver a keynote during the CEO Summit at SEMICON West in October titled “Revolutionizing Semiconductor Collaboration: The Emergence of AI-Driven Industry Platforms.” He recently shared with me a summary of what his talk will cover and his perspective on why collabora... » read more

Blog Review: Sept. 17


Siemens' John McMillan explores the fundamentals of IC package thermal resistance, modeling strategies, and why die-level thermal analysis in 3D-ICs is increasingly essential for ensuring device reliability. Cadence's Jasmine Makhija provides an overview of the TEE Device Interface Security Protocol (TDISP), which helps safeguard PCIe devices within Trusted Execution Environments by providin... » read more

Chip Industry Week in Review


The U.S. is considering annual approvals for Samsung and SK hynix to export chipmaking tools and materials to their factories in China, replacing perpetual waivers granted under the validated end user system, reports Bloomberg. The proposal, presented by the U.S. Commerce Department to South Korean officials, would require the companies to reapply each year for specific quantities of restricted... » read more

Infusing Trust Into The Supply Chain


An expanding supply chain of dies feeding multi-die products is prompting chipmakers to reassess and expand on ways to instill trust from end to end. This reaches deeper than just connecting disparate data. It requires integrating complex systems across vendors and protecting vendor data while instilling confidence in their customers and partners. Yet despite the time and effort that has bee... » read more

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