October 16, 2025

TSMC Profit Surges 39% to Beat Estimates on AI Chip Demand TSMC posted a Q3 net income of NT$452.3B, up 39.1% YoY, beating estimates as AI chip demand surged. Revenue hit NT$989.9B, led by advanced 7nm-and-smaller chips. CEO Wei raised 2025 growth forecasts to mid-30% and boosted capacity expansion to $40B amid strong AI traction. CNBC

Sponsor Automatic Grading Without Assistance Eliminate the need for operators to assess bond testing failure modes at the end of an automation run. Auto grading uses machine vision software to process the test result images. xyztec

Silicon Photonics Breakthrough: High-Power Frequency Comb Achieved on Chip Columbia University's Michal Lipson team created a high-power frequency comb light source directly on a silicon photonic chip, generating dozens of stable wavelengths from a single laser. The breakthrough could replace multiple lasers in AI and data-center optical modules. TrendForce

Advanced Microelectronic Packaging and Fiber Optics Technologies for the Military, Defense & Security Industries As modern military systems become increasingly compact, autonomous, and software-driven, the need for robust microelectronic integration and secure optical communication grows exponentially. Technical Paper

Sponsor Analytical Solutions Balazs™ provides analytical services to high-tech industries with a commitment to absolute quality control. As part of Air Liquide, we have a global presence & offer comprehensive solutions. Balazs Nanoanalysis

ASML looks to calm fears over 2026 growth as it warns of China sales decline ASML reassured investors about 2026 growth, saying next year's sales won't fall below 2025 despite warning of a sharp China decline. The chipmaker expects 2024 revenue to rise 15% with a 52% margin, driven by AI-fueled demand and €5.4B in Q3 orders, lifting shares 3%. CNBC

Intel's Panther Lake Emerges — Can 18A Drive an Advanced-Process Comeback? Intel's Panther Lake, its first CPU built on the 18A node, could define Intel's comeback in advanced process tech. Featuring 18A CPU, TSMC-made GPU and I/O tiles, it targets Arrow Lake performance, Lunar Lake efficiency, and RTX 4050-level integrated graphics. TrendForce

Sponsor Electromigration Performance Of Fine-Line Cu RDL For HDFO Packaging A study on HDFO packages uncovers copper RDL reliability, highlighting failure modes, resistance shifts, and critical current capacity. Read more. Amkor Technology, Inc.

Technical Papers 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) Peer viewpoint: AI data centers are driving a semiconductor revolution MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Micro Dispensing Technology White Paper The trend toward micro-dispensing technology increases as electronic assembly's shrink & component packages decrease in size. DL Technology

Arm CEO says moving some AI workloads from the cloud will make it more sustainable Arm CEO Rene Haas told CNBC that shifting AI inference from cloud to local devices can cut energy use, while AI training remains cloud-based. Partnering with Meta, Arm aims to enhance AI efficiency across hardware and software, boosting hybrid computing. CNBC

GlobalWafers opens advanced 12-inch wafer plant in northern Italy Taiwan-based GlobalWafers launched its advanced 12-inch "Fab300" silicon wafer plant in Novara, Italy, powered entirely by renewable energy. The facility, supported by €103 million in EU and Italian grants, strengthens Europe-focused production and R&D across key high-tech applications. Taipei Times

Sponsor High-Quality, High-Volume Glass Wafers Many do one or the other — we do both. Quality, cleanliness, parallelism, flatness, roughness, serialization, traceability, consistency. Every wafer in spec, every time. Coresix Precision Glass

Texas Instruments On Its Path to 95% In-House Manufacturing by 2030 Texas Instruments aims to boost internal chip production to over 95% by 2030, investing $60B+ across U.S. fabs and global sites. With AI, gallium nitride & edge solutions, TI strengthens supply resilience, supports India's growing market & drives locally relevant, cost-effective innovation. EE Times

This New Chip Is Just a Few Atoms Thick and Could Change Everything About Computers Engineers at Fudan University created the world's first fully functional memory chip built from atom-thin 2D materials and integrated with silicon circuits. Their ATOM2CHIP process enables faster, low-power flash memory with a 94.3% yield, surpassing silicon's scaling limits. ZME Science

Sponsor Mycronic has acquired Surfx Technologies Surfx provides atmospheric plasma solutions for metal oxide removal and cleaning of semiconductor surfaces. Technology critical for the most advanced packaging and semiconductor processes. Surfx

Nexperia seizure: chip supply threatened amid fight over unit of China's Wingtech Nexperia, the European chip arm of China's Wingtech, faces mounting pressure from US-China tech tensions as Dutch and Chinese export restrictions threaten its global supply role. Potential bans and seizures jeopardize automotive and industrial chip deliveries. South China Morning Post

Commonality in Correlation Analysis Low wafer yields often stem from design or process changes, but sometimes issues appear without changes. Aftkhar Aslam, CEO of yieldWerx, explains how AI/ML can analyze multi-step data to identify root causes, especially in complex chiplet assemblies. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor Thermal Warpage Testing Services If you have any questions on your Thermal Warpage and Strain Metrology, our applications engineering experts will provide you with accurate and timely information for all your needs. Akrometrix

Intel takes another crack at the AI chip market with its new Crescent Island GPUs Intel unveiled its new AI-focused GPU, Crescent Island, targeting inference workloads with energy-efficient Xe3P architecture and 160 GB LPDDR5X memory. The move marks a renewed push to compete with Nvidia and AMD in the booming AI accelerator market. Silicon Angle

Sponsor BGA Component Rework Simplified When you're confronted with tough BGA rework, who do you turn to? Discover the #1 resource used by military contractors. We have solutions for all your BGA rework and repair needs. Circuit Technology Center