March 30, 2026

China's Chip Foundry SMIC Unveils Action Plan for Seizing New Growth SMIC unveiled a 2026 action plan to expand core operations and drive new growth, reinforcing China's chip self-sufficiency push. It will prioritize specialty chips, supply chain reshoring, and domestic substitution while targeting above-industry sales gains. South China Morning Post

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Chip Industry Week In Review Arm launched its first internally developed CPU for agentic AI data centers, emphasizing efficiency and lower cost per watt. Built on TSMC 3nm, it targets ecosystem support amid forecasts of cheaper AI inference and rising semiconductor and security challenges. Semiconductor Engineering

Current Characterization of Various Cu RDL Designs In Wafer Level Packages (WLP) This study evaluates copper redistribution layer fusing currents in wafer-level packaging through experiments and simulations, finding that silicon thickness significantly improves heat dissipation and fusing performance. Technical Paper

Sponsor "Build Up" I/C Packages -- USA Fabrication High layer counts. Low CTE material sets. 20µm Dielectrics /12µm Traces - ITAR Approved - 50um "Stay Flat" Cores. Learn more. Advanced Component Labs, Inc.

Who Breaks First in the Memory Supercycle? Memory markets enter a structurally asymmetric supercycle as DRAM and NAND prices surge on AI-driven demand and tight supply, while impact varies by BOM elasticity: AI servers remain inelastic, industrial markets adapt, and consumer devices cut content or delay launches. EE Times

Nano 4 supercomputer to launch in third quarter Taiwan will launch supercomputer Nano 4 in Q3, delivering 86.05 petaflops to train AI models for finance and defense. It triples national computing power, uses Nvidia H200 and GB200 chips, and supports academia, government, and industry collaboration. Taipei Times

Sponsor Ultra-Thin Wafer Handling Achieve ≤ 10 µm device thinning with Brewer Science’s BrewerBOND® VersaLayer system: a thermoplastic layer coats device features, while a low-stress adhesive bonds them. Brewer Science

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 Die-Module Attach for High Power Devices High flexibility film and paste adhesives for large die and module attach. Outstanding thermal conductivity with low moisture absorption stress-free bonding. AI Technology, Inc.

TSMC's 2028 Capacity Full, Samsung Foundry Emerges as Alternative TSMC faces surging AI chip demand, fully booking its 2nm capacity through 2028 as Apple, Nvidia, AMD and others secure supply. This tight supply opens opportunities for Samsung Foundry, though it must improve yields to compete effectively. The Chosun Daily

Chinese analogue chipmakers join wave of global price rises as mature-node firms eye gains Chinese analogue chipmakers are raising prices alongside global peers as AI-driven demand and rising costs ripple through semiconductors. Analysts say the shift could boost China's mature-node producers by expanding capacity and enabling competitive pricing . South China Morning Post

Sponsor Contamination Control Balazs™ provides technical expertise in identifying and controlling Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC) and Surface Molecular Contamination (SMC) for improving process and product yields. Balazs Nanoanalysis

Top Chinese chipmaker alleged to supply to Iran US officials allege SMIC supplied chipmaking tools and training to Iran's military industry for about a year, potentially breaching sanctions. The claims intensify US-China tensions as Washington moves to further restrict China's access to advanced semiconductor technology. Taipei Times

China's tech self-sufficiency drive reaches new milestone with powerful RISC-V chips China accelerates semiconductor self-reliance, unveiling RISC-V chips from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Alibaba. The Xiangshan and XuanTie C950 deliver competitive performance, while the new Ruyi OS boosts its open-source ecosystem. South China Morning Post

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

The Tech Download: How Russia could profit from Iran war helium supply chain disruption in the chip sector Helium, vital for semiconductor manufacturing, faces tight supply after Iran conflict disrupts Qatar exports, removing about a third of global output. Prices rise as North America and Russia adjust, while China increases reliance on Russian supply, reshaping chip supply chains. CNBC

Why AI in Semiconductor Inspection Is Becoming a Two-Layer Game Artificial intelligence is reshaping semiconductor defect detection by combining physics-aware models in inspection tools with fab-wide analytics platforms. This dual approach delivers deeper device insight and cross-fab anomaly detection, boosting yield across layers and time scales. EE Times

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

ASML Eyes Strategic Entry into India: A Potential Game-Changer for Global Chip Supply Chains ASML is actively pursuing partnerships with Indian firms, marking a major shift in global semiconductor dynamics. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed a high-level technical team will visit Indian chip facilities, highlighting India's growing role in advanced chip manufacturing. BISinfotech

Sponsor Plasma Etch PE-Avenger The PE-Avenger is an ultra low-cost entry level plasma cleaning system allowing more labs to utilize plasma. It's a low frequency plasma cleaner designed for surface activation and organics removal. Plasma Etch