Projects Get Green Light Despite China’s Regulatory Crackdowns
May 26, 2022 · By Kiterocket · Blogs, From Different Dimensions
3D In Context View all
Where Does the U.S. Stand on Semiconductor R&D?
While a significant part of the rhetoric surrounding the CHIPS for America Act (CHIPS Act) focuses on improving manufacturing in the United States and supply chain issues, there is also a discussion about semiconductor R&D. In recent postings, I have discussed some of the how’s and why’s US companies have...
CHIPS for America Act: Are We There Yet?
The CHIPS for America Act is still winding its way through Congress. The Senate has sent its version back to the House of Representatives where it faces an uphill battle due to partisan divide. The America COMPETES Act is the House counterpart to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA, S.1260), which...
Environmental Sustainability – Semiconductor Industry Challenges
In March, I was invited to be part of the panel; at SEMI’s Silicon Valley Virtual Forum: “Environmental Sustainability – Semiconductor Industry Challenges”. SEMI is working on taking a greater role for its members in helping to define what sustainability means, and how to address it. In most cases, both...
Looking at Global Semiconductor Expansion Through Polarized Lenses
The song, Happiness is Lubbock Texas in My Review Mirror, has a special meaning for me, as due to a Texas ice storm, a day trip to Lubbock, TX was extended. Thanks to a determined Southwest Airlines team, a group of us managed to get home only a day later,...
Francoise in 3D View all
IFTLE 518: Apple M1 UltraFusion Technology
Apple announced that it’s launching the new M1 Ultra processor for high-end Macs during its ‘Peek Performance’ event in March and announced the mysterious “UltraFusion” as Apple’s “custom-built packaging architecture.” Let’s take a closer look! Is Apple M1 using TSMC CoWoS technology? The Apple M1 Ultra is currently only available...
Yearbook Cover Story: Looking Ahead to Inspire the Innovators of the Future
A Conversation with KLA’s Lena Nicolaides 2021 was a big year for the semiconductor industry, and 2022 is expected to be even bigger. Ironically, despite the mayhem it caused, the chip shortage and its impact on the global supply chain turned out to be the best advertising we could have...
SEMI ISS 2022: Finding A Sustainable Route to A Terabuck
Everyone in the semiconductor industry knows that if you want to be where the action is in January, SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium at the Ritz Carlton in Half-Moon Bay is the place to be. Except for this year. This year, thanks to Omicron, we had to wait until April to...
Taking Strides for DEI: Fund Raising Efforts Bring in 25K
We are pleased to announce that thanks to the support of our industry partner, the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society; and the generosity of all our sponsors for the 2022 3D InCites Awards, our annual Mural Project, and the First Annual Hike for DEI; we raised $25,000 for the 3D...
From Different Dimensions View all
Sustainability 101: Are Your Products Toxic?
Do you know how many individual elements and chemical compounds are required to make a circuit board? I don’t. There are dozens, perhaps more. The list covers much of the periodic table. Making the semiconductor industry supply chain more environmentally responsible involves considering how we extract, produce, use, and dispose...
Is Vehicle Electrification Driving Evolution of the Supply Chain?
If CES® 2022 was any indication, the automotive industry is yet again in the crosshairs of both consumers and industry experts alike. Whether it’s the new electric vehicle (EV) model introductions, color-changing technologies, or concept cars, automotive companies are slowly transforming themselves from manufacturers to technology platform providers. Vehicle electrification...
Countdown to SEMICON West: Making the Most of Your Trade Show Experience
Everyone who is part of the semiconductor industry knows that SEMICON West is considered to be a significant trade show for meeting the industry movers and shakers. If SEMICON West is on your 2022 trade show agenda, you might be wondering how early you should begin preparing for it. SEMICON...
China Invests 140B Yuan in 170 Technology Projects Involving Semiconductors
In a single month, China has launched over 170 technology-related projects. Areas of focus range from semiconductors to biomedicine, new energy vehicles to chip application development, production of an optical protective mask to ultraviolet disinfection protective mask, dust-proof anti-poison breathing mask, and everything in between. Local Chinese corporations heavily invest...
Packaging IFTLE View all
IFTLE 519: SIA Responds to the CHIPS For America Act
IFTLE thought it might be of value to take a look at the Semiconductor Industry Association’s (SIA) response to the Dept of Commerce’s request for information (RFI) on “Incentives, Infrastructure, and Research and Development Needs to Support a Strong Domestic Semiconductor Industry”, which is being used to plan for and...
IFTLE 517: Chiplet Standardization Closer than ever with UCIe
The impressive industry grouping of ASE, AMD, ARM, Google, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Samsung, and TSMC in early March announced the formation of an industry consortium that will establish a die-to-die interconnect standard and foster an open chiplet ecosystem. Those of you who follow IFTLE know this is exactly what...
IFTLE 516: Skywater and the Onshoring of Advanced Packaging
Reshoring With the ongoing deluge of reshoring activity in the US, it is good to see others pointing out that just manufacturing chips is not what we are after. As IFTLE has steadfastly stated, we need the complete infrastructure moved back onshore and that absolutely includes the new golden child:...
IFTLE 515: MIT/ Academia Address U.S. Reshoring
With $52B hovering out there for the U.S. reshoring effort, it is not surprising that anyone and everyone, involved in any way with the industry, is trying to devise a way to get part of the pie. It should also not surprise anyone that academia, who gets much of their...
SemiSisters View all
Is Diversity and Inclusion the Secret to Your Company’s Success?
Until recently, many companies considered diversity a “nice to have.” Companies supported diversity and inclusion because they wanted to be good citizens because it was the right thing to do, and – for some, cynically – because it was good PR. But now research is proving the business case for...
Smartphone Addiction is Not a Gender-Specific Problem
An open letter to David Benjamin, EE Times Dear David, You really don’t get it. Why? Why, when more women are joining the microelectronics industry in technical and non-technical roles, would you resort to female stereotypes from the 1950s as a vehicle to discuss such an important topic as global...
2021 3D InCites DEI Fundraiser a Success; Thank You Sponsors
We took our annual mural project online this year! Illustrator Ronna Encarnacion created this original watercolor to reflect the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in creating sustainability. Proceeds from the project will be used to seed the 3D InCites DEI Fund to support technology businesses owned by women and...
How is COVID 19 Impacting the Semiconductor Industry’s Diversity and Inclusion Efforts?
A headline on CNN Business caught my eye last night: Working mothers are quitting to take care of their kids, and the US job market may never be the same. I started reading and went down a rabbit hole of related articles that revealed a few things: Unlike the recession...
Latest Posts
Sustainability 101: Earth Day and Eco-Design
Today is Earth Day, April 22. What’s so special about Earth Day? Shouldn’t we care about our planet every day?...
Sustainability Report Card: How Does Your Company Measure Up?
We are in year three of a global pandemic that has changed our perspective on health, the economy, and inequality....
Sustainability 101: SEMI Initiatives and the Need for Industry-Wide Action
I find it encouraging that SEMI is stepping up its efforts to help the semiconductor industry become more environmentally responsible....
The Semiconductor Industry Forecast Season Will be Challenging
February and March have been very active in the semiconductor industry. Quarterly announcements wrapping up 2021, pundits’ initial semiconductor industry...
2022 IMAPS DPC: Back and Better Than Ever
After two years of virtual conferences, it was great to be back in person last week at the 2022 IMAPS...
IFTLE 514: Putting Your Money Where your Mouth Is!
Growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in the 1950s and 60s, we had a lot of common...
The Challenge of Getting to Zero Carbon Emissions
Getting to zero carbon emissions will be a significant challenge for the semiconductor industry. With the industry expected to grow...
IFTLE 513: The IPC NA Advanced Packaging Ecosystem Gap Assessment
The IPC is a non-profit global association for printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers. Traditionally its focus has been on printed...
3D InCites Yearbook Editorial: Keeping Up with the Times
I’m sitting here, flipping through memories of 2021 like it was a Rolodex, sorting through the highlights, lowlights, and Aha!...
New Fully Functioning Demo Lab in FormFactor Japan
FRT Metrology main goal is to further optimize service quality, improve response times for support requests and offer more sustainable...
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 3D InCites Awards!
It is my honor to announce the winners of the 2022 3D InCites Awards. With 51 nominees in 11 categories,...
Community Reflections: From Chaos to Opportunity
ASE, Inc. CEO, Dr. Tien Wu, has often referred to Sun Tzu’s legendary quote when describing semiconductor market volatility, “In...
Sustainability 101: The Role of Secondary Markets in Greening the Semiconductor Industry
It’s a great time to be selling secondhand or refurbished goods. Individuals wanting to adopt greener lifestyles often turn to...
How MTP Technology Improves 3D Heterogeneous Integration
High-performance computing, communications, mobile, automotive, industrial, medical, and defense systems increasingly require 3D heterogeneous integration of many diverse components to...
How Do We Get from 51 Billion To Zero?
Bill Gates starts the introduction of his book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, with the header: 51 billion to...
IFTLE 512: SKC Announces Glass Substrates for BGAs; TSMC Expands Packaging
Over the past several years many companies have been extolling the virtues of glass as a packaging medium. Corning Glass,...
Wafer-Level Packaging Is Well-Positioned for Growth
Wafer-level packaging (WLP) saw significant growth in 2021 due in large part to the increased performance needs of data-driven 5G...
Another Strong Year Ahead for Hybrid Bonding Thanks to Heterogeneous Integration
While the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to cause mass disruption to the global economy during the past year, one notable...
3D Technology Development is a World-Wide Activity
The CHIPS Act, which is finally gaining some momentum in Congress, is looking at how to improve the United States’...