Tower Semiconductor Announces Plans to Expand 300mm Capacity in Japan
Tower Semiconductor announced it will acquire full ownership of its 300mm Fab 7 in Uozu, Japan, while Nuvoton will take complete control of the 200mm Fab 5. The restructuring includes long‑term supply agreements to avoid any disruption for existing customers and is slated to close on April 1, 2027 pending regulatory approval. Tower plans to expand the 300mm footprint, potentially quadrupling current capacity, contingent on a METI subsidy and an option to purchase adjacent land. The move positions the fab as a cash‑positive, fast‑track growth engine for photonics production.
Lapse in Key Digital Trade Measure Undermines Economic Growth, Innovation
The World Trade Organization failed to extend the two‑year “Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions” at its Yaoundé ministerial, allowing the measure to lapse. The moratorium has shielded digital goods, software services and semiconductor‑related data flows from tariffs for...
SEMI Projects Double-Digit Growth in Global 300mm Fab Equipment Spending for 2026 and 2027
SEMI projects global 300mm fab equipment spending to rise 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and 14% to $151 billion in 2027. The surge is fueled by exploding AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices and by regional pushes for...
Intel to Repurchase 49% Equity Interest in Ireland Fab Joint Venture
Intel announced a definitive agreement to repurchase Apollo’s 49% equity stake in the Fab 34 joint venture for $14.2 billion. The buy‑back will be financed with cash on hand and roughly $6.5 billion of new debt, aiming to restore full ownership of the...
New ZEISS Crossbeam 750 FIB-SEM for High-Accuracy Sample Preparation Workflows
ZEISS introduced the Crossbeam 750 FIB‑SEM, a focused ion beam‑scanning electron microscope optimized for high‑accuracy sample preparation. The system features Gemini 4 electron optics and a high‑dynamic‑range Mill + SEM that provides a live, high‑resolution SEM view during any milling condition, enabling real‑time endpoint...
Quantum Diamonds Expands to Asia
QuantumDiamonds GmbH announced Peter Lemmens as Managing Director Asia, coinciding with the launch of a new regional hub in Taiwan. The hire leverages Lemmens' 25‑year semiconductor leadership and deep Taiwan network to accelerate adoption of the company’s quantum‑diamond microscopy (QDM)...
Researchers Demonstrate Laser Chips Performing Clock and Quantum Operations
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara and UMass Amherst have built a chip‑scale, visible‑light Brillouin laser that can be frequency‑stabilized to the narrow strontium optical‑clock transition and used to drive a trapped‑ion qubit. The integrated laser, paired with an on‑chip coil...
Rogue Valley Microdevices Launches MEMS Design Services
Rogue Valley Microdevices (RVM) announced the launch of MEMS Design Services, a foundry‑flexible offering that supports customers from concept through production‑ready design. The service provides three engagement models—Design only, Design with technology transfer, and full Design‑and‑Fabricate within RVM’s own fab—allowing...
New £10.4M Project to Grow Next-Generation Semiconductor Materials
The UK’s EXPRESS programme, a five‑year, £10.4 million EPSRC‑funded initiative led by the Universities of Warwick and Southampton, will develop next‑generation transistor and optoelectronic devices using transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). Researchers will combine electrochemical deposition with bespoke precursor chemistry to grow...
EPIC Microsystems Raises $21M to Power Next-Gen AI Data Centers
EPIC Microsystems announced an oversubscribed $21 million Series A round, bringing its total capital to $26 million. The funding, led by Seligman Ventures with participation from Intel Capital and other venture firms, will accelerate commercialization of its hybrid switched‑capacitor (HSC) power delivery technology...
