TDLAS vs CRDS: Which Gas Analysis Technology Truly Performs in the Fab?
Semiconductor fabs need ultra‑trace gas analysis to prevent contamination that can cripple yields. Two optical‑spectroscopy methods dominate: Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) and Cavity Ring‑Down Spectroscopy (CRDS). TDLAS delivers sub‑second, in‑situ measurements with minimal maintenance, making it the workhorse for real‑time process control, while CRDS achieves slightly lower detection limits but demands frequent calibration and a stable environment. The choice hinges on speed versus ultimate sensitivity and operational overhead.
Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions to Showcase Semiconductor Solutions at SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026
Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions will exhibit its full semiconductor‑fab portfolio at SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026, booth 1718. The showcase features the UltiDry multi‑stage roots pump, the Ambient Multi‑Port Controller (AMPC) for real‑time contamination monitoring, and the Automated Pod Analyzer (APA) for FOUP...
Nordic Semiconductor Strengthens Executive Team
Nordic Semiconductor has named Jo Uthus as Executive Vice President of Marketing and Developer Experience, effective April 1, 2026. The appointment merges marketing with developer experience to accelerate the company’s developer‑first strategy. Uthus brings more than 25 years of senior roles at Atmel...
SkyeChip Berhad Inks Underwriting Agreement
SkyeChip Berhad announced a public offering of 400 million new ordinary shares, representing 22.3% of its post‑IPO capital, with no existing shareholder sell‑down. The proceeds will be deployed over three years, with roughly 60% earmarked for research and development of custom...
Innatera Launches Synfire
Innatera unveiled Synfire, an open, community‑driven platform aimed at unifying the neuromorphic AI ecosystem. Launched at Edge AI San Diego 2026, the service provides a centralized model registry, hardware‑aware metadata, and end‑to‑end pipeline tools for spiking neural networks. Synfire leverages...
CEA-Leti and Fraunhofer IPMS Validate Wafer Exchange for Ferroelectric Memory Materials
A five‑year EU pilot line led by CEA‑Leti has successfully demonstrated wafer exchange between its cleanroom and Fraunhofer IPMS, proving that complex HZO ferroelectric stacks can be processed across multiple 300 mm CMOS fabs. The collaboration validated contamination‑control protocols using VPD‑ICP‑MS...
Everspin Technologies Expands On-Shore MRAM Manufacturing Capacity
Everspin Technologies has signed a 10‑year manufacturing agreement with Microchip Technology to expand on‑shore production of MRAM and tunnel‑magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor wafers. The partnership will replicate Everspin’s Chandler, AZ line at Microchip’s Oregon fab, creating a domestic second source and...
New ZEISS Crossbeam 750 FIB-SEM Designed for High-Accuracy Sample Preparation Workflows
ZEISS unveiled the Crossbeam 750 FIB‑SEM, featuring Gemini 4 electron optics and a high‑dynamic‑range Mill + SEM that provides a live, high‑resolution view during milling. The system delivers sub‑nanometer precision and real‑time endpointing for TEM lamellae, enabling uniform first‑pass cuts in advanced semiconductor nodes....
CEA-Leti, CEA-List and PSMC Collaborate
CEA‑List, CEA‑Leti and PSMC announced a collaboration to merge RISC‑V processor IP with silicon‑photonic interconnects on PSMC’s 3D‑stacking platform, targeting next‑generation AI systems. The joint effort will embed customizable RISC‑V compute blocks and microLED‑based optical links into high‑bandwidth chiplet architectures,...
Q.ANT Appoints Michael Krueger as Vice President Commercials
Q.ANT, a developer of photonic processors for energy‑efficient high‑performance computing and AI, announced Michael Krueger as its new Vice President of Commercials, effective April 1, 2026. Krueger joins from a two‑decade tenure at Intel, where he led data‑center and AI sales in...
AI Compute Boom Propels Foundry 2.0 Market to $360 Billion
The AI‑driven compute boom is pushing the Foundry 2.0 market toward a $360 billion valuation in 2026, with advanced nodes and CoWoS packaging remaining scarce. TSMC raised its 3 nm capacity target to 165,000 wafers per month and aims for a 44% market...
Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue to Exceed $1.3 Trillion in 2026
Gartner projects worldwide semiconductor revenue to exceed $1.3 trillion in 2026, reflecting a 64 % year‑over‑year increase. Memory revenue is expected to triple as DRAM and NAND flash prices surge 125 % and 234 % respectively, a phenomenon Gartner dubs “memflation.” AI semiconductors will...
OMRON Appoints Virendra Shelar as President and CEO of Its Industrial Automation Business in EMEA
Omron has appointed Virendra Shelar as President and CEO of its Industrial Automation business in Europe. Shelar, who joined Omron in 2014, brings more than 25 years of high‑tech leadership, having overseen the Management Center in Asia‑Pacific, Europe, and global...
UK Semiconductor Centre Appoints Two New Directors to Its Leadership Team
The UK Semiconductor Centre has hired Martin O’Sullivan as Director of Investment and Steve Taylor as Director of Strategic Marketing to accelerate growth and visibility of the UK chip sector. Their appointments come as global semiconductor demand, driven by AI...
Imec Names NVIDIA's Jensen Huang as Recipient of the 2026 Imec Lifetime of Innovation Award
Imec announced that Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, will receive the 2026 imec Lifetime of Innovation Award. The award honors Huang’s pivotal role in creating the programmable GPU, which has evolved from gaming graphics to the core engine...
