➀ TSMC showcased its advanced semiconductor technologies at the 2025 Europe Symposium, highlighting N3 nodes' high-volume production with variants for CPUs, cost-effective products, and automotive applications;

➁ Unveiled next-gen N2 and A16/A14 processes with performance/efficiency improvements, and introduced CFET transistor designs achieving double density;

➂ Demonstrated 3D Fabric innovations (SoIC/CoWoS), wafer-scale AI systems (SoW-X), and specialized automotive/IoT solutions including RRAM/MRAM and N4C RF for emerging wireless standards.

➀ ChEmpower Corporation leverages 25+ years of expertise to develop abrasive-free CMP pads, revolutionizing semiconductor planarization by eliminating defects and enabling eco-friendly manufacturing;

➁ Their technology addresses a $3B market with a $12B potential, targeting copper interconnects, advanced packaging, and sub-10nm nodes for AI chips and HBM applications;

➂ By integrating chemistry and materials innovation, ChEmpower uniquely competes against giants like DuPont while expanding into molybdenum and ruthenium solutions for next-gen chip materials.

➀ ISTE anticipates generating revenue in 2024 from plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment due to HBM market expansion;

➁ The company identifies the current timing as optimal for entering the silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) PECVD equipment market;

➂ This aligns with surging demand for advanced packaging technologies driven by HBM's requirements, including 3D IC and through-silicon via (TSV) processes.

➀ Neil Druckmann discussed the evolving role of storytelling in video games with screenwriter Alex Garland, reflecting on the challenges and inspirations around narratives in games.

➁ Games like BioShock and The Last of Us demonstrated the full capability of narrative in gaming, challenging the industry's skepticism.

➂ Druckmann shared his early inspirations for narrative-driven games, including Monkey Island 2 and Half-Life 2.

➀ Reputable leaker Billbil-Kun reports that Death Stranding 2 pre-orders are expected to start in March, with a release date likely announced at SXSW 2025.

➁ The game will have a Standard Edition at $69.99 and a Collector's Edition at $229.

➂ The leak also confirms that Death Stranding 2 will launch with a physical Standard Edition, priced at $69.99 USD / 69.99 EUR, along with a Collector's Edition planned for North America and Europe, retailing at $229 USD.

➀ Dr. Prady Gupta is the Founder and Chief Scientist at Infinita Lab and Infinita Materials, focusing on materials testing and specialized chemicals for high-tech industries.

➁ Infinita Lab offers a network of over 2,000 accredited labs for comprehensive materials testing services.

➂ Infinita Materials specializes in custom inorganic chemicals for sectors like semiconductors and batteries.

➀ The complexity of semiconductor chip design has increased the demand for scalable cloud solutions in post-tapeout flow management.

➁ Cloud platforms offer dynamic scaling and cost-effective resource management.

➂ Strategic partnerships and cloud services like Siemens EDA and AWS are revolutionizing PTOF processes.

➀ This paper discusses the post-silicon validation of the IBM POWER9 processor, highlighting its significance in the context of increasing multi-core processor adoption by hyperscalers.

➁ IBM's Threadmill, a tool for processor verification, has been enhanced since the POWER7, including optimized template allocation and debugging strategies for multi-core write drops.

➂ The validation methodology for POWER9 has significantly improved bug detection rates compared to POWER8, with new techniques like AI prioritization and hardware irritators to induce bugs.

Applied Materials demonstrated its new inspection kit SEMVision H20 on Thursday, equipped with the company's second-generation cold fusion emission (CFE) technology, which is three times faster than thermal fusion emission (TFE) equipment for analysis.

➀ Traditional RF board design strategies are insufficient for high frequencies and dense layouts;

➁ Keysight and Modelithics collaborate on an advanced RF board simulation workflow;

➂ The use of 3D passive component models enhances simulation accuracy and reduces the risk of board re-spins.

➀ Anduril Industries, led by Palmer Luckey, is set to take over the US Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program, pending Department of Defense approval.

➁ The program includes advanced headgear with AR capabilities, and Anduril will manage production and development with Microsoft Azure as the preferred cloud provider.

➂ Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus VR and Anduril Industries, sees this as a deeply personal achievement, emphasizing the potential of the technology to save lives.