➀ Amkor Technology begins construction of a $7 billion advanced semiconductor packaging and testing campus in Arizona, in partnership with the Trump Administration;

➁ The expanded investment adds cleanroom capacity and a second greenfield packaging facility, enhancing production capabilities;

➂ The facility aims to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain with cutting-edge packaging technologies.

➀ August 2025 semiconductor sales reached $64.9 billion, up 21.7% year-over-year and 4.4% month-over-month;

➀ Growth was driven by strong sales in the Asia Pacific and Americas regions, with memory and logic chips showing significant increases;

➀ Year-over-year sales rose in most regions except Japan (-6.9%), while month-to-month sales saw growth across all regions.

➀ Empa researchers developed biodegradable printed circuit boards (PCBs) using lignocellulose-based material derived from wood waste;

➁ The bio-based PCBs, processed through fibrillization and hornification, offer comparable durability to traditional epoxy boards while being compostable, enabling easier recycling of electronic components;

➂ Successful integration into functional devices like computer mice and RFID cards demonstrates potential; future work targets enhanced resilience without compromising biodegradability for industrial adoption.

➀ ASIC North partners with GlobalFoundries to offer design services and production support across the semiconductor lifecycle;

➁ The collaboration aims to expand the global reach of GF's specialized semiconductor technologies;

➂ Focus on delivering end-to-end solutions for diverse applications through this strategic alliance.

➀ Researchers developed a DPND carbon-based coating that boosts solar cell efficiency to 30% while reducing operating temperature by 2.4°C, potentially extending panel lifespan by over 4 years;

➁ The technology leverages singlet fission to convert wasted high-energy light into usable electricity, improving photon utilization in silicon cells;

➂ Unlike previous unstable compounds, the organic DPND material shows superior stability and compatibility with existing silicon PV manufacturing processes.

➀ A nanostructured gold layer applied to ultrathin solar cells enhances light absorption by reflecting unabsorbed sunlight back into the cell, improving efficiency by ~1.5%;

➁ The gold layer, combined with an aluminum oxide coating, prevents electron loss and withstands high-temperature processing (450°C), maintaining stability;

➂ The nanoimprint lithography technique enables scalable production and compatibility with flexible materials, broadening applications in vehicles, buildings, and portable systems.

➀ Ed, an CEO, strategizes to secure a lucrative UK government ID card contract estimated at £1.2-2 billion, leveraging political connections;

➁ He proposes ScunthorpeID (SID) as a British front company for public reassurance, highlighting its tech capabilities and friendly acronym;

➂ Negotiates a 30% net profit share with ScunthorpeID's owner after playful bargaining over subcontracting roles like distribution and customer service.

➀ Taiwan proposes a 'Taiwan Model' strategic alliance to balance domestic chip production with U.S. investments, offering export guarantees and sharing science park expertise;

➁ The U.S. would provide land, visas, and regulatory support, while Taiwan resists relocating 50% of chip manufacturing to America and seeks expanded tariff exemptions;

➂ TSMC's Arizona expansion highlights both cooperation and U.S. concerns over Taiwan's proximity to China amid geopolitical tensions.

➀ Researchers develop infrared detectors using quantum dots to replace toxic heavy metals like mercury and lead.

➀ Liquid "quantum ink" enables cost-effective, scalable production through coating techniques, avoiding hazardous materials.

➂ While performance trails state-of-the-art detectors, the eco-friendly solution shows microsecond response times and potential for commercial/defense applications.

➀ Silicon Labs introduces its Series 3 SoCs (SiMG301 and SiBG301), optimized for wireless communication and built on a 22nm multi-core design;

➁ The SiMG301 supports multi-protocol operation (Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy, Matter over Thread) for IoT, smart home, and industrial automation applications;

➂ Features Secure Vault security, up to 4MB Flash/512kB RAM, and compliance with Matter certification and regulations like EU Cyber Resilience Act.

➀ Researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and Hebrew University developed a novel spectroscopic micro-ellipsometry (SME) technique to measure conductivity and optical responses of individual MXene flakes, revealing their intrinsic properties;

➁ The non-invasive, high-resolution method overcomes limitations of conventional approaches, providing nanoscale structural and electronic insights critical for optimizing MXene-based devices;

➂ The breakthrough advances applications in energy storage, flexible electronics, and clean energy technologies by enabling precise material characterization at the single-flake level.

➀ Key ASIC Berhad signs RM1.11 million contract with a Middle Eastern navigation firm to co-develop an AI-driven RF-integrated navigation chip;

➁ The chip targets ultra-low power consumption and advanced navigation accuracy for applications in automotive and IoT sectors;

➂ Collaboration aims to strengthen Key ASIC's presence in AI-optimized semiconductor solutions for global markets.

➀ DJI vehemently denies its designation as a 'Chinese Military Company' by a U.S. court, asserting it operates independently without government or military ties;

➁ The court rejected most U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) allegations but upheld two, which DJI argues are unrelated to military affiliation, citing its civilian-focused policies;

➂ The ruling could impact DJI's U.S. market prospects, though no immediate ban is imposed, and the company plans to explore further legal options.

➀ Researchers from TU Ilmenau, alongside partners, won second place in the INNOspace Masters 2025 competition for developing an EEG-based system to monitor astronauts' brain activity during long space missions;

➁ The system uses lightweight, dry-electrode technology and AI to analyze mental states in real-time, aiming to prevent psychological crises in extreme environments like space or Antarctica;

➂ The innovation has dual applications, benefiting space exploration and terrestrial healthcare, including mental health monitoring for conditions like depression and burnout.

➀ Qorvo launched a Ku-band beamformer IC for SATCOM terminals, enabling TDD architecture to reduce system complexity and size through a single antenna array for transmission and reception;

➁ The IC complements Qorvo's existing FDD beamformer portfolio, providing scalable solutions for both TDD and FDD satellite communication systems;

➂ It operates in 13.75-14.5 GHz (transmit) and 10.7-12.75 GHz (receive) ranges, integrates Tx/Rx functions, reduces receive power by 40%, improves signal clarity by 20%, and offers 5x higher transmit efficiency than competitors.

➀ Counterpoint Research released Q2 2025 rankings highlighting the top five wafer fab equipment (WFE) manufacturers by revenue;

➁ ASML dominated with $8.72 billion, followed by Applied Materials ($7.32B), Lam Research ($5.17B), Tokyo Electron ($3.8B), and KLA ($3.17B);

➂ The list underscores the critical role of semiconductor manufacturing leaders in advancing global chip production infrastructure.

➀ Texas Instruments introduced the DLP991UUV digital micromirror device (DMD) with 8.9 million pixels and a 5.4μm mirror pitch, targeting mask-less lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging;

➁ The DMD operates at 405nm UV wavelength, handles 22.5W/cm² illumination, achieves sub-micron resolution, and offers 91% average diffraction efficiency across 343-410nm bandwidth;

➂ It uses a 1-inch CMOS array, 12 high-speed serial data interfaces, and multiple voltage rails, building on TI's previous 3,840 x 2,160 DLP controller IC for imaging systems.

➀ Piezoelectric MEMS technology enables innovative applications such as miniature speakers;

➁ Demonstrates MEMS' potential in miniaturization and novel audio solutions;

➂ Highlights advancements in semiconductor materials for next-generation devices

➀ xMEMS Labs utilizes solid-state, all-silicon piezo MEMS technology to achieve high performance, compact size, and enhanced durability;

➁ The technology demonstrates significant improvements in energy efficiency and robustness compared to traditional solutions;

➂ Potential applications span consumer electronics, industrial systems, and emerging micro-acoustic devices.

➀ The innovation gap between the US and China narrowed to 5.1 points in 2024, down from 12.6 points in 2015, according to WIPO's Global Innovation Index;

➁ The US dominated late-stage VC deals and software spending (47% global R&D share), while China led in patents, industrial designs, and scientific research (14% growth in research articles);

➂ Global research output reached 2 million articles in 2024, fueled by contributions from China and India.