World Region – America
Building out the US semiconductor workforce pipeline: what can be done for the future? By Robert Quinn and Dr Ariful Haque. The CHIPS and Science Act led to investment to the tune of $53bn in US federal funding to help revitalise the US semiconductor industry. With the US’s worldwide share of chip manufacturing capacity declining from 37% in 1990 to ...
The US Supreme Court has declared illegal US tariffs imposed under the Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) but has left the question of refunds of the $175 billion so far collected to be decided by the lower courts. IEEPA tariffs account for about 60% of all the tariffs – the others remain in place. “We have alternatives – great alternatives ...
In December, for the first time in at least 40 years, Taiwan exported more goods to the US than China as the effect of US tariffs started to kick in. In December, US imports from Taiwan were nearly $24.7 billion, up from about $20.3 billion in November, data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed. US imports from China ...
Earlier this week Ford said it will take a $19.5 billion write-down and discontinue several EV models in the face of weak demand, reports Reuters. About $8.5 billion of the write-down relates to canceling planned EV models. $6 billion is tied to the dissolution of a battery joint venture with South Korea’s SK On, and $5 billion on programme-related expenses. ...
Northrop Grumman and the US Space Force (USSF) have successfully demonstrated the precision radar tracking technology known as DARC (Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability), they report. DARC USSF’s Space Systems Command’s DARC combined the capability of multiple ground-based antennas at DARC Site 1 in Western Australia. The calibrated antenna arrays operate as a single system to characterise the movement of multiple ...
Rocket Lab has completed its acquisition of Geost, a specialist in advanced electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems for missile tracking. The functionality plays into the concept of the U.S. Golden Dome defence. The launch services company now adds Geost’s Optical Systems functionality to its portfolio. The payload systems enable space vehicles to detect, interpret, and respond to situational changes ...
Samsung is delaying facilitising its Taylor, Texas fab (pictured below) because it lacks customers for it, reports the Nikkei. The success of TSMC’s 2nm process has been so comprehensive that the company has won many of the big customers for it – Apple, MediaTek, Qualcomm, AMD and Broadcom. Earlier this week it was reported that Intel is considering giving up ...
The US Chips Act is under threat following President Trump’s speech to the US Congress when he called the Act a “horrible, horrible thing”. Trump asked Congress to get rid of the Act and use “whatever is left over” of its funds to “reduce debt or any other reason.” Trump thinks tariffs are a better way to go to support ...
The US government has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for activities that will use AI and autonomous experimentation (AE) technologies to support the long-term viability of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. The CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes (CARISSMA) funding opportunity will be critical in meeting the industry’s technology, economic, and sustainability goals. On November 8, ...
The yield on TSMC’s 4nm process being ramped at its first Phoenix, Arizona fab is 4% better than the yields from its Taiwan fabs, according to Rick Cassidy, president of TSMC’s US division. Volume production in Arizona is expected to start early next year. Originally it was planned for this year after construction started in 2021, but delays caused by ...
