Spirox launches fast TGV crack inspection system

taipeitimes.com Sep 9, 2026

Spirox launches fast TGV crack inspection system

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 9, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Semiconductor equipment supplier Spirox Corp has launched its first high-speed glass core substrate inspection system, targeting next-generation packaging technologies like panel-level packaging. The optical system detects microcracks and debris in transparent glass, addressing limitations of traditional tools and improving yield rates for glass core and through-glass via (TGV) technologies. Chairman Peter Chin reported strong interest from customers in Taiwan, Japan, the US, and South Korea. With major firms planning commercialization by 2028, Spirox aims to sell dozens of units next year. The launch supports Spirox’s strategic shift from distributor to developer, aiding its recent turnaround to a net profit of NT$13.64 million. CEO Paul Yang stated the company seeks to increase own-brand equipment revenue share to 80-90 percent. Spirox also assisted Innolux in validating glass core substrates for TSMC’s CoWoS development, signaling growing industry adoption of these advanced packaging solutions.

💡 Why It Matters

· Spirox’s entry into proprietary inspection hardware validates the commercial viability of glass substrates for high-performance computing.
· By solving critical yield challenges in TGV manufacturing, the company secures a pivotal role in the supply chain for next-generation AI infrastructure.

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EDITORIAL: Taiwan draws tech leaders closer

Taiwan’s AI supply chain is transitioning from original equipment manufacturing to technology integration, driven by global tech giants stationing senior executives locally to accelerate development. During the Semicon Taiwan trade show, industry leaders emphasized that future AI success depends on radical collaboration across diverse ecosystems rather than isolated breakthroughs. Google plans to expand its Taipei office by 60 percent, working with MediaTek to design custom AI chips and reduce reliance on Nvidia. Carl Zeiss AG is expanding its engineering team in Taiwan to support ASML’s lithography systems and develop advanced inspection tools for next-generation copackaged optics. Merck Group is also moving senior technical leadership from California to Taiwan to improve customer proximity and minimize service latency. These strategic shifts underscore a broader trend of deepening local partnerships to mitigate development risks, shrink time to market, and address the complex societal and technical challenges of modern artificial intelligence infrastructure.

💡 The physical relocation of top-tier engineering and decision-making talent to Taiwan shifts the island’s role from a passive manufacturing hub to an active co-development partner. This structural change allows global firms to bypass traditional supply chain bottlenecks, directly influencing the speed and cost-efficiency of next-generation AI hardware production.

quantumcomputingreport.com · Sep 9

SkyWater Technology and Qolab Establish Midwest Commercial Foundry Agreement for Superconducting Devices

SkyWater Technology and Qolab have signed a multi-year commercial manufacturing agreement to produce superconducting devices. Operating under SkyWater’s Technology-as-a-Service model, the partnership creates a regional pipeline linking SkyWater’s Bloomington, Minnesota foundry with Qolab’s Madison, Wisconsin facilities. Qolab acts as the lead customer for SkyWater’s new SC250 superconducting platform. The program scales Qolab’s Quantum System-in-Package architecture, integrating cryogenic wiring, filters, and amplifiers into compact modules. This shift from custom development to standardized wafer processing aims to reduce cabling complexity and form factors in utility-scale processors. SkyWater is upgrading its Minnesota cleanrooms to support volume production. The deal provides Qolab with dedicated capacity and commercial visibility. This collaboration establishes a repeatable blueprint for moving superconducting quantum processor components from boutique research labs into mainstream commercial semiconductor manufacturing lines, marking a significant step in industrializing quantum hardware production.

💡 The agreement validates a scalable manufacturing model for quantum hardware, moving superconducting components out of experimental labs and into standardized semiconductor production lines. This transition is critical for reducing the physical complexity and cost barriers that currently prevent utility-scale quantum processors from achieving commercial viability.

cnbc.com · Sep 9

Jim Cramer calls this chipmaker one of his top 6 stocks to…

Market analyst Jim Cramer has identified a specific chipmaker as one of his top six stocks to purchase at the current time. This recommendation appears amidst a broader market context where pharmaceutical stocks faced significant headwinds, with Eli Lilly showing resilience despite a challenging trading day for the sector. Concurrently, Boeing reported mixed results regarding its aircraft deliveries, adding to the day’s complex market dynamics. Cramer’s selection highlights his confidence in the semiconductor sector’s potential, distinguishing it from other industries experiencing volatility. The analyst’s specific endorsement suggests a strategic pivot toward technology hardware, potentially driven by underlying demand trends or recent corporate developments within the chip industry. Investors are closely monitoring these recommendations as they navigate a landscape marked by divergent performance across healthcare, aerospace, and technology sectors. Cramer’s list serves as a key indicator of sentiment among prominent financial commentators, offering insights into where institutional and retail capital may flow in the near term.

💡 Cramer’s endorsement validates semiconductor exposure as a defensive growth strategy during broader sector volatility. Investors may reallocate capital toward chipmakers, anticipating sustained demand despite headwinds in healthcare and aerospace.

techtimes.com · Sep 9

TSMC, Samsung, and Intel Back 12-Inch Photomask Standard to End 30% High-NA…

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and ASML announced a joint initiative to transition the semiconductor industry from its 40-year-old 6-inch photomask standard to a new 12-inch format. Samsung Electronics and Intel Foundry simultaneously committed to this direction during the SPIE BACUS Photomask Technology conference in Monterey, California. The newly formed Large Mask Consortium aims to establish a 12-inch mask pilot line by 2031 and achieve full High-NA lithography system readiness for advanced-node production by 2033. This shift addresses physical limitations inherent in High-NA EUV systems, which use an anamorphic optical design that demagnifies patterns asymmetrically. The current 6-inch masks result in a 30% throughput loss for these advanced systems. The industry convergence is driven by physics rather than commercial preference, as the new standard is essential for printing features at 2-nanometer nodes and beyond. The transition marks a significant departure from the manufacturing norms established in the 1980s, requiring coordinated effort among the world’s leading chipmakers to overcome technical barriers in next-generation semiconductor fabrication.

💡 The industry is abandoning a four-decade-old standard solely because current physics prevents High-NA EUV machines from operating at full efficiency. Without this hardware overhaul, the production of advanced AI chips will remain bottlenecked by a 30% throughput penalty that software cannot fix.

taipeitimes.com · Sep 9

ASML wins over TSMC, Samsung for EUV machines as AI demand surges

ASML Holding NV secured commitments from TSMC and Samsung to adopt its high numerical aperture extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, joining Intel in utilizing these machines. Samsung plans high-volume manufacturing adoption by 2028, while TSMC targets 2030. These agreements address surging artificial intelligence demand. The four companies also agreed to shift from 6-inch to 12-inch photomasks, a critical component in semiconductor production. This coordinated move aims to boost productivity by 40 percent and reduce costs. TSMC will build a test line for 12-inch masks by 2031, with production use expected by 2033. Samsung will collaborate on developing necessary mask technologies. Intel, already using high NA systems, has contributed to the larger mask initiative for three years. ASML’s chief technology officer highlighted the significant productivity step. The collaboration seeks to overcome technical barriers before they become economic hurdles for the industry.

💡 The industry-wide pivot to 12-inch photomasks fundamentally alters manufacturing economics, allowing chipmakers to scale AI production without prohibitive cost increases. This unified standard prevents fragmented infrastructure, ensuring that the next generation of high-performance chips remains commercially viable despite escalating complexity.

cnbc.com · Sep 9

Qualcomm stock pops 10% on data center infrastructure deal with Amazon

Qualcomm shares surged approximately 10% following the announcement of a strategic data center infrastructure partnership with Amazon Web Services. The agreement positions Qualcomm to challenge Nvidia’s dominance in the artificial intelligence hardware market by supplying customized silicon for AWS’s AI infrastructure, specifically targeting inference workloads. As part of the deal, Qualcomm issued warrants allowing Amazon to acquire 25 million shares at $161.26 each, representing a total investment value of $4 billion. The collaboration spans multiple generations of chip development, aiming to meet the exponential growth in AI compute, storage, and networking demands. This move marks a significant expansion for Qualcomm into the data center sector, leveraging Amazon’s massive cloud computing resources to validate its enterprise-grade AI solutions. The partnership underscores Qualcomm’s strategic pivot beyond mobile processors, securing a major cloud provider as a key customer while intensifying competition in the high-stakes AI chip industry.

💡 This deal validates Qualcomm’s enterprise strategy by securing a top-tier cloud partner, directly challenging Nvidia’s monopoly on AI infrastructure. It forces competitors to address a new, well-capitalized rival in the lucrative data center silicon market.